Name: Grilled Salmon with Mustard Glaze
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons dry mustard; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons water; vegetable oil for grill grate; 4 salmon fillets (center-cut), each 6 to 7 ounces and 1 1/2 inches thick; Salt and ground black pepper; extra-virgin olive oil

Why This Recipe Works

For a dependable grilled salmon recipe, we found the best overall cooking heat to be medium-high, which browned the fish without burning it and, more important, created the crust that would let us turn the salmon fairly easily. To detect doneness in our grilled salmon recipe, we found it best to pull the salmon off the grill occasionally and squeeze the sides of the fillet gently between our fingertips. Raw salmon is squishy, while medium-rare is firm but not hard. If you're stumped and want to be sure, cut into the fillet with a paring knife and look. Our last test involved a grill basket—a long-handled wire contraption shaped something like a sandwich press; the food sits inside it while cooking over the grill and can then be neatly retrieved by simply lifting the basket off the grill. The basket did eliminate the risk of breaking the fillet over the wider bars of the grill. Just be sure to oil the basket before grilling and to take the fish out of the basket as soon as it comes off the grill.

Before You Begin

If your fillets are less than one and one-half inches thick, decrease the grilling time by roughly thirty seconds per side. If using a gas grill, heat it for ten minutes and then grill the salmon over direct heat for four to five minutes per side. To test fillets for doneness, either peek into the salmon with the tip of a small knife as described below or remove the salmon from the grill and squeeze both sides of the fillet gently with your fingertips (raw salmon is squishy; medium-rare salmon is firm, but not hard).

Instructions

Mix dry mustard, sugar, and water to make thick paste; set aside.

Ignite enough charcoal briquettes or hardwood charcoal to fill slightly less than two shoeboxes, and burn until completely covered with thin coating light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread coals in single layer to make medium-hot fire (judge by holding outstretched hand 5 inches above coals for 4 seconds; if you cannot make it the full 4 seconds, fire is too hot). Position grill grate over fire and rub cooking area of grate with oil-dipped paper towel wad.

Generously sprinkle each side of fillets with salt and pepper. Spread mustard mixture over flesh side of fillets. Place fillets in an oiled grill basket, if you like. Place fillets skin side down on grill grate; grill until skin shrinks and separates from flesh and turns black, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip fillets gently with long-handled tongs or spatula; grill until fillets are opaque throughout, yet translucent at very center when checked with point of paring knife, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to serving platter, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.