How do you grill salmon over the open fire? Well, the first thing you need to know is that there is an art to grilling fish. And in our books, once you’ve perfected it, you can consider yourself an all-round outdoor cooking master.
Fire brings out the best in fish. But, if you’re cooking it for the first time, you’ll need more than beginner’s luck to achieve that succulent and deliciously smoky taste.
We break down the steps in our guide to grilling the perfect salmon over the open fire.
How Do You Prepare Your Salmon for Grilling?
Thaw Your Salmon for a Long Time Before it Hits the Flames
Remove your fish from the freezer at least thirty minutes to an hour before you start grilling. To grill your salmon and still keep it tender, you want to reduce the amount of time it takes to cook on the inside.
Keep it Simple With Seasoning
Before you go marinating this delicacy like it’s a lamb chop, it’s actually more effective to rub seasoning onto your salmon than to soak it. Rubs bring out much more flavor, and you cut out the waiting time, so you can get grilling as soon as it’s rubbed in nicely.
You can only consider your grilled salmon a winner when it comes off the grill with its moisture still intact. To ensure that you retain as much moisture, brush it lightly with a heat-resistant oil, rub on the seasoning of your choice, and then get grilling.
The main reason why people use marinades is to reduce the formation of carcinogenic compounds. But herbs that contain a high percentage of antioxidants serve the same purpose.
How do you Grill Salmon Over Open Flames?
Throw it Straight Onto the Fire
Once your coals are nice and toasty, put some oil on your grill grate and then place your oiled salmon in the center of the heat source. You should hear a satisfying sizzle as your fish hits the grate. After two to three minutes, you can lift the salmon slightly to see if there are any grill marks. But, if you’re using the KUDU Grill, you can simply shift your grate away from the heat and check underneath without lifting your fish.
Once the grill marks appear, turn your salmon over to the other side. And after another three minutes, flake open a section of the fish to check for doneness. If the inside is no longer translucent, your salmon is cooked.
An important tip to remember is that when grilling leaner fish, like Sockeye Salmon, you should actually take it off the fire when the center is just shy of being done. This way, you avoid overcooking it.
Grill It In Foil
When grilling salmon in foil, you want to place it inside the foil and then oil and season it. And ensure that you are using heavy-duty aluminium foil to avoid the flames burning through to your fish. You also want to ensure there are no holes or tears in the foil once it’s wrapped around the salmon. If there are, it will cause all the moisture to leak out, or it may take longer to cook through.
Your fire needs to be piping hot for your salmon to be grilled right to the center. The minimum amount of cooking time is 20 minutes, flipping the foil packets around after the first ten minutes.
However, this all depends on the type and thickness of salmon and your fire’s heat.
For more tips on how to perfectly grill fish, watch our video as Kevin Gillespie shows us how to grill salmon on the KUDU:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxeDSoqTjq8
Some Grilled Sides for Your Salmon
Here are a few of our delicious grilled side dishes that will compliment your salmon dish:
KUDU Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad
Vegetables are the perfect side for any fish. Keep things healthy and fresh with our roasted sweet potato and kale salad recipe.
KUDU Grilled Morel Mushrooms
Our grilled mushrooms drizzled in melted butter is sure to enhance the decadence of your grilled salmon dish.
Grilled Watermelon and Pineapple
Switch things up and serve some grilled fruit along with your salmon dish for a more tropical taste.
Become a Grilled Salmon Master
Do you want delicious, smoky grilled salmon? Well, putting it over the open fire already gets you halfway there. The rest is up to you, though. But luckily, all you need is a good seasoning, KUDU Grill and remembering to take it off the grill at the right time.
You can impress your guests and grill your salmon to perfection the first time around by following our simple tips and using the KUDU Grill.
Contact us today, and we’ll get you what you need to make your grilling more convenient. Or check out more of our recipes to see what you can whip up at your next cookout.
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