INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 to 3 pounds salmon fillets,
skin-on (figure 1/3 to 1/2 pound per person)
- Canola, olive, or grapeseed oil
Marinade Recipes
Basic marinade:
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
Basic teriyaki marinade:
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1-inch nob of fresh ginger root,
grated
- 4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 to 4 Tbsp brown sugar
Teriyaki marinade with mirin:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice
wine) or seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup minced green onions
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- Pinch chili pepper flakes
Yakitori marinade with sake:
- 1/2 cup sake
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 2 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- A dash of red chili pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup white sugar
DIRECTIONS
1 Combine
marinade ingredients in a bowl. If sugar is an ingredient in the marinade you
are using, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2 Cut
filles 1 1/2 to 2-inches wide. Place marinade ingredients in a large casserole
dish (or a plate with sides so the marinade doesn't run). Coat the salmon
fillets in the marinade and then place them skinless-side down in the marinade.
Marinate for 20 minutes for a quick marinade (can do this at room temperature
while you are preparing the grill) or if you have more time from 1-2 hours
chilled in the refrigerator. Before grilling, remove fillets from marinade and
discard marinade.
3 Prepare
grill for high direct heat (if you are using a charcoal grill, allow one side
of the grill with much fewer coals for indirect heating). When the grill is
good and hot, spray or brush oil generously on both sides of fish fillets.
Place fillets on grill, skinless side down first, so that they can get nice
grill marks on the hot grill while the fish is still firm. Close the grill lid.
Cook 1-3 minutes on the first side, depending on how thick the fillets are.
Once the
fish fillets have been placed on the grill, do not move them until you are
going to flip them over, otherwise they may fall apart.
4 Look
for grill marks on the fish and a small layer of opaque (cooked) fish where the
fish is closes to the grill. Using tongs, and a metal spatula if necessary,
carefully turn the fish onto the other side, so that the skin side is now on
the grill grates. If you are using a charcoal grill, the fillets should be
placed on the side of the grill furthest from the coals. If you are using a gas
grill, just reduce the flame to medium. Close the grill lid. Cook for another
2-5 minutes, again depending on the thickness of the fillets. Salmon should be
just barely opaque throughout when done.
Better to
err on the side of undercooking the salmon, rather than overcooking. You can
always put the fish back on the grill, but once a good fillet is overcooked,
there's nothing you can do.
Remove from
grill and serve immediately.