If you have a clean grill, salmon cooks quickly and easily. Be sure to use a grill thermometer to make sure it’s cooked to 145 degrees F before serving.
Start with a fresh, wild-caught fillet with the skin on (if desired). Pat dry both sides with paper towels to minimize surface moisture. This speeds up the searing process and helps prevent sticking.
Prep the Salmon
Whether you use a gas or charcoal grill, this recipe will yield grilled salmon with crispy skin and plenty of flavor. Look for wild-caught salmon if possible, but farm-raised will work too.
Preheat the grill over high heat, then spray the grates with cooking oil to prevent sticking. Brush the salmon fillets with avocado or olive oil, then season them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, or add garlic powder and onion powder if desired.
Cook the salmon, skin-side down, over the hot zone of the grill for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip, and cook for 2 to 4 more minutes (depending on thickness). The salmon is cooked when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 120 degrees F. Let the fish rest for a few minutes before serving.
Prevent Salmon from Sticking to the Grill
Many people avoid cooking salmon on the grill because they fear it will stick. This is usually not a problem if you use a proper preparation method. There are three important things you need to have when grilling salmon: heat, oil and patience.
If you are using a gas grill, it should be set to high direct heat. Coat the grates with oil before you place the salmon on them. It is much more effective to coat the fish with oil than it is to cover the grill.
I recommend using a non-stick spray or olive oil for this purpose. You can also try a traditional lemon juice marinade. I like to add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to my recipe for extra flavor, but it is up to you how much spice you want. The best way to tell if salmon is done is by checking its temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer.
Cooking Salmon on the Grill Without Aluminum Foil
To grill salmon without foil, preheat a gas or charcoal grill and brush the grates with oil. You can use cooking spray or a drizzle of olive oil to do this. Coating the grates helps prevent fish from sticking to them and over-cooking.
Wrap a piece of salmon in foil large enough to completely cover it and add a few of your favorite veggies. You want to seal the foil pack well so that the salmon marinade doesn’t leak out while it cooks.
Depending on the size and thickness of your piece of salmon, and how hot the fire is, cook it for 10-15 minutes. You can test for doneness by checking if it flakes easily when poked with a fork. Salmon will continue to cook a bit as it rests after being removed from the grill.
For best results, choose salmon that is firm, fresh, and bright pink in color. It should also smell fresh, not fishy and, if possible, wild caught.
Why Does My Salmon Skin Stick to the Grill?
One of the most common reasons salmon sticks to the grill is because it is removed from the heat too soon. It is important to cook salmon until it is completely opaque and can easily be flaked with a fork (about 15 minutes per inch of thickness). You can check for doneness by using an instant-read thermometer or just by looking at it. If the salmon has a black color on it’s underside or looks like a pink and black zebra, it is overcooked.
Before you put the salmon on the grill, make sure it is dry by patting it down with paper towels. This will speed up the searing process and prevent sticking. If you are marinating the fish, blot off the excess liquid with paper towels before grilling as well. Also, be sure to generously coat the grill grates with oil before adding the salmon. The oil will help the salmon not stick to the grill and will help the seasoning adhere.
