The Secret To Grilling Perfectly Crispy Salmon Without Overcooking It

Few things are as unattractive as a pale, overcooked piece of salmon. Sure, you could repurpose it into a creamy dip so as not to waste it, but if you want a wow-worthy plated dinner in which grilled salmon is the star, you must make sure it looks mouthwatering. Sheila Lucero — the Culinary Director at Big Red F Restaurant Group and the Executive Chef at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar and Centro Mexican Kitchen — shared a tip for how to perfectly grill crispy salmon without overcooking it. To achieve this, Lucero recommends grilling at "high heat to sear and then pull off the filet a bit early to carry over." That way, the skin will be golden and crunchy, and the remaining heat within the salmon will finish cooking the meat to a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Salmon is at its best when cooked to medium or medium rare, so pulling it off the grill about five minutes before it's fully done will help, as the internal temperature of the fish will keep rising. "I would suggest pulling off the filet at 125 degrees, and allowing it to rest," says Lucero. Resting the salmon for about five minutes before eating allows the heat to spread throughout.

Chef Lucero is a fierce advocate of sourcing sustainably caught fish — her restaurants were the first in Colorado to be certified by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. At Centro, she serves a gorgeous grilled salmon salad with greens, radicchio, cucumber, avocado, charred carrot, hard-cooked egg, sunflower seeds, and a citrus agave dressing, while at Jax the fish takes center stage with roasted garlic tater tots, royal trumpet mushroom, Thumbelina carrots, and charred scallion soubise. At home, you could try a simpler yet flavorful Cajun riff on grilled salmon, and if you have leftovers, use them in this creamy watercress and pea salad.

There are a few tricks to keep in mind when grilling salmon, as the delicate flesh will fall apart if the skin gets stuck to the grill. Aside from using a fish grill basket to make things easier, you can also follow an easy tip to avoid a common flipping mistake, ensuring your salmon is crispy and beautiful on both sides. Be mindful of the placement of the salmon on the grill as well, to ensure the best results and make a quicker job of cleaning the grill.