How to Grill Salmon – an easy step-by-step guide showing you how to cook salmon on the grill!
How to Grill Salmon 101
Your go-to guide for how to cook salmon on the grill!
We have been making grilled salmon for years and I have been meaning to sit down and gather all that we have learned into one post for you guys! Here it is! Hope you find it helpful! Having grilled salmon for dinner is such a go-to for us. Our kids love it and I always make extra so we have leftovers. It can be used in salads, frittatas, etc.! So good for you and really so easy!
How to Prep Salmon for the Grill
- Cut Salmon into 6-8oz pieces
- Pat dry with a clean paper towel
- Brush with olive oil
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper (and any other seasoning you like)
How Long to Grill Salmon
Grill salmon approximately 4-5 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness (thickness measured by the thickest part of the piece of salmon you are cooking) over direct heat (direct heat = directly over the heat source/fire). Check for internal temp of 145 to ensure it is fully cooked.
Grilled Salmon Temp
- Grill Temp: Grill temp for should be approximately 375 degrees (I usually start with the grill around 450 to get some nice grill marks. By the time I put the salmon on and close the cover of the grill the temp is usually down to about 375 and I keep it there).
- Internal Temp: USDA recommends an internal temp of 145 for salmon (click here for USDA internal temp chart).
How to Tell Salmon is Cooked
- Digital Meat Thermometer: Using a Digital meat thermometer is a great way to remove some of the guesswork out of grilling salmon. Simply insert it into the thickest part of the salmon and one insert it halfway. If the thermometer reaches 140/145 you will be good. Remember the salmon will continue to cook for a little while after removing it from the grill.
- Flakiness: You can also tell salmon is cooked if, at it’s thickest part, it is opaque and flakes easily!
Grilled Salmon Marinade
For this simple how-to recipe the instructions simply say to use salt, pepper and olive oil. This tastes amazing just the way it is, BUT if you are wanting to try out some different marinades to liven things up, here a couple good ones:
- Asian-Inspired Marinade
- Lemon + Oregano Marinade
- Garlic Herb Marinade
- Ginger Garlic Marinade
- 4 Healthy Salmon Marinades: Lemon Rosemary, Spicy Asian, Chili Lime, Mustard Garlic
Grilled Salmon Seasoning
Again, in this recipe we simply used salt, pepper and olive oil, but here is another great salmon seasoning option!
Grilled Salmon with Skin vs. without Skin
There really isn’t a huge difference in how you cook a salmon fillet with or without the skin. But, if you ARE grilling salmon with the skin on I would recommend starting with the skin down on the grill. There is no difference in the amount of time you grill, etc.
Cedar Plank Salmon
Here is a good Cedar Plank Salmon recipe if you are looking for one! Also a fun way to cook salmon on the grill!
Tips on Buying and Using Salmon
- Try to use your salmon the same day you buy it, if you can! It just tastes so much better.
- Use fresh salmon (vs. frozen) if you can as well.
- If you can’t use your salmon within a day or two, I would recommend freezing your salmon. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- If using frozen salmon, allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use.
- I usually try and buy salmon that is not much more than 1 inch thick at it’s thickest point.
- Here is a helpful article about salmon recommendations.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- How to Grill Chicken Thighs (boneless + bone-in)
- How to Grill the Perfect Steak
- How to Grill Vegetables
Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
Don’t forget to check out my Instagram account for some behind-the-scenes action! Or give me a follow on Facebook or see what I am pinning on Pinterest!
Print
How to Grill Salmon (with skin + without skin)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Description
How to Grill Salmon (with skin + without skin) – a detailed, helpful step-by-step tutorial that shows you how to make grilled salmon perfectly every time!
Ingredients
- (4) 6-8oz salmon fillets (1 inch thick at it’s thickest point)
- kosher salt
- pepper
- olive or avocado oil
Instructions
Prep the Grill and the Salmon:
- Preheat grill to High Heat (450-500) degrees.
- Ensure your grates are cleaned and lightly greased with oil.
- While your grill is pre-heating, place salmon fillets on a tray.
- Pat dry with a clean paper towel.
- Using a basting brush, brush on oil so the meat is lightly covered (if the skin is on it doesn’t need to be oiled).
- Season with salt and pepper (approximately 1/4 teaspoon or so per fillet and a dusting of pepper).
Skin on:
- Place skin side down over direct heat and close the grill.
- Reduce temp to approximately 375 (by opening the grill to put the salmon on the temp will drop quite quickly so just remember to manually turn down the heat).
- Let cook for 3-4 minutes (keep cover on).
- Open grill and, using your metal spatula, try and carefully separate the skin from the flesh. The skin will most likely stick to the grates allowing you to get your spatula under the meat of the salmon. Then flip onto a different spot on the grill (still over direct heat) and close the grill. Sometimes, depending upon different variables, the meat will just refuse to separate. That’s okay. Don’t fight it too much and instead simply flip the salmon over and the skin can be removed after grilling.
- Let cook for 3-4 minutes longer or until it reaches an internal temp of 145 (using an internal meat thermometer) or until the meat at the thickest point turns opaque and flakes easily.
- Remove from grill and serving immediately.
Skin off:
- Place salmon fillets over direct heat and close the grill.
- Reduce temp to approximately 375 (by opening the grill to put the salmon on the temp will drop quite quickly so just remember to manually turn down the heat).
- Let cook for 3 minutes (keep cover on).
- Turn the salmon over, placing on a different spot on the grill while still over direct heat (placing it on a different spot will help prevent sticking).
- Let cook for 3-4 minutes longer or until it reaches an internal temp of 145 at it’s thickest point (using an internal meat thermometer) or until the meat at the thickest point turns opaque and flakes easily.
- Remove from grill and serve immediately.
Notes
- Clean + Greased Grates: make sure your grill is clean and the grates are greased/oiled. If your salmon sticks its most likely because your grates aren’t greased (or because you didn’t cook the salmon long enough before flipping).
- How Long to Cook: A general rule of thumb is to grill salmon at 375 degrees for approximately 3-4 minutes per half-inch, flipping halfway, OR until the internal temp (at thickest part) is 145 degrees. That being said, once you have done it numerous times you will also be able to eyeball when it looks done based off of how the meat looks and how flaky it is!
- Oil After Cooking: Sometimes I like to lightly brush the salmon with a little avocado oil AFTER I grill it.
- Digital Meat Thermometer: Here is the digital meat thermometer I use!
Sara says
It blows my mind how such a simple recipe produces the most foolproof, gangster salmon. My anti-fish husband now gets to pat himself on the back for “his” grilling skills now that we have this go-to recipe for perfection. Lol. Thank you!
Bridget Montag says
Thanks so much Sara! So glad to hear that you and your husband are enjoying it!
Neal says
In your Notes section, I’m assuming you meant to say that NOT greasing your grates will lead to stuck salmon.
“Clean + Greased Grates: make sure your grill is clean and the grates are greased/oiled. If your salmon sticks its most likely because your grates are greased (or because you didn’t cook the salmon long enough before flipping).”
Thanks for your recipes!
Erin says
Thanks, Neal, for catching that little typo! Will make a fix quick – glad you are enjoying the recipes!