Simple Tips For Grilling Perfect Salmon Every Time
photo credits to mccormick blog
Salmon is one of the quickest, easiest, and most flavourful fish you can grill. It’s also a healthy dish packed with protein, vitamins A and D, selenium, and omega-3’s — consuming at least two servings a week can reduce your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive decline. Even better, salmon is low in calories — a four-ounce serving contains just 158 calories. Therefore, you can regularly indulge, knowing that you are doing your body a favor. And, by paying particular attention to the smaller details, you can make sure that you have perfectly grilled salmon every time.
Invest in a good set of knives
Good knives are essential for cutting beautifully thin slices of salmon. In particular, Japanese knives are perfect for slicing delicate tasks. Japanese knives are light and thin and have a single edge blade, making them different from Western-style knives with double edge blades. Single-edge knives can have an extremely sharp cutting edge, making them perfect for making clean cuts and working around bone and muscle. The thinner the blade, the easier the knife is to use and handle. With good knives, you’ll have no problem cutting perfectly-sized salmon filets or steaks for grilling.
Choose the right salmon.
Creating a delicious meal relies on choosing the right, good-quality salmon. Coho (silver salmon) is a preferred choice for grilling. It has a light color and mild flavour, which goes excellent with any bolder sauces of your choice. Alternatively, Sockeye Red salmon has a high oil content and a more buttery taste. King (Chinook) salmon also has a high oil content and a richer flavour, making it another excellent grilling choice. Columbia River Spring Kings and Yukon River Kings are some of the best king salmon available. Always avoid salmon with signs of bruising or browning. The flesh should be firm, withstand light pressure, and bounce back almost immediately when pressed.
Use a charcoal grill.
Using a charcoal grill will give your salmon a delicious, smokey taste that you don’t get with a gas grill. When it comes to choosing fuel, all-natural briquettes are a great choice — they’re free from any synthetic fillers and binders and come in a wide variety of flavors like mesquite, cherry, hickory, and oak. Additionally, don’t use any lighter fluid to avoid the unpleasant chemical taste. You can use a charcoal chimney starter instead. Pack the bottom with newspaper and then add the briquettes. Set fire to the newspaper and wait for the briquettes to become covered with ash. You can then empty the chimney starter and place the briquette coals on the kettle’s lower rack, ready for grilling.
Cooking salmon on the grill is doable for people of all levels of experience and ability. Following these tips can ensure your grilled salmon turns out silky, moist, flavoursome, and restaurant-quality.