Grilled Salmon

Teriyaki can be both marinade and glaze.

The problem with glazed salmon on the grill is that it sticks and burns. The sugars in the glaze quickly incinerate and provide an impromptu glue that makes removing the fillet virtually impossible. So I wanted perfectly cooked salmon with just enough glaze to complement the fish without overwhelming it. Farm-raised salmon is widely available and has a mild flavor and moist, rich interior. I went with it over wild salmon, which often has a dry, flaky texture and stronger flavor. To eliminate curling (as the skin shrinks, it often makes the entire fillet curl up), I removed the skin before cooking. Besides, who eats the skin anyway?

The next step was a marinade to boost flavor. Soy is an unbelievably great match for the sweet, buttery salmon, and a teriyaki sauce (soy, mirin, sake and a bit of sugar) made for the perfect partnership. I tried marinating the fish anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and found that 30 minutes worked best.

In most recipes, the glaze contained exactly the same ingredients as the marinade. This method finishes the dish with an intense flavor boost as well as an attractive, shiny glaze. ("Teri" means shiny, and traditional teriyaki should have a shellacked appearance.) Preparing the glaze is a snap. All of the ingredients are combined in a small skillet and simmered until reduced and thickened.

Salmon grills best over medium high heat; the fillets are turned once, then removed. Fillets from the thick end are about 1¼ inches thick once the skin is removed and take about three minutes per side. If the grill isn't hot enough, the fish sticks, so the grates should be well heated and oiled. (Use tongs, vegetable oil and a wad of paper towels.) New grill grates also tend to stick; to season one, grill a bunch of fatty sausages on it before using for more delicate foods. And don't apply glaze during grilling. It adds a bit of color, but the risk of burning and sticking is greater than the reward. Once the fish is grilled, remove it and brush on the glaze.

Christopher Kimball
Grilled Glazed Salmon

Salmon and Marinade

4 tablespoons soy sauce or
low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet cooking rice wine)
2 tablespoons sake
½ teaspoon sugar
4 (6 to 8 ounce) salmon fillets skinned with pin bones removed (both can be done at the store)

For the Glaze
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
½ teaspoons sugar

Place the soy, mirin, sake and sugar in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and whisk to combine. Place the fillets in the marinade with the flesh side down (and what would have been the skin side facing up). Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. For the Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a small skillet or medium saucepan and allow to cook over medium heat until the mixture is reduced by two-thirds and thickened to the consistency of maple syrup, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.

Ignite grill. When fire is medium-high (you can hold your hand 5 inches over the flame for 3 to 4 seconds) rub cooking area with a vegetable oil-soaked paper- towel wad using long tongs.

Place salmon on grill and cook until dark grill marks form and the fillets turn opaque about halfway up the sides, about 3 minutes. Turn the fillets and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until well-marked on second side and the salmon feels firm but not hard when pressed. (You may peek with the tip of a small knife; the very center should remain translucent.) Remove the fillets from the grill onto a warm platter, brush glaze over each fillet and serve immediately. Serves 4.