Slightly sweet and smoky Strawberry Balsamic Grill-Glazed Salmon Fillets – This grilled salmon recipe offers bite after bite of summer deliciousness in a healthy and easy dinner that is full of flavor.
Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat (350°F), place flexible grill sheet on the grill.
To Remove the Skin [1]
To remove the skin from salmon, place the fillet skin-side down onto a large cutting board. Holding the tail end of the fillet, use a fillet knife, and slide the blade between the flesh and skin at the tail end. With the skin held tightly with your fingers, push the knife blade slowly towards the top of the fillet, cutting the length of the fillet meat while being careful not to cut through the skin. Discard the skin.
To Remove the Pin Bones
Pin bones are tiny bones that easily hide in the flesh after the fish is filleted. They are the small “floating” bones that attach to the fish’s main skeleton. Because the bones are difficult to see, the best way to locate them is by touch. To find them, lay the fillet flat on your cutting board with the (discarded) skin side down. Run your fingers down the center length of the fillet from the top to the tail end. You should be able to feel the tips of the bones if they are present.
When you locate a bone, slide your non-dominate hand fingers under the fillet, beneath the bone, bend, and lift the fillet meat a little so that the bone pokes up and protrudes from the top side.
Using your handy needle-nose pliers (designated strictly for kitchen use), pull slowly upward on the bone, gently wiggling until it pulls free from the flesh. Repeat until the fillet is bone-free.
Soak the Salmon
*Optional: We typically give the salmon a quick soak bath in water, lemon, and salt for 15-30 minutes before cooking. Doing this will reduce the “fishy” smell. It will also slightly break down the connective tissues of the fish, reducing the cooking time, and it will help preserve the healthy fish color.
For the Marinade
Combine the Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar, minced garlic, honey, fresh oregano, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, whisk to combine, set aside.
Rinse the soaked salmon in cold water and pat dry with paper toweling.
Combine the salmon fillets and the marinade in a shallow dish, turning the salmon to coat on all sides, let set in the marinade for 30 minutes before grilling.
To Grill
Place the marinated salmon fillets on the pre-heated grill directly onto the flexible grill sheet or grilling mat. Baste the salmon with some of the marinade juices, close the grill cover and cook for 4-minutes. Using a spatula, turn the salmon fillets over, then baste again with the marinade juices, close the grill cover, and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. [2] Baste again and flip before checking for doneness by pulling the salmon flesh slightly apart in the thickest part of the fillet. The meat should begin to flake when pulled apart slightly. Remove from the grill and cover with aluminum foil to seal the juices until ready to serve.
To serve, arrange an individual fillet portion on a plate and top with Strawberry Mango Summer Salsa. [3] Enjoy!
KITCHEN NOTES
[1] Many fishmongers will remove the skin and pin bones from the salmon fillets upon request. But if you are starting with a fresh-caught salmon or need to remove the skin and pin bones yourself, here is our method for doing it without wasting any of the flesh.[2] The thickness of the salmon can affect the total time needed for the perfect doneness or flakiness of the fillets. You may need to increase or decrease your cooking time accordingly.[3] Nutrition information does not include the Strawberry Mango Summer Salsa topping.