VelvetSimple Grilled Salmon
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
Thick centre-cut salmon fillets seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper and cooked fast over a medium-hot charcoal fire. The skin chars and crisps first, then a quick turn leaves the inside moist and just translucent at the centre.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Light the fire. Light enough charcoal to fill a little less than two shoeboxes and burn until it is all covered in thin, light grey ash, 20-30 min. Spread the coals in a single layer for a medium-hot fire: you should be able to hold your hand 12 cm above the coals for about 4 s. On a gas barbecue, heat to medium-high.
- 2
Oil the grate. Set the grate over the fire, scrub it clean and rub the cooking area with a wad of paper towels dipped in the oil.
- 3
Season the salmon. Sprinkle both sides of each fillet generously with the salt and pepper just before cooking. Put the fillets in an oiled grill basket if you like.
- 4
Grill skin side down. Lay the fillets skin side down on the grate and grill until the skin shrinks, chars and starts to separate from the flesh, 2-3 min.
- 5
Turn and finish. Turn the fillets gently with the tongs or fish spatula and grill for 3-4 min more, until opaque but still slightly translucent at the very centre (check with the tip of the paring knife), 52 °C for moist medium (63 °C for well done, the USDA safe minimum). Serve straight away.
Storage
Best eaten hot off the grill. Refrigerate leftovers covered within 2 hours for up to 2 days and eat cold, flaked into salads, or reheat gently until piping hot. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why it's healthy
38.3 g protein for 397 kcal = 9.6 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 39% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the EU condition. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Sugar-free: 0 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 0.5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 125 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
Free sugars: 0 g per serving
0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Equipment
- charcoal barbecue (or gas barbecue)
- chimney starter (optional)
- grill brush
- paper towels
- long-handled tongs
- wide fish spatula
- grill basket (optional)
- instant-read thermometer
- paring knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 397 kcal |
| Protein | 38.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.2 g |
| of which sugars | 0 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 25.9 g |
| of which saturates | 5.8 g |
| Fibre | 0.1 g |
| Salt | 1.73 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
9.6 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
