Make your next Grilled Salmon AMAZING with a simple yet incredible Salmon Marinade that will infuse it with extra flavour! Bonus: it does double duty for basting and as the sauce for serving.
Plus, my very simple tips for cooking salmon on the BBQ – no more burnt salmon, and how to stop salmon from sticking to the grill!
Grilled Salmon
I feel like a lot of people are intimidated at the thought of cooking salmon on the BBQ. Fear of it sticking to the grill, of flaking into bits when handling it. Or of the sugar in marinades causing it to burn into a black bitter mess.
Ditch the fear! Cooking salmon on the BBQ is easy when you know a couple of simple tips that make all the difference. With THIS grilled salmon recipe, your salmon will be:
✅ caramelised but not burnt on the outside
✅ it won’t stick to the grill
✅ cooked to juicy perfection on the inside
✅ has extra insurance from a marinade just in case you cook it a bit over 😇
You’ll love how the Salmon Marinade is also used to baste the salmon AND as a sauce for serving!
(PS I totally manufactured the flare up you see below. Just cause I thought it looked cool! 😂)
Secrets to the best Grilled Salmon ever!
So here are my tips for perfect grilled salmon.
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Use skin on salmon fillets. The skin holds the salmon together much better when handling on the grill. Serve the salmon with the skin peeled off, or serve as is and let people decide for themselves!
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Drain excess marinade off the flesh side – set it aside for 10 minutes or so to really make the marinade drip off. (Skin side doesn’t matter as much because it’s not as fragile). This tip is especially relevant when you have sugar in the marinade.
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Drizzle with oil just before cooking. 🌟Key tip!🌟
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Brush grills generously with oil before heating BBQ
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Grill salmon on medium – or even medium low, if you know your BBQ is very strong. It is safer to cook on a lower rather than higher temperature. You can always cook for longer – but can’t undo a burnt mess! 🌟Key tip!🌟
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Put the flesh side down first – because you just oiled it, and it’s the more fragile side so it’s just safer to cook that side perfectly first. The skin side is hardier and can take longer cooking if needed. Plus, it’s a general rule to cook the presentation side first.
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Do not move the salmon once you put it on the grill.🌟Key tip!🌟 It will initially stick to the grills, then it will release once cooked (and don’t forget, we have extra insurance from oiling the flesh!)
If you’re a pro griller, you might feel confident enough to skip some of these. But for ordinary folk like myself you don’t want to risk the salmon, follow these for grilled salmon success every. Single. Time!!
How you know the salmon is cooked
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The side of the salmon changes colour from translucent to opaque; or
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The internal temperature of the salmon is 50C/120°F (medium-rare), or 55C / 130F (for medium). I cannot endorse cooking salmon beyond medium!
The Salmon Marinade
And here’s what goes in the Salmon Marinade. It adds a savoury-sweet-garlic flavour to the salmon and makes it beautifully caramelised.
Soy sauce is the key ingredient here. Because it’s salty, it acts as the brine, injecting flavour and juiciness into the salmon flesh. It does not make the Salmon taste Asiany!
Plenty of subs available, I’ve listed them in the recipe card.
What to serve with Grilled Salmon
If I’m cooking something non-Asian on the BBQ, it’s pretty much inevitable that grilled corn makes an appearance too.
Add a garden salad tossed with French Vinaigrette, Italian Dressing or a cooling German Cucumber Salad, plus some crusty bread rolls for a perfect warm weather BBQ dinner.
Or try one of these big-batch sides that keep great for days and days (and take some of the leftovers to work!):
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Bacon Potato Salad with a creamy mayo dressing
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Lemon Potato Salad (no mayo!)
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Coleslaw – or try this no mayo Cabbage Salad (I make this a LOT!)
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A big juicy Greek Salad – or try this Greek Lemon Orzo Salad (Risoni)
Please try to ignore the top left corner of the salmon in the photo below. You know full well I went to eat the salmon before I finished taking all the photos I needed.
I suppose my limited Photoshop skills are sufficient enough to have patched that up.
But then I decided to leave it so I could sign off with this vision: that split second when my mouth was wide open and the fork was just about to go in, when I realised that I’d forgotten to take the photo below.
Putting the fork down in a huff, pushing the piece of salmon back into place, climbing a little ladder, taking this photo, then 2 seconds later, that piece was gone. (And minutes later, so was that whole piece of salmon) 😂 ~ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Marinated Grilled Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets , skin on best (150-180g/5-6oz each, Note 1)
- Olive oil , for cooking
Marinade (Sauce)- Note 2:
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) soy sauce , low sodium
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
Serving (optional)
- Parsley, chives or green onion , finely chopped
- Lemon slices
Instructions
Marinating:
- Place marinade in a ziplock bag and mix to combine.
- Add salmon and massage to coat. Marinate for 3 - 24 hours (1 hr minimum).
- Take out of fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Remove salmon onto plate, allowing excess marinade to drain off.
Sauce (basting + serving):
- Pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan and simmer over medium high for 3 to 5 minutes until syrupy.
- Pour into bowl/jug (some used for basting, some for serving).
BBQ:
- Brush BBQ grills with oil. Then preheat to medium (or medium low for strong BBQ's).
- Drizzle salmon with oil, the place onto the BBQ flesh side down (skin side up).
- Cook for 3 minutes or until golden, then use tongs to carefully turn.
- Brush the flesh with Sauce, then close BBQ lid.
- Cook for 3 - 4 minutes, basting one more time halfway through, or until the internal temperature is 50C/120F(medium rare) or 55C/130F (medium).
- Transfer salmon to plate and serve with remaining Sauce.
Recipe Notes:
- Soy sauce - use light or all purpose soy sauce, preferably low sodium (but ok if not). Do not use dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce.
- Lemon juice - sub cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar. Or 1.5 tbsp any other plain vinegar (white, balsamic, red wine, champagne etc)
- Honey - maple syrup or other sweet liquid, or 2.5 tbsp brown sugar.
- Olive oil - or other oil of choice.
- Garlic - fresh is best, otherwise 2 tsp from jar.
- Customise it - chilli flakes or dash of hot sauce, ginger, five spice, sweet chilli sauce. All of these would be great additions!
Nutrition Information:
More great things to grill
Life of Dozer
This weekend:
Me – lying on the sun lounge, soaking up the warm sun.
Dozer – standing over me, not only blocking the sun but also showering me with his slobber. Eeewww! Go away Dozer, leave me alone!
Amanda says
This was so easy and SO delicious. Thank you for another great recipe!
Nagi says
You’re so welcome Amanda!
Agill says
Amazing recipe. Thawed out and marinated some tuna (skin on) for 24 hours. Pan fried the next day. So delicious! I just put less honey than recommended. Otherwise left everything else the same. Another repeat!
Nagi says
That would have been amazing Agill!
Erin L says
Nargi every single recipe I use of your is outstanding and the best. So easy and delicious- thanks for making life so easy and delicious 🥰🥰
Erin says
Sorry my love gone changed the spelling of your name Nagi xxx
Jane says
Tried this bbq salmon today. Turned out great. It was ready in minutes. My husband really liked it. Every tin eats recipe I have tried is delicious. Thank you.
Nagi says
That’s awesome to hear Jane!
Ebtisam says
Best salmon recipe ever!
Nagi says
Thanks so much Ebtisam!
Joanne says
Hi Nagi,
I must be a pain in the neck with all my questions that I ask. I just love your recipes and so does the family so I was just wondering can we bake this in the oven and also would it work for a half salmon?
Thank you
Joanne
Camille says
Best salmon recipe ever! The salmon tasted so good, better than ever. Thank you for sharing. I will be making this all the time.
Bronwyn Monk says
Dear Nagi -Had to decide between your salmon recipes as all sound fabulous. Trying to follow this one to the letter as so many good tips. Image saying ‘medium low, skin side down’ shows the salmon skin side up?!?! Given text says ‘presentation side first I assume text correct but image not? Cheers
Siegfried Frank says
5+ Star.
Is there a Cookbook available for a present to a good friend?
sharon says
Easy and wonderfully delicious. My husband almost lost it when I dared to use the bbq grill instead of giving him the pleasure.
I served the fish over red rice, The nutty flavour of the rice paired beautifully with the salmon.
Nagi says
Sounds great Sharon!
Ivan says
Hello Nagi,
Love your recipes!! I made it this weekend for Fathers Day in US. Family said it was the best salmon they have ever had. Not too sweet, but super flavorful. A few small comments:
You are so right on the cook on medium to low. It ended up being a bit darker than i wanted but still tasted great.
It also didn’t stick!!! VICTORY!~
The image of the instructions shows using more ingredients than the recipe actually calls for. I think that they are suggestions for alternatives. Great way to customize based on personal preferences.
I also added a bit of red miso paste to increase umami.
Really enjoy your newsletter and can’t wait to try the next one!
ISC
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Ivan!!!
Lee says
I just served these up and they were big hit!!! Sooo delicious with rice mopping up all the sauce. Thank you Nagi for putting so much work into perfecting your recipes
Nagi says
Thanks so much for the feedback Lee!
Bev says
Hi Nagi,
This salmon looks delicious! We’re going to make this for my wonderful hubby for Father’s Day this weekend. Can’t wait!
Give your big boy hugs and kisses from us!
Nagi says
I hope he loved it Bev!
Bev says
Hi Nagi,
Oh my – this was a big hit with everyone! Sooooo delicious! Marinated Grilled Salmon is a definite keeper! Thanks so much!
Vera G says
THEY say we eatwith our eyes Your photos ARE proff OF THAT SAYING. Picture perfect and Food DELICIOUS ! I want say THAT about DOZER ……
Lynne Greenfield says
Hi I was wondering is there any reason you could cook this in the oven or on a grill pan?
Su Rogers says
Dozer images and your comments are hilarious – so doggie dog!
Eha says
Lovely to look at and lovely to eat! I make it on my cast iron grill pan on top of the stove with the same recipe but with added ginger ! Simpler in all weathers and absolutely foolproof . . . would be hard to keep it rarish in the oven and the taste would suffer . . .
Joan Andrzejewski says
My nephew does not have a grill – how could he cook it on stove or oven?
Cheryl V says
I am also wondering if this can be done in the oven, and if it would be good served cold? We are having a family reunion in July and we all love salmon. This would be perfect!
Marisa Franca Stewart says
That is exactly how we do it. Great minds think alike ☺️. We do love our salmon and since Hubby loves to fish we do like to keep the skin on one side for grilling purposes. Now Dozer is just being considerate making sure you don’t burn and have some gentle moisture albeit a bit doggy breath. Hugs to both of you!!
brooke says
Looks terrific, Nagi .. Could you please do an topic on how to keep fish from tasting … fishy? (sorry if this sounds ridiculous)
Sherry C. says
Love your recipes and stories. We live in a condo apt., no BBQ. Can I use a stove top grill pan, either on stove or in oven or both? Thank you,