How To Grill Salmon On Charcoal Grill

How Do You Cook Fish On A Charcoal Grill

How to Grill Salmon | Kingsford

Place the fish, skin-side down, over the hottest part of the fire, leaving them there until the edges begin to crisp, about 2 minutes. To finish cooking, rotate the grill grate so the fish sits opposite the hot coals. Cover the grill and continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes, until fish is cooked through.

Grilled Salmon In Foil

Grab your big girl apron, your tongs, and your attitude, because were conquering culinary fears with this easy, perfect, you-cant-mess-it-up Grilled Salmon in Foil.

Even if you are intimidated to cook fish or intimidated to use the grill , this Grilled Salmon in Foil recipe is foolproof.

Ive included all the best tips for how to know when salmon is finished cooking and what temperature salmon should be cooked to, ideas for ways to flavor grilled salmon, what to serve with salmon, and more! This post is your Grilled Salmon in Foil toolkit.

This recipe is based on my go-to Baked Salmon In Foil. We make it in some fashion nearly once a week. Its received millions of views, has dozens of five-star reviews, and is the first thing I cook for company. Its easy but impressive, and everyone loves it.

Before grilling season leaves us, Ive had on my mind to adapt, test, and perfect that much loved baked salmon recipe to the grill. Today is the day! .

Read on for detailed photos and step-by-steps for how to cook Grilled Salmon in Foil. At the bottom of the post, Ive included a recipe for Grilled Salmon in Foil with Lemon and Dill . Its a lovely combination. You can follow those flavor recommendations or use the same grilling method with one of the other suggested variations below.

What To Look For When Buying Salmon

Always buy the freshest salmon for the best taste. Look for fish that smells fresh with no pungent, fishy odor. When pressed, the skin or flesh should spring back rather than retaining the indentation from your finger. For whole fish, eyes should be bright, bulging and moist. Under the dorsal fins, gills should be rich red or pink, not light brown or gray. Unless frozen, fish has a fairly short shelf life and should be cooked within two days for best results.

For top quality frozen fish, look for the letters FAS on the packaging. FAS fish is flash-frozen at extremely low temperatures onboard a fishing vessel within seconds of being caught.

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What Heat Should You Cook Salmon On

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Place salmon, skin side down, on a non-stick baking sheet or in a non-stick pan with an oven-proof handle. Bake until salmon is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Charcoal Grilling Salmon Steaks

Charcoal Grilled Salmon by Xing Wei Chua

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Tips For Buying And Preparing Sockeye Salmon:

  • For best results, buy fresh wild salmon the same day you are going to cook it.
  • When purchasing, smell the fish it should smell like the sea. Avoid any that smell fishy or have an ammonia odor.
  • Purchase fillets or steaks with uniform thickness so that they cook evenly.
  • Dont be afraid to eat wild Pacific salmon thats not cooked all the way through. Medium rare is best because the fish retains its flavor and texture.
  • Grilling is best! The fat content of Sockeye Salmon helps it stand up to the heat of the grill.
  • Like many other fish and seafood, salmon cooks quickly. Pay attention during cooking. A good rule is to cook it for about 8 minutes per inch of thickness.
  • Season it lightly. Sockeye salmon is very flavorful on its own, so in my opinion, a little salt and pepper is all that it needs.
  • When Is Grilled Salmon Done

    A common recommendation for fish is that its done when it flakes easily with a fork, but its also easy to overcook it this way. For best results, use a meat thermometer to ensure perfectly cooked salmon and check the internal temperature every couple of minutes after you flip it:

    • Medium rare 125 degrees F
    • Medium 130 degrees F
    • Medium well 140 degrees F

    Let the salmon rest for 3-5 minutes before serving, as the internal temperature will rise 3-5 more degrees while resting.

    If you dont have a meat thermometer, though, you can use my time estimates above and flake the edge of the fish with a fork to test for doneness.

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    How To Season Your Salmon

    The great thing about BBQ salmon is that its going to taste amazing even with a simple seasoning of salt and pepper. But, if you want to be more creative with your flavorings, you can also try the following savory seasoning combinations that are sure to make your mouth water.

    • Lemon Salmon: lemon, kosher salt, pepper, butter.

    • Cilantro Lime Salmon: chopped cilantro, lime, kosher salt, pepper, honey, chopped cloves.

    • Spicy Sriracha-Glazed Salmon: sriracha, lemon juice, honey.

    • Soy-Glazed Salmon: soy sauce, honey, mustard, and lemon juice.

    • Salmon with Homemade Barbecue Sauce: lemon, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, water, and olive oil.

    How To Check Salmon For Doneness

    Grilled Salmon on a Charcoal Grill

    How long to grill salmon varies based on the thickness of the fish you select. The thicker the cut, the longer the salmon grill time.

    • Using a fork, check the flesh at the thickest part of the fillet. Youve reached the ideal grilled salmon temp when the salmon is opaque yet moist and pulls apart easily.

    Another way to check doneness is to test grilled salmon temp with an instant-read thermometer. Insert it horizontally into the fish. Remove the fish from the grill when it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.

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    Rework Your Coals And Chips

    Rework your coals and chips. After about 30 minutes youll notice that the wonderfully aromatic smoke stopped coming out of your grill. Open the grill and blot your salmon dry with paper towels. Remove your grill to access the coals push the coals together and add another handful of hickory chips. Replace the grill and close it up. Now is a good time to add a few fresh briquettes to your off-grill burning stock, theyll come in handy later.Repeat as necessary. Every 30-50 min or so check your grill, blot the salmon dry, add some hickory chips and a briquette now and then.

    The Best Grilled Salmon

    Home » Main Dish » The Best Grilled Salmon

    You, too, can make the absolute BEST Grilled Salmon in foil on the grill. This salmon has a slightly sweet and smoky flavor and is grilled to perfection in just around 15 minutes!

    During cooking, the marinade creates a nice glaze so that the salmon filets end up with a slightly crisp outside and light flakiness inside. This simple grilled salmon is not only delicious, but it is extremely easy to prepare.

    The marinade is mixed up right in a ziplock bag and the fish is grilled in little aluminum boats placed right on top of the grill grates making clean up easy!

    My family agrees this is the best salmon recipe ever, and I think yours will, too!

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    What Is The Best Salmon To Buy For Grilling

    Among the same species, wild-caught salmon tend to be a little bit leaner than farmed salmon, but the species and thickness of the fillet make the biggest difference in taste and how it should be cooked. The leaner and thinner your salmon is, the faster you’ll want to cook it, so there’s no chance of it drying out.

    King salmon are a favorite because they have more fat and the fillets are thicker, which protects it from drying out on the grill. A thinner, leaner fillet of Sockeye, Coho, or Chum salmon can still be delicious on the grill, but will require a little more finesse and a quicker cook time.

    Coho and Pink salmon tend to be milder, while Sockeye salmon have the strongest “fishy” flavor. Copper River King salmon are considered by fine-dining chefs to be some of the best and most buttery in the world, with especially high Omega-3 fat content.

    When shopping for salmon, look for responsibly managed fisheries that minimize their ecological impact. For example, Sitka Salmon Shares is a community-supported fishery that delivers wild-caught blast-frozen Alaskan salmon from small-boat fishermen. Oshn Salmon offers individually packaged, sustainably raised Atlantic salmon fillets.

    How Do You Grill Fish Seriously

    Salmon, Short Ribs, &  Pork: Weeknight Grilling  Another ...

    Sticking to the grill set the fish down on the hottest part of the grill right over the coals the goal here is to let the grill grate sear the fish rapidly the faster it can do that the faster the fish and release saving you from the dreaded stuck on fish once its seared on one side and lifts up fairly easily just

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    Choose The Right Salmon

    The best-tasting salmon are wide-caught varieties. These pack the strongest flavor and are lean meats you want in your belly.

    Of course, your salmon should be bright pink.

    Wild caught varieties include King, Sockeye, and Coho.

    King is much thicker and richer in taste compared to all three, BUT the most expensive. Sockeye packs the strongest flavor and leanest cut. Cohois a balance of the two.

    If these dont sound appealing to you, get farm-raised Atlantic salmon. Its milder in flavor and might suit your preference.

    Finally, get a thick cut. Thin cuts tend to dry out faster making it easier to overcook.

    How Much Flipping Is Needed

    Only once. Yes, flip the fillets once throughout the grilling for best cooking results. Put the salmon pieces on the grill with the skin side down. The major part of cooking and baking is done from that side. After 6-8 minutes, flip the filet and grill the flesh side for only 1-2 minutes just to give it a crisp and consistency.

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    How To Cook Simple Charcoal Grilled Salmon

    To grill salmon, first rinse the serving-size fillets under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Pull out any obvious bones.

    Prepare and measure ingredients to marinate the salmon fillets.

    In a small bowl, mix thoroughly all ingredients to marinade the fillets, making sure the brown sugar has all been dissolved.

    Add Dijon mustard for extra flavour.

    Place the salmon fillets SKIN-SIDE up in a shallow glass or plastic dish.

    Pour the marinade over the salmon fillets.

    Cover and refrigerate for about 20 to 30 minutes but not more than 1 hour.

    Drain the salmon fillets, place on a plate after removing from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling to bring to room temperature.

    Prepare the charcoal grill for MEDIUM HEAT grilling. Place the charcoal briquettes in the centre of the grill.

    Light the charcoal briquettes.

    Use a grilling tong to even out the heat. Let the charcoal briquettes burn till they turn into hot coal ashes and glow red.

    When charcoal has turned into red coal ashes, carefully put a CLEAN grilling grate over it. Then oiled the HOT grilling grate by dipping onion in cooking oil and brushing the grill grate with it.

    Place the drained salmon fillets SKIN-SIDE UP on the grill grate directly above the medium coals to cook over medium heat.

    Cover and grill for 6 to 8 minutes or until the fillets begin to FLAKE when tested with a fork.

    When the fillets have begin to flake, use a thin-bladed turner to carefully flip the fish over.

    • 1/2Tbsp Packed brown sugar

    What Side Do You Grill Salmon On First

    Grilled Salmon on a Charbroil Santafe charcoal grill… Yum!

    Grill the salmon first skin side down. Whichever variety of salmon you choose, choose a filet or salmon cut with the skin on. The salmon skin provides a layer of safety between the grill grates and the fishs flesh as it cooks.

    Keep a lid on it. Maintain a more consistent cooking temperature with the grill lid covering the fish as it cooks, creating the same environment as an oven.

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    How To Make The Best Grilled Salmon

    Follow these easy grilling tips for THE BEST, easy grilled salmon recipe thats about to become your new favorite healthy summertime dinner.

    This recipe is brought to you by Weber Grills

    There may not be another summertime recipe that hits our grill more often than this one, and that alone has made my husband the master of his domaine: cooking salmon on the grill.

    My main man GDawg has years of experience perfecting the recipe for grilling a simple, bare-bones salmon. Although to be honest, it isnt as much a recipe as it is method. Either which way, this salmon truly is the best because its easy, fast, healthy and flavorful.

    No matter what skill level of griller you claim to be, my mans tips make it easy to take command of the charcoal and serve up a moist and silky salmon dinner that wont turn chalky and overcooked or leave half your fillet stuck to the grill.

    Heres how he does it.

    Do You Eat The Skin On Salmon

    Salmon skin is generally safe for people to eat. Many people looking to substitute red meat in their meals turn to salmon for its health properties. While some people like to remove the skin before cooking a fillet of salmon, others swear by leaving the skin on and eating it for an additional health benefit. 3

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    How To Tell When Salmon Is Finished Cooking

    The eternal question! The greatest of salmon crimes is overcooking. Here are the best tips to tell when your salmon is done.

    • You can check for doneness by taking a sharp knife and peeking into the thickest part of your Grilled Salmon in Foil. If it is beginning to flake, but still has a little translucency in the middle, it is done.
    • You can also quickly insert a butter knife into the thickest part of the salmon after about 6 minutes of cooking. Then, remove it and check the temperature of the knife by feeling it. If the knife is lukewarm, the salmon needs more time, but if the knife is medium warm, the salmon should be ready to remove .
    • If your piece is thinner check several minutes early to ensure your salmon does not overcook. If your piece is very thick , it may need longer.

    Make Sure Salmon Is Coated With Oil

    Grilled Salmon on the Charcoal Grill Grates

    It may be intuitive to coat your grill grates with oil, but its actually not necessary and much more effective to have your fish covered in oil instead.

    The salmon marinade I use has plenty of oil and is perfect for this purpose, but if youre not marinating, be sure to coat your fish generously in oil before grilling.

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    How To Grill Salmon With Skin

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    For a delicious but healthy meal, grill up some salmon with the skin on. Make sure the salmon is deboned and cut up evenly before placing it on a well-oiled grill. Cook the meat side first with a sprinkle of salt to prevent it from sticking. Then cook the salmon with the skin down until its pink and flaky. Grilling salmon with crunchy skin isnt complicated at all, so give it a try!

    Smoking Salmon On A Charcoal Grill

    Smoking your own salmon is a relaxing way to spend a few hours on a sunny afternoon in the yard. There are a thousand recipes on the internet, this is a simple mix of the best that I found that works well. It takes a few hours of brief bits of attention, but the results are well worth the effort.

    Salmon – 4 pounds or less for a standard 22″ Webber GrillA clean, food grade tub to soak the salmon in.3/4 cups salt 3/4 cups sugarFood grade needle nose pliers 3 cups Hickory chips and a container to soak them in.Charcoal briquettes, lighter fluid or charcoal chimneyCharcoal grill, coal tongs, spatulaPaper towels, tray , oil , and an old, clean can Baste

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    Dishes To Serve With Salmon

    Salmon is great on its own, but that doesnt mean you cant complement it with a great sauce or side dish. Try making a tangy dill sauce to serve over the salmon, or top it with an easy flavored butter. For a bolder option, look to this chorizo-olive sauce.

    As far as side dishes go, you cant go wrong with grilled vegetables. Try whipping up some foil-pack vegetables, or make your favorite potato salad recipe. For something a little different, try serving salmon with Mediterranean lentils or quinoa with peas and onions.

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