The Perfect Grilled Salmon
Not only does salmon taste great, it’s tremendously healthy for you. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids that serve to lubricate the body, as well as increase good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. All of these reasons are important in the fight to help prevent heart disease.
Salmon is fantastic when grilled, and I can’t think of many things that are simpler to prepare. All you need is kosher salt, ground pepper and olive oil.
Whenever possible, I prefer to buy wild salmon from Alaska. King salmon, Copper River salmon, and Coho salmon are all excellent when you can find them. I try to stay away from farmed fish, as it tends to be higher in mercury, though there are some responsible salmon farmers out there. I also like to buy it with the skin remaining on one side.
The first step in preparing the perfect grilled salmon is pre-heating your grill. I use my gas grill when cooking fish in this manner. Though I appreciate the merits charcoal grilling offers, it’s simply not worth it to spend the additional time preparing the coals, etc. Pre-heat the grill with all burners turned to medium - we’re looking for a temp in the grill box ~500 degrees.
While the grill is pre-heating, unpackage your salmon and lay it on a suitable work surface, skin side down. Generously season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, then drizzle some olive oil over the top, brushing lightly to distribute (a silicone basting brush works great for this purpose).
Place the salmon on the grill, skin side UP. Set your timer for 6 minutes for fish that is no more than 1 inch thick at its thickest point, a minute or two longer for thicker fish. Do NOT touch the salmon until the timer ends. So doing will result in the salmon tearing, or otherwise breaking apart, as it has not yet properly caramelized and released from the grill grates.
After 6 minutes, carefully place your spatula under the fish. It should release easily. If not, leave for another minute. Flip the fish onto its skin, close the grill, and leave for no more than one minute. Now, slide your spatula between the skin and the fish and carefully lift the fish and set on a platter. I suggest removing the skin as well and discarding to avoid a mess on the grill later. That’s it!
I like to squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the salmon, and serve with couscous and steamed broccoli.
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