Grilled Salmon
Published July 31, 2024
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Greg Lofts.
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
4 (6- to 8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
Salt
Mayonnaise
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
111 milligrams cholesterol; 443 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 30 grams fat; 472 milligrams sodium; 40 grams protein
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat a grill to medium. Pat the salmon dry and sprinkle all over with salt. Arrange the salmon skin-side up on a plate. Coat the skin with a thin layer of mayonnaise — less than 1 teaspoon per fillet. You should still be able to see the skin through the mayonnaise.
- Step 2
Clean the grates with a grill brush. (No need to grease the grates.) Place the salmon skin-side down on the grill. Cover the grill and cook until the skin is crisp and the fish is opaque, 6 to 8 minutes. (An internal thermometer should read at least 120 degrees; thinner fillets will take less time than thicker ones.) Use a fish spatula to carefully transfer the salmon to plates, skin-side up.
Private Notes
Comments
For years I’ve cooked salmon on the Weber with no problems — putting it on foil, away from a mound of coals on the opposite side, and adding soaked wood chips to smoke it. Before cooking, rubbed with a brown sugar, salt and pepper mixture. If you need grill marks, flip it over at the end. Salmon is a delicious maple brown, and best (for us) slightly underdone. Clean the grill with a wire brush and wipe with an oil drizzled paper towel. Lighter slightly cooled Pinot Noir is perfect with it.
I live in Alaska, and we all grill a lot of salmon up here. Everyone I know grills it on a sheet of aluminum foil, and never worry about the skin sticking on the grill.
I don't really care for the skin, and I have found that laying the filet skin-side-down on a very hot grill saves the mess and bother of removing it with a knife. Within three or four minutes, you can slide any type of spatula between the meat and the skin. [Just be sure to season the top of the filet before turning.] After a few more minutes you will have a beautiful piece of fish and a crispy skin, side by side. I would caution against using a wire brush to clean the grill.
Outstanding! We love crispy salmon skin and I've never been able to get it until now. I do not have a grill so cooked the filets in a hot frying pan on my stove. I covered the pan for half the time, then uncovered. I did flip the filets briefly to char the tops without a problem. Absolutely no sticking with perfect crispy skins.
Who would flip salmon? Don’t flip your salmon, it’s sacrilege. Using a spatula separate your salmon filet from its skin when ready to serve (straight onto the plate and eat it hot). Turn off the heat and flip the remaining skin over and leave it on the grill or in the pan for a few more minutes. Crunchy salmon skin is to die for. Mayonnaise on skin and flesh. Lightly. Where is the Private posting? Is this an old version?
For gluten-free crispness on both sides, use the shake-and-bake technique: large plastic bag with two table spoons of corn starch and several twists of black pepper. Shake, then pan-fry--about 4 minutes each side--using a minimum amount of pre-heated olive oil.