The Simplest Way to Make Crispy-Skin Grilled Salmon

Wild salmon is precious. While I’ve known that in the abstract, it’s all hitting home while reading Langdon Cook’s acclaimed new book Upstream.

Generally I’m delighted to find flash-frozen wild salmon at a local grocer. But last week while vacationing on Vashon Island, I indulged in fresh sockeye salmon filleted to order.

Then, when I returned home, the headline on our local newspaper read, “Chinook Salmon Harvest Cancelled this Year.” {That’s the species marketed as “king.”}

Precious has a taste. The fish we ate around the fire that night was achingly good. Cooked just to succulent doneness with a crispy skin.

This, in itself, is a rare thing.

Saving Salmon Skin

Have you ever had salmon served with the skin as browned and crisp as a potato chip?

I learned to skin salmon so that customers at a high-end restaurant where I cooked didn’t have to be bothered by food waste at the table. I, too, habitually scraped off or avoided fish skin.

But I haven’t skinned a salmon for my own eating in years.

I’m not sure when it happened. Was it the fact that sushi restaurants were charging for salmon skin rolls? Or that I read about the omega 3s stored in the fishes’ skin?

Or when I cooked a skin-on frozen salmon fillet in a hot pan and then took a bite of the tender flesh with the shattering skin?

However it happened, I became one of the converted. Crispy-skinned salmon is similar to eating fried chicken: two textures, more flavors. Excitement ensues.

Skin-On Grilled Salmon

A few weeks ago, I taught a grilling class for a fun group of women. {This article is a summary of some of my major tips especially for beginners.} Among other things, we grilled flat breads, lettuce, beef, chicken and shrimp.

But no fish. Fin fish, like halibut and salmon, are more in the intermediate griller’s range. Not because it’s difficult by any means, although most people do overcook it.

It’s more the general uncertainty–when is it done?, people worry. So, I believe it just takes the confidence of a griller with a bit of experience.

But you can’t get any experience if you don’t try. And this method is the simplest because it involves no flipping. That’s right, you won’t have to worry about sticking or fish acrobatics of any kind.

There are only three components required to grill salmon:

1. Fresh or flash-frozen wild-caught salmon {while others may promote farmed fish, I am firmly committed to preserving sustainable salmon fisheries.}
2. Seasoning, by which I mean salt. Preferably sea salt. My current favorite is Jacobsen’s kosher salt farmed on the Oregon coast.
3. Medium-high heat from any source, but a grill–if you have one of any make or kind–is ideal.

Optional extra: That funny spatula in the photo is a fish spatula {also called a “fish turner”}. It is offset with a very thin blade, which makes it very practical for fish and many other uses.

A Simple Salmon Supper

As for accompaniments to the salmon, I admit to being a purist. No honey-mustard marinades or mango salsas allowed when the fish is this good. Instead, I reach for one of these simple garnishes:

• grilled lemon slices {see photo and recipe}
• any flavored butter, like this nettle butter to melt on top
• any herb sauce, like this garlic scape pesto to dollop on top
• a flavorful side dish, such as this roasted potatoes in vinaigrette

And of course, eat every bite with some of that crispy skin!

To make dinner even easier, grill some vegetables tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Asparagus, sliced zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, portabella mushrooms, carrots or even lettuce. {Here’s a ranking of the 12 best candidates.} When wild grilled salmon is on the menu, there isn’t much else you need.

Just add some good friends, a chilled bottle of wine and enjoy this easy meal in your own great outdoors. Summer is on.

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