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    Home » Seafood

    Published: Mar 4, 2021 · Modified: Sep 16, 2023 by Mads Martigan · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Honey Smoked Tilapia with Cajun Seasoning

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Learn how to make smoked tilapia on ANY grill or smoker!  Tilapia is such an easy fish to learn how to smoke and is a great "blank canvas" to try out a host of seasoning and flavor ideas.

    Whether you are using a pellet grill like a Traeger, Camp Chef, or Pit Boss, an electric smoker like a Masterbuilt, or just a conventional propane grill like a Weber, we've got you covered. 

    smoked tilapia on a traeger smoker pellet grill
    Jump to:
    • Seasoning
    • Best Smoking Wood
    • Smoking Temperature
    • Target Internal Temperature
    • Cooking Time
    • Optional: Use a Grill Basket
    • Best Ways to Serve
    • 📖 Recipe

    Seasoning

    Tilapia really is like a blank canvas when it comes to seasoning.

    You can go gentle and delicate with a simple salt, pepper, garlic, and lemon combo.

    Start with a light coating of olive oil and then add the salt, pepper and freshly minced garlic.  You can also add in some smoked paprika for color and depth of flavor.

    putting rub on tilapia before smoking

    Squeeze the lemon juice over the smoked tilapia filets AFTER they come off the smoker.

    Alternatively, you can BIG with your flavors too and try something like this teriyaki marinade, or even use a spicier BBQ rub like our current favorite Three Little Pigs Kansas City BBQ Rub.

    If you want to go EVEN BIGGER with your seasonings, try brushing some warmed up honey on your tilapia and counter the sweetness with a cajun spice rub, or a seafood blackening seasoning like this one we like from Black Magic.

    Black Magic - Cajun Blackening Blend - Cajun Dry Rub All Purpose Seasoning
    Check Price on Amazon

    Best Smoking Wood

    Because we are only smoking the tilapia fillets for such a short period of time, you can really get away with any kind of smoking wood of your choosing.

    loading wood chips in an electric smoker

    If you want to keep it simple and straightforward, choose a lighter smoking wood like oak, apple, or peach.

    Middle of the road?  Try hickory or cherry.

    And if you want a full in your face mesquite flavor, well, use mesquite.  But prepared for it to possibly overpower a lot of the tilapia flavor.

    But if you want a more delicate flavor, then go lighter with some conventional wood choices.

    Western BBQ Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack Bundle (4)- Apple, Mesquite, Hickory, and Cherry Flavors
    • Contains most popular flavors- Apple, Mesquite, Hickory, and Cherry
    • Works with electric and gas grills
    Check Price on Amazon

    You can also experiment with cooking your tilapia on cedar planks for added wood-ey flavor.

    Check out our complete guide on how to grill with cedar planks HERE.

    Smoking Temperature

    We are going to set up the smoker for indirect cooking at 275°F.

    Because tilapia is so lean, anything lower tends to dry out the fish before it cooks completely.  Anything higher and it cooks too fast to absorb any smoke flavor before its finished.

    Monitor your smoker temperature!

    Almost every grill and smoker will have some sort of temperature gauge on them.

    Now, if you are using a pellet grill or electric smoker, you should be able to pretty accurately dial in your desired temperature of 275°F with the turn of a dial.

    This is what makes them so convenient.

    If, however, you are using a charcoal or propane grill/smoker, you can't rely on the cheap lid mounted temperature gauge that come installed on them.

    We have found these can sometimes be up to 30˝F off from what the true actual temperature of your smoker at the grill grate level is.

    This is unacceptable.

    This is why you will always see competition cooks, and backyard chefs who know their stuff, using wireless digital probe thermometers to keep track of both their meat AND their cooking chamber.

    And even if you have a fancy pellet grill like a Traeger or even an electric smoker, it can't hurt to double check how accurate your temperature settings are to the true temperatures you are getting.

    We are big fans of the ThermoPro Wireless Digital Meat Thermometer series.

    ThermoPro TP08S Wireless Digital Meat Thermometer
    • 300ft remote range and hassle-free setup: Wireless meat thermometer monitors your food and grill temp up to 300 feet away
    • Dual probes for food and BBQ: Meat thermometer oven safe with highly accurate stainless steel food probe
    • Food and ambient temp alarm: Set your desired food temp and HI/LOW temp range for your grill or smoker to know when to add more fuel
    Check Price on Amazon

    Target Internal Temperature

    You HAVE to use a good instant read meat thermometer to know where the internal temperature is of your tilapia filets, especially because they will cook relatively FAST!

    We are particular fans of this one from ThermoPro because of its durability and affordable price.

    ThermoPro TP19H Waterproof Digital Meat Thermometer - Backlit
    Check Price on Amazon

    We are targeting a final internal temperature of 145°F on the tilapia t know that it is finished cooking. 

    Cooking Time

    tilpia going into an electric smoker

    At 275°F, the typical tilapia filet will take about 2 hours to cook and come up to 145°F internally.

    This gives it plenty of time to absorb a good amount of smoke and really develop some great flavors on the smoker.

    Optional: Use a Grill Basket

    Because tilapia is more delicate than other cuts of meat, you may be more successful if you place the filets in a smoker basket rather than directly on the grill grates.

    We are particular fans of the ORDORA Portable Grill Basket because it comes with its own handle, making it much easier to manage and move lots of delicate food around with one quick motion.

    ORDORA Portable Grill Basket, Stainless Steel Heavy Duty
    Check Price on Amazon

    Another option is to use a grill mat, which are becoming increasingly popular in many BBQ circles.

    Our personal favorite is the PhatMat Non Stick Grill Mat.

    Just throw it down on your grill to keep your fish (or any other food) from falling through. It keeps your grates really clean, and when you are done, you just throw it right in the dishwasher!

    PhatMat Non Stick Grill Mats Mesh - Set of 2
    • ? GRILL LIKE A BOSS - Our heavy duty mesh design allows your barbeque masterpiece to fully absorb those awesome smoky flavors.
    • ? NO MESS - Never grill on a nasty grill grate again! These bbq mats for grill keeps all your barbecue creations from falling through the grates! Nonstick, easy clean up, reusable, washable and dishwasher safe!
    Check Price on Amazon

    Alternatively, you can put the tilapia directly on the grill grates, skin side down if they still have skin on.

    tilapia placed on a traeger smoker pellet grill to smoke

    Best Ways to Serve

    Your tilapia filets should be served immediately after removing them from the smoker.

    No need to rest or wait to eat.

    IFor drinks, a crisp white wine like chardonnay or riesling pairs nicely with the white fish if you kept the seasoning simple.

    If you went big and bold with a cajun blackening rub, you might do better pairing your tilapia with a crisp beer like a an American pale ale or a Belgian White Beer.

    📖 Recipe

    smoked tilapia on a traeger smoker pellet grill

    Honey Smoked Tilapia with Cajun Spice Rub

    Smoked Tilapia filets first brushed with honey and then rubbed with a cajun blackening rub and cooked on ANY grill or smoker until perfectly crisp and flakey.
    Whether you are using a pellet grill like a Traeger, Camp Chef, or Pit Boss, an electric smoker like a Masterbuilt, or just a conventional propane grill like a Weber, we've got you covered. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Australian, BBQ, Smoked
    Servings 6
    Calories 250 kcal

    Equipment

    • Grill or Smoker
    • Wood chunks or a pellet tube smoker with pellets or a smoker box with wood chips
    • Grill Tongs
    • Instant Read Thermometer
    • Basting brush

    Ingredients
      

    • 12 Tilapia filets (2 per person)
    • 1 Cup Honey warmed in microwave
    • Black Magic Cajun blackening spice Rub or your favorite spicy BBQ rub or seafood spice blend
    • Cooking Oil

    Instructions
     

    Prepare the Tilapia for Smoking

    • Spread the tilapia filets out on a baking sheet. Brush the bottoms of the filets with a thin layer of cooking oil so they do not stick ot the grill grates on the smoker.
    • Brush a little bit of warmed honey onto each filet. You do not need too much.
      spreading honey on tilapia before smoker
    • Sprinkle the Black Magic Spice rub or your favorite BBQ seasoning on the filets.
      putting rub on tilapia before smoking
    • Add any additonal salt and pepper as needed.

    Set up the Grill or Smoker

    • Light or turn on your smoker and set up the temperature to 275°F. If using a grill, set up the burners or charcoal for indirect cooking
    • Brush the grill grates with oil to keep the fish from sticking.
    • Add your wood chunks directly to the firebox of a smoker, or use chips in a smoker box, or pellets in a tube smoker on a gas grill.
      loading wood chips in an electric smoker

    Smoking the Tilapia

    • Once smoke is being produced, put your tilapia filets in the smoker with the seasoned honey side UP.
      tilapia placed on a traeger smoker pellet grill to smoke
    • Continue cooking the tilapia in the smoker until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F using an instant read thermometer.
      smoked tilapia on a traeger smoker pellet grill
    • Remove from the smoker and serve immediately.

    Notes

    Link for Cajun Blackening Rub
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 250kcal
    Keyword blackened, cajun, Camp Chef, electric smoker, honey, honey smoked, Masterbuilt, pellet grill, pellet smoker, pellet tube smoker, Pit Boss, seafood, smoked tilapia, tilapia, traeger
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chad Thomas says

      March 11, 2021 at 9:51 am

      5 stars
      These were very good, didn't quite take as long as the recipe says though.

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    Robert "Mads" Martigan, the founder of Mad Backyard

    Hi, I'm Mads, the founder of Mad Backyard and an avid outdoorsman, barbecue/smoker buff, and pellet grilling enthusiast who loves to share my passion for outdoor living and outdoor cooking with the world.

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