Crispy on the outside, tender and soft on the inside: grilled salmon is perhaps the best way to enjoy salmon. But be careful: salmon fillets sometimes fall apart, thick pieces don't cook quickly enough, and the salmon gets dry. Fish on the grill is sensitive and a lot could go wrong. But we'll give you tips and tricks so that, firstly, your grilled salmon is always a success and secondly, it brings a lot of variety into the grilling season!

Which grill is best for grilling salmon?

Make it easy for yourself: use the grill you already have! Because salmon always works,, on the wood grill as well as on the electric grill and the gas grill. You can even prepare the delicious fish around the campfire. Please note: The fish should always be kept cool until grilled. So if the refrigerator is too far away from the grill, please store the salmon in a bowl on ice or in the cooler. Smoking salmon Smoked salmon is a fine thing. There are different methods of smoking salmon. The grill is not needed for cold smoking. And the result definitely puts the smoked salmon from the refrigerated shelf in the shade. For smoking in the smoker or on the grill, the fish is prepared as follows: * Salt the finished filleted salmon sides * Desalinate and dry * Pre-heat coals in the smoker (optional smoker compartment) and cover with birch sawdust * Smoke salmon Wrap it in foil and let it ripen in the fridge for 48 hours before eating If you don't have a smoker available, use a flamed salmon board. The fish is attached to the natural board brushed with cooking oil. It is important that the wooden boards are watered; under no circumstances should they catch fire. Grilling salmon: many options Grilling salmon is very easy: the fish can be cooked in bite-sized pieces with vegetables on a skewer or in a grill pan. Alternatively, large pieces of fillet with skin can be placed on the grill grate or the salmon can be cooked in the grill tongs. Salmon on the wood grill Salmon is particularly tasty on the wood grill. The use of flamed salmon boards is a good idea here, maybe you also like the fish from the birch chips? Salmon fillet in birch chips can be bought ready-made, as can the birch chips without salmon. An absolute classic is of course the salmon from a cedar plank! Remember that you will also want to prepare side dishes on the wood grill. Set up different temperature zones on the grill. Salmon on the electric grill Everything that works on a wood grill can also be done on an electric grill. The salmon is just as delicious on the cedar plank as it is on the birch shavings or in the banana leaf. No matter whether you marinate the salmon in Asian, Mediterranean, French or Caribbean style: Dab off the marinade before grilling. And don't forget the side dishes! Salmon on the kettle grill If you have a kettle grill, smoking is of course an option. This is very easy with smoking planks. Another delicious option from the kettle grill is salmon for pasta. To do this, the salmon is marinated with lemon and heated briefly. Then it can harmonize with the pasta with a little cream, salt, pepper and lemon peel. Salmon on the gas grill The gas grill can do everything other grills can do and even more. These devices often have a side burner and a rotisserie. This is ideal for grilling a large salmon fillet in a special way! But even without a rotisserie, the salmon from the gas grill is a pleasure. Because together with tomatoes, spinach leaves, a little garlic, lemon peel and red vegetable onions (don't cut them too small), such a grill pan on the gas grill conjures up a whole meal in no time. Salmon and campfire At the campfire or over the fire bowl, salmon is basically treated in the same way as on the charcoal grill. Under no circumstances should the fish come into contact with the flames. It's up to you whether you place the salmon on the edge (on a metal or stone plate, without direct contact with the fire) and let it cook slowly, skewer it on a stick and cook it like stick bread, or place it on the flamed salmon board at an angle over the fire. And for very special occasions, we recommend that you always lightly season the salmon, wrap it in several layers of banana leaves and place it directly into the embers.

Side dishes for grilled salmon

Ideally, the side dishes also come from the grill. This fish goes well with, and this is almost dogmatic, baked potatoes and a sour cream. The classic potato salad works too. However, this should be seasoned with horseradish or wasabi, dill or lemon. In general, slightly sour side dishes go well with grilled salmon. For example, a fennel salad with an orange-based vinaigrette is perfect! As long as it tastes fresh and fruity, fruit salads, cucumber salads and citrus fruits are also suitable. Inspired by the cuisine of the Caribbean islands, the fruit salads can taste spicy to fiery and be decorated with shrimp. Rice, couscous, grains mixed with legumes and corn always go well with grilled dishes. Of course you can cook vegetables on the grill. And don't forget the bread!

Sauces for grilled salmon

If you love your salmon, prepare the spice sauces yourself! A delicious sauce can quickly be conjured up based on yogurt, sour cream, "schmand" or creme fraiche and lemon, dill, salt and pepper. Japanese miso-based sauces or just a good olive oil also go well with salmon. If the salmon itself is already heavily seasoned or marinated, a sauce would be overkill.

Spices & Marinades for Grilled Salmon

Here too, there are no limits to your imagination. Of course, salmon tastes very delicious with dill. Mediterranean cuisine knows the fatty fish with thyme and rosemary and uses tarragon and basil. Maybe you like oregano? It doesn't just taste good on pizza! The so-called jerk mixtures, on the other hand, come from Caribbean cuisine. Different types of pepper, cumin, allspice and coriander, but also chili and paprika play an important role here. This all goes perfectly with salmon. You can easily make a marinade yourself by mixing your favorite spices with a little olive oil and lemon juice (or a mild vinegar) and letting the fish soak in it. Before the salmon goes on the grill, the marinade must be dabbed off. Under no circumstances should it drip into the glowing coals or the fire.

Tips & tricks for grilling salmon

Grill salmon with skin This is always a good idea because the skin holds the delicate fish fillet together nicely. The skin is cut at even intervals on the outside and you lightly oil the fish and grill grate before grilling. This means the skin doesn't stick to the grill and the fish stays deliciously juicy. Grilling with aluminum foil It is often recommended to wrap the salmon in aluminum foil for grilling. You can do that, then the fish and marinade stay together deliciously. However, it is important to remember that particles always come off the film. The aluminum is therefore eaten. And aluminum is suspected of promoting various diseases. The metal is deposited in the body and has a gradual effect over the years. That's why we think: You can do without aluminum foil. If you don't want the salmon to fall apart on the grill, it can either stay in its skin. Or you can wrap it in edible leaves, optionally birch shavings. South American and Caribbean cuisine uses the leaves of corn cobs and banana leaves as a natural grill bowl. However, these leaves are not edible!