We first had a version of this for lunch at a restaurant in Mt. Angel, OR cooked on Traeger pellet smoker/grills 1990s. We LOVED it! Most everything on the menu was cooked on Traegers. We were on our way to select and buy my first pellet grill right at the Traeger production barn! Shortly after this was one of the dishes I began work on and it has become one of our hands down favorites. Made 'em way over a hundred times over the years.
Have made them with many different kinds of salmon including the King (Chinook) and Copper River. I ONLY buy wild caught salmon. The past decade or so for these I usually use Alaska wild caught Chum salmon I get a 10lb box of 6oz vac'd frozen boneless skinless portions for ~$45. While it's not the "top end" of salmon, it is pretty good AND @ ~$4.50/lb makes it very affordable to have salmon more often. It's also the salmon I use for Indian Candy.
2 6oz portions for 2 sandwiches for the 2 of us.
Going on the smoker seasoned with Lemon Pepper ~180f.
IT about 2 hours later time to come off. Raise smoker to 250f for second smoke finish coming up later.
I use sourdough hoagies. Faces grilled first in EVOO, butter and minced garlic.
The salmon salad is made with mayo, chopped dill pickle and green onion, some basil and bit of lemon juice.
Spread out on the grilled hoagies
Then topped with Tillamook Sharp cheddar
Onto the 250f smoker they go!
10 minutes or so later the cheese is melting and off they come. Note this also toasts the crust a bit.
Enjoy!