Grilled Salmon with Mustard Barbecue Sauce. Grilled salmon with a tart, mustard based glaze.
The beautiful fall day I’ve been waiting for is here. Clear, blue sky; a carpet of colorful leaves on the lawn; a hint of winter in the air - just cold enough to need a jacket. It’s time for fall grilling. After writing this, of course, it goes live on the first day of a mid-November Polar Vortex. Snow in the forecast. Sigh. I’m crossing my fingers for Thanksgiving…
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Salmon with barbecue sauce is a trick I learned from Michael Symon. It doesn’t seem like it should work; barbecue sauce goes with pork, not salmon, right? Turns out, it’s a fantastic pairing; the sweet, vinegar flavor of the sauce balances fatty salmon, just like it does pork shoulder.
I prefer South Carolina style mustard barbecue sauce with salmon. The the extra layer of mustard flavor is perfect with fish.
I know, I know, this sounds really strange. Mustard barbecue sauce? With fish? Trust me, it works.
Don’t want to trust me? Trust chef Symon. He’s a professional. Do try this at home.
Recipe: Grilled Salmon with Mustard Barbecue Sauce
Inspired by: Michael Symon’s Coffee Barbecue Salmon, Lolita’s restaurant
Print
Grilled Salmon with Mustard Barbecue Sauce
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 pieces of salmon 1x
Description
Grilled Salmon with Mustard Barbecue Sauce. Salmon with South Carolina style, mustard based BBQ Sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 (2-inch wide) salmon fillets (About 2 pounds of salmon)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Mustard BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ teaspoons hot sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot)
Instructions
- Prepare the grill for two zone medium-high heat: Prepare your grill for cooking with one side on medium-high heat, and the other with no heat, then clean the grate thoroughly with a grill brush and a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. For my Weber kettle, I light a chimney starter ¾ full of charcoal and wait for it to be covered with ash. I pour the coals in a thick, even layer over half of the charcoal grate. This gives me half the grill on direct heat, and half off the heat. Then I brush the grate clean with my grill brush, and wipe it with a folded paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. (Held with tongs, of course – please don’t bare-hand a paper towel soaked with oil over flaming coals.)
- Make the mustard BBQ sauce and season the salmon: While the grill is preheating, whisk the mustard BBQ sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Sprinkle the flesh side of the salmon evenly with the salt and pepper.
- Cook the salmon: Put the salmon on the grill, flesh side down, over the direct heat side of the grill (that is, over the coals). Cook uncovered for 4 to 6 minutes, until the salmon is well browned. Gently flip the salmon, skin side down, to the indirect heat side of the grill. Brush the salmon with a layer of barbecue sauce, cover the grill, and cook, covered, until the salmon reaches 140°F in its thickest part, about 10 more minutes. (It will still have a hint of pink in the middle if you peek with a paring knife). Brush the salmon with another layer of barbecue sauce and transfer to a serving platter. Let the salmon rest for five minutes, then serve and enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
I recommend the 5 quart Weber Chimney Starter, because it is larger than most chimney starters, and exactly the right size for this recipe.
I prefer the flavor of mustard barbecue sauce on salmon, but any barbecue sauce will work. In particular, my Espresso Chipotle Barbecue Sauce is a good match – the coffee, heat, and sweet flavor goes well with salmon.
Depending on the end of the salmon you buy, you can get ultra-thick or ultra-thin slices. I prefer center cut fillets – about 2 inches thick at their thickest part.
Tools
Grill (I use my trusty Weber kettle )
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts
Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via eMail or RSS reader, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, and buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
It's more medium than medium rare; if you want medium rare, go for 135*F internal.
Aaron Friedman says
Isn't 140*F a bit higher than normal?
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
You’re welcome!
Nikki says
Made this last night under the broiler. It was delicious!! Thank you.
Grill Goddess says
Okay, Master of the Fire, I'll give it a whirl. Confidence!
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Scrupulously clean the grill grate, get it ripping hot, and then wipe it with a paper towel dipped in veg oil. Then, gently wiggle the salmon loose after it is browned.
Grill Goddess says
This looks delicious - and I don't even like salmon. It may be because I suffer from FOSS (Fear Of Salmon Sticking). Any tips to get over this debilitating condition?