Perfectly grilled salmon fillet with lemon and herbs on a grill
SeafoodGluten-FreeHealthyBBQ

Grilled Salmon Fillet

Portrait of food creator Maria Chen

Maria Chen

@mariachencooks

4.3(1,301 reviews)🍳 1,573 made this

Prep

8 min

Cook

12 min

Total

20 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Let's cook

  1. Clean and oil the grate

    Scrub the grate hot, then wipe it with an oiled cloth held in tongs. Salmon sticks to anything less than a spotless, oiled surface.

    💡

    Sticking is not a salmon problem, it is a grate problem. Clean and oil it properly.

  2. Dry the fish

    Pat the fillets completely dry and rub with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Surface moisture prevents any crust forming.

  3. Skin-side down first

    Lay the fillets skin-side down over direct medium-high heat and close the lid. Cook 6 minutes without touching them.

  4. Let it release

    The fish will release from the grate on its own when the skin has crisped. If it resists when you try to lift it, give it another minute.

    💡

    Never force it. Forcing tears the skin and leaves half the fillet behind.

  5. Finish briefly

    Flip and cook 2 minutes more, to 125°F internal for medium. Rest 3 minutes, then top with herbs and grilled lemon.

🍳

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📝 Tips, swaps, and make-ahead notes

Salmon keeps cooking off the heat, so 125°F on the grill gives you a moist medium on the plate. A thick centre-cut fillet is far more forgiving than a thin tail piece.

  • No grill: A cast iron pan, skin-side down, same timings.
  • Cedar plank: Soak the plank an hour, cook 15 minutes with the lid down for a smokier result.
  • Skinless: Use a grill basket or foil — skinless fillets will stick regardless.

Nutrition & Safety

Calories

386kcal

Protein

38g

Carbs

3g

Fat

24g

⚠️ Allergen & Safety Note

This recipe contains fish. Nutritional values are estimates per serving and may vary based on the specific ingredients you use. If you have food allergies, please verify all ingredients before cooking.

AI-assisted content. Always verify instructions with trusted culinary sources.

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