An easy step-by-step guide showing you How to Grill Salmon perfectly every time! The perfect option for a quick weeknight dinner!
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! Having grilled salmon for dinner is a regular 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!
Looking for More Ways to Cook Salmon?
If you love it as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Pan Seared Salmon or Air Fryer Salmon Bites!
What You Will Need
- fresh salmon fillets – highly recommend picking up fresh fillets from the grocery store on the day you plan to cook them. If using frozen salmon, be sure to thaw fully before cooking.
- kosher salt and ground black pepper – simple seasonings that are always a must!
- olive oil – a little bit brushed on the outside helps to prevent sticking.
How To Grill Salmon
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to gather the basic ingredients.
Add Even More Flavor
Feel free to keep the seasoning simple with salt and pepper, but you can also amp up the flavor with other options like a Salmon Marinade or Salmon Seasoning!
Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels.
Season all sides of the salmon with salt and pepper.
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 degrees F to ensure it is fully cooked.
Grilled Salmon Temp
- Grill Temp: it 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 degrees F for salmon (USDA internal temp chart).
How to Know Salmon is Fully 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 degrees F 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!
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- 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.
- Tips on Buying 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.
- Here is a helpful article about salmon recommendations.
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!
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Other Recipes You Might Like
How to Grill Salmon (with skin + without skin)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Description
A detailed and helpful step-by-step tutorial that shows you How to Grill Salmon (with skin + without skin), perfectly every time!
Ingredients
- 4 (6-8oz) salmon fillets (1 inch thick at it’s thickest point)
- kosher salt & ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil (sub avocado oil)
Instructions
- Prep Grill: Preheat grill to High Heat (450-500) degrees. Ensure the grill grates are cleaned and lightly greased with oil.
- Prep Salmon: Pat salmon fillets dry with a clean paper towel. Use a basting brush and brush on oil, so the meat is lightly covered (no need to oil the skin, if it has skin). Season with salt and pepper.
- Grill Salmon With Skin: Place skin side down over direct heat and close the grill. Reduce grill temp to 375 degrees F (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 lid down). Open grill and, use a metal spatula to 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 greased spot on the grill (still over direct heat) and close the lid. If the skin doesn’t separate from the meat, simply flip the salmon over and the skin can be removed after grilling. Let cook for 3-4 minutes more or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (use an internal meat thermometer) or until the meat at the thickest point turns opaque and flakes easily.
- Grill Salmon Without Skin: Place salmon fillets over direct heat and close the grill. Reduce temp to 375 degrees F (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 (with lid closed). Turn the salmon over, placing on a different greased 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 temperature of 145 degrees F at it’s thickest point (using an internal meat thermometer) or until the meat at the thickest point turns opaque and flakes easily.
- Serve: Once fully cooked, remove from the grill and serve immediately.
Notes
- Clean + Greased Grates: make sure the grill is clean and the grates are greased/oiled. If your salmon sticks, its most likely because the 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 F.
- 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!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 309 mg
- Fat: 25.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 88.2 g
- Cholesterol: 202 mg
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!