Setting Up Your Grill For Success
Before youre ready to start grilling, you should know how to prepare your grill to cook the very best salmon it can. You can use either a charcoal or gas grill, but its challenging to replicate the smoky flavor you get when you grill salmon on a charcoal grill. Still, its your choice.
Whatever grill you choose, youll want to prep the grill by making sure the grates are cleaned well from your last grilling adventure. Then, add some olive oil to the grates to prevent sticking. You can even salt and pepper them for seasoning if youd like. Then, fire up the grill and allow it to reach at least 450 degrees for a couple of minutes before putting your salmon on the grates.
Some people choose to cook salmon on a wood plank to both get extra flavor infused into the fish and keep it up off the grates to avoid sticking. This isnt necessary, especially if you season the fish well before cooking and oil your grates and salmon. However, if you have an old grill with worn-down grates that have become nearly impossible to keep clean, it might be best to try a cedar plank salmon or a salmon in foil recipe, both of which well talk more about below.
Season The Salmon Fillets
Whats grilled salmon withoutflavor?
The next and most important step is to GENEROUSLY coat the flesh of the salmon withoil, and season evenly with kosher salt and black paper.
Salmon is veryeasy to underseason, so season to your hearts content!
We PROMISE youll know by your gut instincts once its enough.
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!
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How To Choose Salmon For Grilling
First things first. Lets talk about how to choose your salmon. Youll generally find four types of salmon readily available.
The first is King or Chinook Salmon. As the name infers this is considered the best of the best. It tends to have a high fat content and the flesh has a very rich taste. This is the most expensive of the salmon varieties. But, if you have the budget, its worth every penny.
The next type is the Coho or Silver Salmon. The fish gets its name from its silver skin. The flesh is bright red and has a delicate texture and a subtle flavor. These fish are smaller than the Kings.
Third on the list is the Sockeye or Red Salmon. The flesh of this fish is a bright reddish orange. The flavor of this fish is richer than the King/Chinook and could be described as fishier.
The final fish on the list is the Atlantic or Salmo Salar. All commercially available Atlantic salmon is farmed because of the small populations in the wild. They tend to be fairly mild in flavor and get pretty big because of the diet they are fed. This variety is usually less expensive than the wild salmon.
Cooking Salmon On A Gas Grill
To grill a tasty salmon, you need to purchase firm, fresh fillets. In addition to being firm and crisp, ensure that the salmon is light pink in color and has smooth cuts to it.
Avoid buying fillets that have a fishy smell and steaks that indicate old cuts. To ensure that the fillets dont stick to the grill when barbecuing, dont forget to ask the fishmonger for skin-on fillets. Once you have made the purchase, sprinkle kosher salt on the salmon as an added protective layer doing this will ensure that the fillet does not stick or break apart while cooking.
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How Do You Know When The Salmon Is Ready
How do I know when it will end? The salmon becomes from transparent to opaque during cooking. After 6-8 minutes of cooking, until the meatballs are chased, take a sharp knife and make a cut in the thickest part. If the meat starts to flake off, but there is still a bit of transparency in the middle, its done.
How To Grill Blackened Salmon For Salmon Tacos
Grilling blackened salmon is super easy and perfect for these delicious tacos! All you need to do is:
Looking for even more tips? Get all of my best tips & tricks for grilling salmon here!
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How Do You Know When Salmon Is Done On The Grill
The easiest way to see if your salmon has finished cooking is to gently press down on the top of the fillet with a fork or your finger. If the flesh of the salmon flakes meaning, it separates easily along the white lines that run across the fillet its finished cooking.
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This easy grilled salmon recipe is the only one youll ever need! Im sharing all the tips for how to cook salmon on the grill, including what kind of salmon to buy, the best tools, tips to prevent sticking and avoiding dry salmon, and answering all the grilling questions you might have.
Try serving your grilled salmon fillet with a sauce or serve it all on its own. Simple and delicious!
If you love salmon, be sure to also try salmon lox, salmon patties, lemon garlic baked salmon, and salmon foil packets.
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Grill Salmon Skin Side Down For Most Of The Time
Grilling salmon skin side down has several benefits. The skin protects the more delicate flesh from the high heat, crisps up better by being direct to the heat for most of the time, and is much easier to flip without sticking.
TIP: Only flip your salmon in the last 1-2 minutes of grilling. It should be 70-80% done before you flip.
Whats The Difference Between Grilled And Blackened
Blackening meat simply means adding a blend of blackening seasoning to your meat before cooking it. It adds a delicious flavor to meats and even veggies or plant-based proteins like tofu! In this recipe, you have the option to grill or bake your salmon once youve added the blackening seasoning, and youll cook it skin-side down over higher heat to seal in all of the moisture and flavor.
If youre wondering about where you can find the blackening seasoning mentioned in the recipe, its usually at larger grocery stores but sometimes can be hidden, often disguised as Cajun seasoning. Ive included how to make a DIY blackening seasoning version in the notes section of the recipe if you prefer to do that instead of buying the entire blackening spice.
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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.
Tips For The Best Grilled Salmon Recipe
- Keep a close eye on the salmon while it cooks, since the total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your fillet, as well as the temperature of your grill. You’ll know that the fish is done when the flesh flakes easily with a fork. You don’t want to overcook it or the salmon will become dry.
- While the FDA recommends cooking fish to 145°F, for a flakier, more moist and tender salmon filet, many chefs find that it’s best enjoyed when it’s cooked to medium 125°F. We don’t usually use a thermometer, but instead look to see that the texture of the fillet flakes easily with a fork and the inside changes from translucent to opaque .
- Grilling the salmon over medium heat gives it that delicious, charred exterior while keeping the inside moist and tender.
- Leave the skin on the salmon when grilling. This adds flavor and moisture, and helps hold the fillets together. It will peel off easily before serving.
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Tips For Grilling Salmon
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.
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What To Expect From Grilled Salmon In Foil
Making grilled salmon in foil is by far the easiest method for grilling fish out there. There are a few tradeoffs with Classic Grilled Salmon, where you grill the fish right on the grates. Heres what to expect:
- Classic grilled salmon comes out with a crispy top and charred flavor. If you love a crispy top to your salmon, youll want to use this method instead. Cook it right on the grill grates, then flip and finish cooking.
- Grilled salmon in foil comes out perfectly moist. The top does not crisp up here, and you wont get as much charred grill flavor because the foil acts as a barrier. But this method is extremely easy and the fish comes out incredibly tender and delicious!
The difference is almost like the difference between a pan seared salmon and a poached salmon. Cooking in foil makes things moist instead of crispy, but its incredibly easy. Youll see the same interplay between our crispy grilled potatoes vs grilled potatoes in foil, or this charred grilled corn vs grilled corn in foil.
What Is The Best Salmon For Grilling
- The best salmon for grilling are fillets with the skin on one side. The skin protects the fish while cooking and naturally releases fat onto the grate making the fish easier to flip.
- You can chose between wild-caught varieties, with a stronger salmony taste, and farmed, often labeled Atlantic salmon, which has the mildest taste. Both are healthy. Keep in mind, wild-caught is less fatty and tends to cook more quickly.
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Grilled Salmon = Easy Grilling
When it comes to grilling, salmon is one of the quickest and easiest proteins to grill as long as you follow a few simple steps.
Our grilled salmon recipe is made flavored with the basics so that you can serve your salmon in many different ways. Try eating it next to your favorite grilled veggies, in a rice bowl, or in a breakfast scramble!
Make The Grill Hot For Grilled Salmon
Preheat the grill. Once the coals are in place, top with the lid to preheat the grill grates, similar to preheating an oven. This takes about 10 minutes.
How long will charcoal briquettes last? Plan on a batch of 80 to 100 briquettes to last about an hour, adding more briquettes as needed to increase the heat as you cook.
MY HUSBANDS TIP: Carefully place your hand 3-4 inches above the grill grates. When you can hold your hand in place for one-one thousand counts, the grill is the right temperature to start grilling. Be very careful, you never want to touch a grate to see if its hot! Or, be like me and just look at the temperature gauge on the lid, looking for it to read 450°F.
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More Easy Salmon Recipes To Try
- Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Prepare the Salmon:
- Rub each piece of salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with house seasoning, to taste .
Grill the Salmon:
- Heat coals, gas grill, or grill pan to medium heat. Place salmon on the grill. Cover and grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side . The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
How To Perfectly Grill Salmon On The Bbq
If you love having backyard barbeques with friends and family, then a meal of grilled salmon should be on your list. Its healthy, nutritious, versatile, and super easy to make!
In this article, well cover everything you need to know about cooking salmon on your Napoleon grill. From the best salmon cuts for grilling, the most creative ways to season your fish, how to get an accurate salmon cooking temperature, to why you should leave the salmon skin on, and more!
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Our Fav Salmon Marinades & Seasonings
The key to flavorful grilled salmon is of course adding a delicious marinade or seasoning. Our fav and seasonings have three necessary components:
Ready to try one? Here are the best marinades for salmon:
Prep The Fresh Salmon
Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and place the steaks on paper towels. Use another paper towel to dry the top of each steak off. Then, brush each steak with a bit of olive oil or unsalted butter to keep it from sticking on the grill. Now is the time to toss some salt, pepper, and your other choices of seasoning onto both sides of each salmon steak.
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The Best Grilled Salmon
Home » Main Dish » The Best Grilled Salmon
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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!
Honey Mustard Chicken Ingredients
This easy honey mustard chicken recipe has just 4 main ingredients that make the most delicious combo perfect for chicken. Options to make it a little spicy, too, because you know how I do. Heres what youll need:
- Honey: for the delicious, sweet base of the honey mustard marinade.
- Dijon mustard: a little tangy dijon mustard to pair with the honey.
- Olive oil: youll want a bit of olive oil to add moisture and coat the chicken completely.
- Garlic: fresh garlic brings out all of the flavors.
- Salt & pepper: add plenty of salt and pepper for the perfect amount of seasoning.
- Optional: a pinch of cayenne pepper for some heat. Or even a teaspoon of curry powder for something a little different!
- Chicken: this marinade will work for 1 pound of chicken breast, chicken thighs, wings or even drumsticks!
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