This Grilled Orange Maple Salmon recipe is the perfect balance of healthy and indulgent, making it an ideal choice for a date night. Pair it with a glass of bubbly, and you’ve got a delightful meal that’s easy to prepare. The glaze is incredibly simple to make, adding a sweet and tangy finish to the salmon.
Ingredients
For the Salmon:
- 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Sweet and Spicy Dry Rub:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Orange Maple Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup maple syrup (honey works too)
- 1 medium orange, juiced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat Grill: Prepare your grill for direct grilling, targeting 450-500°F. If using a gas grill, set it to medium heat.
- Prep Salmon: In a small bowl, combine all the dry rub ingredients. In another bowl, mix together the glaze ingredients and set aside. Coat the salmon fillets with olive oil, then generously sprinkle the dry rub over the salmon.
- Grill Salmon: Place the salmon fillets on the grill, skin side up, over direct heat. Let them sear for about 4 minutes. The salmon is ready to flip when it no longer sticks to the grill. Flip the fillets, close the lid, and cook for another 3 minutes with the skin side down.
- Glaze: After 3 minutes, brush the orange maple glaze over the top of the salmon. Close the lid and continue cooking. Check the internal temperature of the thickest part of the fillet—it should reach 125°F for the upper end of medium rare. If the flame is too high, move the salmon to indirect heat and check the temperature more frequently.
- Remove and Rest: Remove the salmon from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes. Drizzle with any remaining glaze just before serving.
Notes:
- Ask your fishmonger to remove the pin bones from the salmon fillets.
- Thinner fillets cook faster, so always rely on the internal temperature rather than the cooking time for best results.
