September 5, 2023
Review RecipeGrilled Salmon
This tasty grilled salmon is lightly seasoned and cooked to perfection on the barbecue for an easy and quick main entree.
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Barbecue season is fast approaching, and this grilled salmon is an easy dish that you can whip up quickly for a weeknight dinner. The savory and simple seasonings and creamy, rich texture that grilling produces make this a fantastic choice for a summer meal.
Grilled Salmon Ingredients
Grilled salmon is truly a mouth-watering delicacy that tantalizes the taste buds in so many ways.
When cooked to perfection, the beautiful pink hue of the salmon transforms into a tender and flaky texture that almost melts in your mouth. The aroma of the grill adds to the overall savory and smoky flavor of the fish.
You’ll need:
- 2 pounds of salmon, skin on
- 4 teaspoons of avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon of ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
Substitutions And Additions
OLIVE OIL: If you don’t have any avocado oil on hand, you could use olive oil in its place.
FISH: Grilling previously frozen salmon works fine. Thaw fully in the fridge overnight for best results.
CEDAR PLANKS: If you are a master griller and want to cook the salmon on a cedar plank, this would work fine. Just follow the packaging instructions to prepare the plank and then cook away!
How To Make This Grilled Salmon Recipe
We will walk you through preparing the salmon before grilling it to perfection.
STEP ONE: To prepare the salmon for grilling, trim off the thinner parts. This will help the salmon cook more evenly. These thin pieces can either be cooked separately for a shorter period or set aside to use at another time as a salad topping. Cut the remaining thicker portion of salmon into 4 servings.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
The thinner pieces of salmon cut off before seasoning/cooking could be quickly seared in a pan and then used on a salad or in a wrap.
STEP TWO: Drizzle each portion of salmon (on the flesh side) with 1 teaspoon of avocado oil. Then sprinkle each portion with ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, and ¼ teaspoon dried basil. Set aside.
This can be put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour, giving the oil and seasonings time to settle into the fish.
PRO TIP:
Ground white pepper has more heat than black pepper. It is made from the same seeds as black pepper but is derived from the fully mature seed.
STEP THREE: Prepare the grill by heating it to medium heat, 300-350°F. Once the grill is heated, using barbecue tongs to hold a thick portion of paper towel or a clean rag, generously rub the cooking grate with cooking oil to prevent the fish from sticking.
PRO TIP:
Grill plates can be used if your grill grates are too far apart for small fillets.
STEP FOUR: Place the salmon filets flesh side down (skin side up) on the preheated grills and grill for 7 minutes. As the salmon cooks, it will pull away from the cooking grate. Carefully turn the salmon and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
PRO TIP:
I tried cooking the salmon by placing the skin side down first. It actually worked better to put it flesh side down first.
My grill has wider “bars” on the cooking grate. The appearance may be better on a grill with smaller bars.
How To Serve This Salmon On The Grill
Cook the simple grilled salmon on the BBQ alongside our grilled potatoes and finish off the meal with a side of seasonal sauteed vegetables.
For those who prefer something more filling, a bed of lemon rice or mashed potatoes can also be an amazing accompaniment to your meal.
This fish cooks very quickly on the grill, so make sure your sides are prepared or will be finished at the same time your salmon will, so you’re not serving cold fish.
If your family enjoys grilled fish, some other tasty summer dishes you could try are our grilled tilapia and salmon foil packets.
MORE SEAFOOD RECIPES
Storing BBQ Salmon
In this section, we’ll explore different storage options and provide concise instructions on how to store it in the fridge and freeze your grilled salmon.
IN THE FRIDGE: You can store leftover salmon in a shallow, airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil for up to three days.
REHEATING: Salmon is best reheated in the oven. Cover and heat in the oven at 275°F for 15 minutes or until heated through.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze cooked salmon for up to 6 months. Thaw and use in salads or as a substitute for canned salmon in pasta or casseroles.
This is the best grilled salmon recipe around. Keep your kitchen cool and fire up that barbecue for a flaky, seasoned fish with a deliciously smoky flavor that is sure to make it into the dinner highlight reel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any kind of grill for this easy grilled salmon recipe?
A charcoal grill or gas grill would both work fine to make this delicious recipe.
How do I know the salmon is cooked?
You’ll know the salmon is cooked when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the fish reaches an internal temperature of 120°F for wild salmon and 125°F for farm-raised salmon.
What kind of salmon is best for this BBQ salmon recipe?
Any type of salmon fillet would make the perfect salmon to use in this recipe.
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Grilled Salmon
This tasty grilled salmon is lightly seasoned and cooked to perfection on the barbecue for an easy and quick main entree.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon, skin on
- 4 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- To prepare the salmon for grilling, trim off the thinner parts. This will help the salmon cook more evenly. These thin pieces can either be cooked separately (for a shorter period) or set aside to use at another time as a salad topping. Cut the remaining thicker portion of salmon into 4 servings.
- Drizzle each portion of salmon (on the flesh side) with 1 teaspoon of avocado oil. Then sprinkle each portion with ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, and ¼ teaspoon dried basil. Set aside. This can be put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour, giving the oil and seasonings time to settle into the fish.
- Prepare the grill by heating the grill to medium heat, 300 to 350°F. Once the grill is heated, use a thick portion of paper towels or clean rag and generously rub the cooking grate with cooking oil.
- Place the salmon flesh side down (skin side up) and grill for 7 minutes. As the salmon cooks, it will pull away from the cooking grate. Carefully turn the salmon and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Notes
- The thinner pieces of salmon cut off before seasoning/cooking could be quickly seared in a pan and then used on a salad or in a wrap.
- Ground white pepper has more heat than black pepper. It is made from the same seeds as black pepper but is derived from the fully mature seed.
- Grill plates can be used if your grill bars are too far apart for small fillets.
- I tried cooking the salmon by placing the skin side down first. It actually worked better to put it flesh side down first.
- My grill has wider “bars” on the cooking grate. The appearance may be better on a grill with smaller bars.
Nutrition
Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 1123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg
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Comments
Gloria says
Really delicious and easy to make!
Teresa says
I learned that I need to read the notes. This is very tasty