BBQ Salmon Fillets

[Awise1]

Out here on the Left Coast, offshore King salmon fishing is starting to kick into gear in Central CA. The fish average 10#-15# this time of year and as summer progresses, a lot of the fish will run in the 20#-30# class. My favorite way of cooking these smaller fish is fillets on the BBQ. After filleting, I'll remove the pin bones with hemostats for a completely boneless fillet. In preparation for the grill, brush a liberal amount of combined melted butter and lemon juice onto the fillets. Add ground sea salt, fresh ground pepper and finely chopped fresh dill. Cook indirect method, charcoal out to the sides and skin side down on the grill. A handful of alder chips, presoaked in water and thrown on the coals will add a delicate smokey flavor. I'll brush on a light coating of BBQ sauce near the end of the cooking process. Depending on the thickness of the fillet and amount of charcoal used, cooking time usually runs 20 to 30min. Simply remove the desired portion size of meat from the skin with a spatula. There will be a slight tanginess from the BBQ sauce, a light smokey flavor and the meat will be moist and simply melt in your mouth.

 

[Rooster410]

What type of bbq sauce do you recommend with the salmon. Vinegar, tomato or mustard based?

 

[Tim McCoy]

Not really an answer, as I've never used BBQ sauce. But, my Dad loved to mix finely chopped onions with A1 steak sauce, make a paste, then put a fairly good coating on a filet and broil it. I'd guess that would be more of a vinegar base, but do not know. It is very good that way.

I will rarely use much of a strong marinade or sauce, fresh salmon is rather delicate, tastes great and I don't want to cover it's taste too much. We also like to coat the meat side with oil, place on a very hot grill, sear the meat side 2 minutes ish, turn over and cook on skin side on med-low to finish. Gives you cool grill marks a some caramelization of a sugar based sauce, yum. If you try to take it off too soon, the meat will stick badly, so be careful.

Using a plank to BBQ works wonderfully too. Can give you an indirect heat effect on a regular gas grill with a water soaked plank. As an example, all my wife likes on it is light garlic salt, and she prefers baking it in an oven bag. Not something I'd try, but she knows how long to cook it, and it is very good. Salmon on a BBQ, skin down, like Awise1 describes, is my favorite method, a labor of love, but worth it. A soy sauce brown sugar / terakki base is another good one with salmon, the one I use most. I bet honey mustard salad dressing would work well too. Dill and lemon are classics too. But you need to watch it on the grill. Not really any wrong way to prepare it, but just do not over cook it.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Used to do pretty much the same (when I lived in Ca) except I used lemon pepper instead of regular ground pepper.

 

[Awise1]

What type of bbq sauce do you recommend with the salmon. Vinegar, tomato or mustard based?

Nothing special on the BBQ sauce; I use commercial brands like Kinders or Sweet Baby Rays which are vinegar and tomato paste based. It's certainly not necessary but I'll ask those who are eating it if they want BBQ sauce on it or not. Like Tim said, it's all personal taste and they only way to screw it up is over cook it!

 

[Rooster410]

Thanks for all the sharing. I have never tried any type of bbq sauce on salmon, but definitely excited to try your suggestions. My go to has been oil and lemon pepper. Your suggestions will be a welcome addition to my palate. thanks.

 

[Theist]

That's pretty tasty sounding. I'll give it a try. My normal way is blackened. Cut off the skin and run soft butter on both sides and coat liberally with zatarans blacked seasoning on both sides. Heat a cast iron skillet out side on my camp chef til it glowing and toss it on. 2-3 minutes on each side and your done. It is spicy and a touch crispy on the outside. Just don't over cook it. I love some salmon and I'm going to try your recipe out. Thanks


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[CrossCreeks]

I have never used BB sauce on Salmon either but it sounds good and looks good. I will give a try maybe this weekend ! Thanks

 

[sneakypete]

Sounds good, I usually use a light coating of brown sugar and pepper! I'll put some alder wood to give it a light smoke while cooking also!

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Those look amazing. Congrats

 

[Prerylyon]

Nom-nom-nom this is making me hungry!

BBQ/grill/smoked salmon-can't go wrong. I tried the planks last year and am a convert-coarse salt, fresh cracked pepper, brown sugar-that combo on the soaked cedar plank is magical. Iowa is too far from the Coast. I am thankful for case lots of vacuum sealed Alaskan Sockeye from the food service truck.

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[Tim McCoy]

Nom-nom-nom this is making me hungry! ��

BBQ/grill/smoked salmon-can't go wrong. I tried the planks last year and am a convert-coarse salt, fresh cracked pepper, brown sugar-that combo on the soaked cedar plank is magical. Iowa is too far from the Coast. I am thankful for case lots of vacuum sealed Alaskan Sockeye from the food service truck. ��

Good salmon fishing in the great lakes.

 

[Prerylyon]

That's true. I grilled a big steelhead I caught on the Kewaunee River in WI a few yrs back. It didnt seem to care that it was mid-continent.

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[Sawfish]

This is my favorite recipe for whole salmon. Take a large lipped pan like a cookie sheet, or metal serving tray, and cover it with HD cooking foil. Fill the tray with coarse salt like Kosher, or ice cream salt. Do not use defrosting sale because it is not food grade. Lay the salmon on the salt, and coat the inside with soft margarine. Salt and pepper the inside and add a branch or two of Rosemary and sliced lemons. Sprinkle lightly with Zatarains dry Shrimp and Crab Boil and close up the cavity. Rub the top side of the salmon with the margarine against the skin. Sprinkle with sale and pepper, and arrange lemon slices lengthwise down the fish. Liberally coat the top of the fish with more Zatarains. Place in a hot barbecue smoker (195-200) degrees) and smoke for 2-3 hours. Use a mild wood like lemon, pecan, etc.. We save the shells from nuts that my wife uses for cooking. When the skin is crisp on top, the fish is done. The salt adds flavor, keeps the fish hot, and keeps it out of the juices. Serve with a Tarter or Dill sauce.

 

[Packer79]

It may sound a little off from the above, but a cup of Mayo and tablespoon of Dijon mustard mixed together spread on top of the salmon, and bbq grilled on a cedar plank. It's the only way I can get non-fish lovers to eat salmon. It's amazing.

 

[Slugz]

It may sound a little off from the above, but a cup of Mayo and tablespoon of Dijon mustard mixed together spread on top of the salmon, and bbq grilled on a cedar plank. It's the only way I can get non-fish lovers to eat salmon. It's amazing.

That's a varsity old timer recipe there!!!! And its good.....just cant let em see it when it goes on the grill!!