Gas Grilled Salmon


 
Bruce

Bruce

TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
OK, I checked the seafood forum but all the recopies on there are either too involved or designed for coal grills.
My daughter wanted me to grill some Salmon for a meal. I went and bought and unfrozen fillet of Salmon and want to know a simple way to grill it on my Genesis 1000. I don't want to have to buy a bunch of spices or sauces. I just want a decent basic recipe. I have Olive Oil and most basic spices available. So, let me know the best simple way to prep and cook the salmon.
Larry, I am expecting some input from you on this one.

Oh, and should I use a bit of smoke. Apple or cherry.
 
First off Bruce, Salmon is VERY easy to cook just don't over cook it. Hopefully you bought it skin on. (If not there's ways around that). First remove all the bones with a needle nose or such. Than a simple rub with salt, pepper, paprika (smoked is best) and chili powder. (Barring this a good prepared bottled rub works as well). Set the grill up indirect once pre-heated Med Off Med smoke packet with cherry (best) or hickory (very good). Put fish on skin side down in middle once smoke starts.
Once internal temps reach 105 to 110 (if you have it) brush on some good real maple syrup (if all you have is fake stuff skip this step). If you don't have maple syrup for the glaze you can get by with mixing a little bit of brown sugar in your seasoning rub. You will get the same effect but different flavor. Continue to cook until temp is 125 to no more than 135. Don't worry about it sticking. Once done slide a long thin spatula between the meat and the skin. Leave skin stuck to grate. Once it (the grates) cool the skin will release and can be discarded.
If you have a skinless fillet put a sheet of foil no wider than the fillet down first, than a sheet of parchment over that. That will act like the skin and protect the fish from burning.
Good luck! If you run into questions or trouble call me. I think you have my number. If not it's on themixerdoc.com web site
 
Thanks Larry. I got your number, I am pretty sure.
The salmon is skin on...I am pretty sure.. I thought it was when I bought it, but didn't really verify that. I will go with some brown sugar in the seasoning rub.
Do I have to dry brine it the night before? Also, if it is skin on fish, is it OK to leave the skin on and just serve it that way?
This will be for tomorrow night's dinner or maybe later in the week.
Oh, and are you saying that I shouldn't put the rub and brown sugar on until the fish has already reached 110 on the grill.
 
No need for brining. That will "cure" it and turn it into gravlox (basically unsmoked lox). I am not one for fish skin and when you use sugar or maple syrup it will cause it to stick pretty badly. I use that to my benefit by simply sliding the fish off. I know some folks like the skin. I am not in that camp. This has been my go to method for grilling salmon whether on gas or charcoal. It's really simple and really good. My little guy chows that fish down like nobody's business BTW. So did my girls (they still would if I cook it for them)
Oh BTW if you use the brown sugar in the rub just put that on before you cook it. I use it pretty liberally BTW. If maple syrup I wait until the fish is at about 95 to 105. Than I baste it liberally to get a nice glaze. The brown sugar will carmelize and simply make the glaze while the fish cooks
 
Alright. Thanks Larry. Do you coat the fish with oil before you put on the rub. I have Canola, Olive and I think maybe even some grapeseed.
I think I might try to do it with leaving the skin on. I won't put rub/sugar on the skin side though.
 
LMichaels said:
First off Bruce, Salmon is VERY easy to cook just don't over cook it. Hopefully you bought it skin on. (If not there's ways around that). First remove all the bones with a needle nose or such. Than a simple rub with salt, pepper, paprika (smoked is best) and chili powder. (Barring this a good prepared bottled rub works as well). Set the grill up indirect once pre-heated Med Off Med smoke packet with cherry (best) or hickory (very good). Put fish on skin side down in middle once smoke starts.
Once internal temps reach 105 to 110 (if you have it) brush on some good real maple syrup (if all you have is fake stuff skip this step). If you don't have maple syrup for the glaze you can get by with mixing a little bit of brown sugar in your seasoning rub. You will get the same effect but different flavor. Continue to cook until temp is 125 to no more than 135. Don't worry about it sticking. Once done slide a long thin spatula between the meat and the skin. Leave skin stuck to grate. Once it (the grates) cool the skin will release and can be discarded.
If you have a skinless fillet put a sheet of foil no wider than the fillet down first, than a sheet of parchment over that. That will act like the skin and protect the fish from burning.
Good luck! If you run into questions or trouble call me. I think you have my number. If not it's on themixerdoc.com web site
Click to expand...
This is a great recipe, however how you feel about turkey I feel about salmon lol
 
Bruce said:
Alright. Thanks Larry. Do you coat the fish with oil before you put on the rub. I have Canola, Olive and I think maybe even some grapeseed.
I think I might try to do it with leaving the skin on. I won't put rub/sugar on the skin side though.
Click to expand...
No oil necessary Bruce. I just pat it dry and apply the rub/seasonings. Beware if you have wild caught Alaskan salmon it's VERY VERY lean compared to Atlantic salmon (Atlantic referring to the breed not the place or some call it King Salmon). Which tend to have more intramuscular fat and are much more forgiving when cooking. The Alaskan variety has much smaller "flakes" is a very dark orange color (nearly red) and is very firm. It will over cook in seconds and if over cooked becomes quite unpalatable. While the Atlantic/King variety is much more forgiving of that mistake.
Bobby your lament is what I hear from so many folks I have fixed salmon for that could not believe how much they enjoyed it when cooked properly. With turkey I will "tolerate" it if cooked properly but not "like" it. But if you had salmon cooked by someone that knows what they're doing my guess is you'd like it. If you over cook salmon it takes on a very unpleasant texture and taste as the oils in it go "off".
 
Larry, I will have to look but I think I have the domestic Atlantic Salmon. I may get to doing this up tonight.
 
Atlantic/King has white striations more throughout, it's also more "orange than red" compared to Alaskan variety. Understand too the Atlantic/King variety is most commonly farmed though can be found as wild as well. So don't let "wild" in the title fool you one way or the other.
 
I was thinking about doing the Cedar plank thing, but I wanted to try straight grilling first. I like the idea of adding the brats to the cook. I have some smoked sausage I may do that with. Thanks for the idea.
 
Crispy salmon skin

Preheat grill. Medium high heat. Outside burners depending on your set up. I usually turn the middle burner on to make sure my cast iron grates are up to temp specially when it’s cold out. Turn middle burner if needed. You’ll be grilling indirect

Before doing anything

Sprinkle salt on the skin, lightly rub it and let sit for 10 - 15 minutes to draw out moisture.

Wipe off salt. You don’t have to get all of it off. Litely coat the skin with olive oil.

Flip over and add seasoning etc

Grill as needed. Gently slide spatula between grate and skin.

Lay fish on plate skin side up. Remove skin and set aside. Otherwise it will get soggy.
 
Funny. I made the Salmon last night. Wife wouldn't touch it. Said she hates salmon...likes other fish though, but I couldn't get her to even try it. Anyway, the daughter and SIL both ate a large piece to include the skin. I didn't eat the skin. I didn't think it was common to eat the skin. Hmmmmm. SIL called it fish bacon.
But, I basically used Larry's recipe but didn't skim the fish off the skin on the grill. I just cooked it and served it skin side down. I have to say, there was virtually no "fishy" taste to it. It was very mild but very good tasting. Probably the best fish meal I have had in many years. I will have to try my luck at grilling other fish in the future.

Thanks Larry and everyone else that chimed in.
 
Glad it all worked out. Too bad your wife would not try it. She may have been very surprised. She probably has memories of it done badly. THose are hard to overcome
 
Salmon works good, but the #1 in my book has always been Dolphin or Mahi Mahi it grills up great hold together well. i‘ve used the frozen preseasoned ones from Costco and done fresh off the boat (preferred here in SFL) but both excellent taste. With those grilled veggies. I’ll post pics next time I cook!
 
I do salmon crispy skin/no flip. Super simple. Works for charcoal or gas.

Cook over medium high direct heat, skin side down. Grill until the skin is charred and the white albumen is oozing out of the meat.

The charred skin keeps the meat from getting dry and also prevents sticking.

Folks can then eat the crispy skin or not.
 
Honestly while I am sure the skin is crispy, if you cook salmon until white stuff oozes out what I have found is on Atlantic/King type salmon the meat has reached nearly 150. And on wild Alaskan (Sockeye) even higher and in both cases WAY over cooked. I try to remove my fish at 120 to 125 allowing carryover to get it to about 130. Which should give a rare to mid rare salmon. The only difference being is the more fatty Atlantic/King breed is more fatty and takes just a little longer while the Sockeye/Alaskan gets there in the blink of an eye and will overcook in seconds literally if you make a mistake and let it go beyond 120. It'll go from 120 to 140 or higher in less than a minute and IMO become inedible. Though I have found for some reason if the fish is frozen or bought as "previously frozen" the white ooze happens much earlier in the cooking process. I am not sure why. But sadly I have turned my back on one too many salmon fillets that reached that point and they went straight from the grill to the trash and carryout was ordered LOL. or crying out loud :D Check your temps when you cook it like that, then try bringing them down next time. Pulling the fish BEFORE you see the ooze. I think you will find a much tastier and more pleasant result
 
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