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    Home

    How to Grill Salmon

    Published: Jan 13, 2012 · Modified: Mar 18, 2022 by Jenn · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Learn the best way to cook salmon on the grill and it will quickly become a favorite meal at your house. Hubs and I have made this grilled salmon many, many times and love it.

    We will throw some salmon on the grill even if it’s 30 degrees outside. It’s that good…and good for you too!  Read on to learn how to cook salmon on the grill.

    grilled salmon on a bed of lettuce

    Ingredients

    • 1 – ½lb Salmon Fillet
    • ¼c Soy Sauce
    • ¼c Brown Sugar
    • ¼c Olive Oil
    • ¼c Lemon Juice
    • 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
    • 1tsp Black Pepper
    Ingredients for grilling salmon

    Make a marinade by combining all the ingredients except for the salmon itself in a gallon zipper bag.

    Add the salmon filet and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

    Heat your gas grill to medium heat and spray the grate (not the fish itself, but the grate) with cooking spray.

    How Long to Grill Salmon

    Grill salmon flesh side down first* for about 6 minutes. This will vary somewhat depending on the thickness of your filet, but 6 minutes per side is a good general guideline.

    salmon on a grill

    *Grilling salmon flesh side down (skin side up) is key. Cooking the skin last allows the salmon fillet to hold together during the cooking process instead of falling to pieces when you try to flip it. It also helps keep the flesh from drying out.

    Flip and grill the salmon for another 6 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Hubs forgot to spray the grill. See what happens? 🙂

    salmon on a grill


    This turns out so yummy including the skin! It’s the best way to cook salmon on the grill that we’ve tried. I troll the meat department at Kroger weekly looking for salmon fillets that are at their sell-by date.

    This allows us to enjoy our grilled salmon recipe a couple of times per month. I hope you like it as much as we do!

    FAQ

    What temperature should grilled salmon be?

    The FDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145° at the thickest part of the salmon fillet. Use a meat thermometer to be certain.

    Can you grill frozen salmon?

    Technically yes, but you’re going to wind up with a mess. If you don’t have time to thaw a frozen salmon fillet, you’re better off baking it in the oven rather than using the grill.

    Can you grill salmon without the skin?

    Yes. If your salmon fillet is skinless, follow the same directions. The olive oil in the marinade and spraying your grill grate will keep it from sticking. Use a meat thermometer to prevent overcooking as salmon without skin can dry out more easily.

    Perfect Grilled Salmon

    Jenn
    Get perfect salmon on the grill every time with this grilled salmon technique
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Additional Time 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 17 mins
    Course Main Dishes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 197 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ lb Salmon Fillet
    • ¼ cup Soy Sauce
    • ¼ cup Brown Sugar
    • ¼ cup Olive Oil
    • ¼ cup Lemon Juice
    • 3 Garlic Cloves crushed
    • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Combine all ingredients except for the salmon itself in a gallon zipper bag. Add the salmon filet and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
    • Heat your gas grill to medium heat and spray the grate (not the fish itself, but the grate) with cooking spray.
    • Grill salmon flesh side down first* for about 6 minutes. This will vary somewhat depending on the thickness of your filet, but 6 minutes per side is a good general guideline.
    • Flip and grill the salmon another 6 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

    Notes

    *Grilling salmon flesh side down (skin side up) is key. Cooking the skin last allows the salmon fillet to hold together during the cooking process instead of falling to pieces when you try to flip it. It also helps keep the flesh from drying out.
    Keyword bbq, grilled salmon, grilling, how to cook salmon on the grill, seafood
    Nutrition Facts
    Perfect Grilled Salmon
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
    Calories 197 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 11g
    Cholesterol 24mg8%
    Sodium 612mg27%
    Carbohydrates 9g3%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 9g18%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or share on Pinterest

    The gas grill used in the photos above has seen better days so we recently upgraded. Since we have a tiny porch (tiny house, tiny everything!) we opted for this gas grill model and have been happily using it for the last year. It’s compact and portable but still gets the job done. Highly recommend!

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    Hi, I'm Jenn, a Southern food blogger and mother living in Alabama. After having my wonderful daughter, I decided to embark on a journey of sharing my Southern cooking recipes with the world.

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