1 #   preferably wild caught salmon filet*- to serve 2-3

*I like to buy and cook wild caught salmon- preferably from a fish market. I  prefer filets vs “steaks”. A few of my favorites and their seasons are as follows:

Copper River   June- August

Yukon King(Chinook)  short season- mid-June to mid July

Coho  -early July to mid September

Prepare your grill. You will be cooking this on direct heat. I’m not going to get into fancy wood planks here- this is a simple charcoal grill method.

Inspect the filet carefully for bones- running your hand back and forth down the fish- and remove any you find with kitchen tweezers or a needle- nosed pliers.

Pour some of the marinade into a shallow dish that will just fit your filet- you want a shallow coating of the marinade. Place the fish into the dish skin side down. For a 1 pound filet- I would spoon about  1/2 cup of the marinade over the fish.

This can either be refrigerated for several hours- covered tightly( or your fridge will stink up) or left out at room temp till the coals are hot. Sorry, gas grill people- don’t know much about that technique.

When the coals are hot- all white- place the grill top on and scrape it well. You always want a pre-heated  clean grate. You want the heat medium high. Grilling the fish as quickly as possible maximizes it’s briny flavor and crisps the surface lightly while leaving the interior succulent.

Transfer the fish to a well -oiled platter- skin side down. Transfer onto the grill -skin side down over direct heat. I place the tail end (thin part) on the cooler low end of the coals. Put the cover on the grill. You will not be turning the fish. Cook for 11-14 minutes depending on the thickness of the filet. For a 1 inch filet - usually about 12 minutes.     

When done - remove the fish with the widest spatula you have or if you are grilling a whole salmon filet- it takes 2 people. I use a wide spatula designed for fish. You will be leaving the crispy charred skin behind on the grill. This sounds tricky- but it’s not. The skin is usually glued to the grill and the filet comes off easily in one piece.

That’s all there is to it!

Here is the time-honored fire and hand test:

Place your hand a couple inches above the cooking grate and count the number of seconds until the heat of the fire forces you to pull away.

1-2   seconds=  hot

3      seconds= medium high

4-5  seconds= moderate


7  oz package fermented black beans (moist) from Asian markets

2  oz hoison sauce

3  oz rice vinegar

2  oz soy sauce

4  oz white wine

3 oz dry sherry

4 oz honey

3 oz chili paste

2 oz sesame oil

2 heads fresh garlic minced

1/3 pound ginger rootminced

Saute the ginger and garlic in the sesame oil until tender . Simmer on low with a lid for 5 minutes. Add the rest and simmer on low for another 10 minutes.

Excellent as a marinade for salmon and shrimp. Freezes well. I scrape off some of the black beans before serving- for a more attractive presentation.