Charcoal-Grilled Salmon Fillets with Olive Vinaigrette
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 26, 2011
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
For Vinaigrette
½ cup pitted green or kalamata olives, roughly chopped1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and ground black pepperFor Salmon
4 skin-on salmon fillets, ¾ to 1 inch thick (6 to 8 ounces each) (see note)Vegetable oil Kosher salt and ground black pepperLemon wedgesBefore You Begin
This recipe works best with salmon fillets but can also be used with any thick, firm-fleshed white fish, including red snapper, grouper, halibut, and sea bass (cook white fish to 140 degrees, up to 2 minutes longer per side). If you are using skinless fillets, treat the skinned side of each as if it were the skin side. If your fillets are thicker than 1 inch, increase the cooking time on the second side in step 3 until the center of the fillet registers 125 degrees (or 140 degrees for white fish).
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for the vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place fillets skin-side up on rimmed baking sheet or large plate lined with clean kitchen towel. Place second clean kitchen towel on top of fillets and press down to blot liquid. Refrigerate fish, wrapped in towels, while preparing grill, at least 20 minutes.
- While fish dries, light large chimney starter filled two-thirds with charcoal (4 quarts, about 65 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thick layer of ash, 15 to 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover half of grill, leaving other half empty. Lightly dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grate. Continue to wipe grate with oiled paper towels, re-dipping towels in oil between applications, until grate is black and glossy, 5 to 10 times (photo 3 of Keys to Nonstick Grilling below).
- Brush both sides of fish with thin coat of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place fish directly over coals skin-side down on grill diagonal to grate (photo 4 of Keys to Nonstick Grilling below), cover grill, and cook without moving until skin side is brown, well marked, and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. (Try lifting fish gently with spatula after 3 minutes; if it doesn’t cleanly lift off grill, continue to cook, checking at 30-second intervals until it releases.) Using 2 spatulas, flip fish to second side (photo 5 of Keys to Nonstick Grilling below) and cook, covered, until centers of fillets are opaque and register 125 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 2 to 6 minutes longer.
- Rewhisk vinaigrette and serve over fish immediately with lemon wedges.
Yield
Serves 4Ingredients
For Vinaigrette
For Salmon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
For Vinaigrette
For Salmon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
For Vinaigrette
For Salmon
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
The biggest challenge in perfecting our grilled salmon recipe was figuring out how to remove the fillets from the grill in one piece. To prevent sticking, we first super-heated the grill, then brushed it very clean, and finally coated it with five to 10 layers of oil to build up a thick layer of polymers that prevent the protein in the fish from bonding with the grill grates.
Before You Begin
This recipe works best with salmon fillets but can also be used with any thick, firm-fleshed white fish, including red snapper, grouper, halibut, and sea bass (cook white fish to 140 degrees, up to 2 minutes longer per side). If you are using skinless fillets, treat the skinned side of each as if it were the skin side. If your fillets are thicker than 1 inch, increase the cooking time on the second side in step 3 until the center of the fillet registers 125 degrees (or 140 degrees for white fish).
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for the vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place fillets skin-side up on rimmed baking sheet or large plate lined with clean kitchen towel. Place second clean kitchen towel on top of fillets and press down to blot liquid. Refrigerate fish, wrapped in towels, while preparing grill, at least 20 minutes.
- While fish dries, light large chimney starter filled two-thirds with charcoal (4 quarts, about 65 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thick layer of ash, 15 to 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover half of grill, leaving other half empty. Lightly dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe grate. Continue to wipe grate with oiled paper towels, re-dipping towels in oil between applications, until grate is black and glossy, 5 to 10 times (photo 3 of Keys to Nonstick Grilling below).
- Brush both sides of fish with thin coat of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place fish directly over coals skin-side down on grill diagonal to grate (photo 4 of Keys to Nonstick Grilling below), cover grill, and cook without moving until skin side is brown, well marked, and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. (Try lifting fish gently with spatula after 3 minutes; if it doesn’t cleanly lift off grill, continue to cook, checking at 30-second intervals until it releases.) Using 2 spatulas, flip fish to second side (photo 5 of Keys to Nonstick Grilling below) and cook, covered, until centers of fillets are opaque and register 125 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 2 to 6 minutes longer.
- Rewhisk vinaigrette and serve over fish immediately with lemon wedges.
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