Fresh Salmon Filet with a Herb and Garlic Crust

Okay everyone, going to share a super BBQ secret with you. Try this recipe but do it for the BBQ instead of the oven. Leave the skin on the salmon though. Heat the BBQ to the highest setting for about 10 minutes then turn down to the lowest setting.

Then, after a few minutes to let the flames die down a bit, place the filet on the BBQ (skin side down), close the lid and cook for about 10 minutes (lid on). No need to flip this filet if you keep the lid closed. To check for doneness, use a spatula and lift up the filet in the middle. If the salmon meat just flakes apart from the weight of the filet at the thickest part .... it's done. You'll see... the meat will just start to separate along the natural seam. Easy as pie.

The only thing you have to be careful of is that the BBQ should not flame up from oil dripping on the coals. So check periodically. Flames and BBQ'ing are not a great mix. You can use a couple of drops of water to put out the flames if you see any and move the salmon out of the flame then close the lid again. When done, use two large metal spatulas and transfer to a serving platter and enjoy.

From a fisherman I know to you - It's the best. Try it and tell me what you think.

Joe

Re: Salmon BBQ idea. Forget to mention one thing for this recipe. Keep the salmon side whole rather than portion it. Just remove the pin bones. That's right. Spread the crust over the whole filet, place skin side down on the grill then get ready to impress your friends and family. As Dawn would say... "You'll feel like a rockstar!"

Joe

This is one of the most fulfilling recipes I have followed. I have prepared it more than 5 times and it has been flawless each time. Want to host a last-minute dinner party? This recipe is sure to please.

P.S. – I have a friend is allergic to garlic, and it is still yummy without.

Will the flavor be affected if I use flat leaf parsley instead of regular parsley?

Italian flat leaf will be just fine for this. Good luck, it's a yummy!

I love this recipe. It's versatile, easily accommodates variations in ingredients (basil versus parsley, addition of toasted walnuts, etc.) and delivers an explosion of flavor in every forkful. AND it's easy and quick. What could be better? I thank all of you for many memorable feasts. You make me look very accomplished!

Is it ok if i am going to use basil instead of parsley as a substitute in case parsley is not available in my stock? Thanks.

The flavor of basil is much stronger than the flavor of parsley therefore I would not substitue it 1:1 as it will totally overpower the dish. Ideally, I would wait until you can find some parsley but if you want to try it I would recommend using just a small amount of basil. Also note that the flavor of the basil will totally change the taste of the final dish. Cheers!

will enough herbs stay on skin side while BBQ or we should put herbs on top side of salman?

The herb crust should only be on the topside of the salmon, as it would burn, stick and/or fall off of the bottom/side side. Hope this helps. Cheers!

Made it last night and it was so easy that I was quite surprised at how very tasty it is. I am going to try it this week on chicken breasts, I'll keep you posted.
Thanks

is there something that can be substituted for the sun-dried tomatoes? or can they be left out? I rarely have them on hand.

Since this dish is called "Sun-dried Tomato Salmon" leaving them out or substituting them would really just mean you are making a different dish. The reason this dish is so good are greatly due to the sun-dried tomatoes. With that said, you are always free to make substitutions and or omit ingredients.

It is important to understand that recipes are merely guides. You are almost always free to leave things out and/or make tweaks to suit your taste buds, shopping habits etc.

Here is a good site for substitutions that you may want to bookmark. Cheers!

I cook salmon very often on the grill or on the stovetop, and the skin typically crisps up and separates from the fish. In this recipe, the skin stayed soft and was somewhat unappealing. I used foil instead of parchment - could this be the reason?

The salmon in the video is skinless: however, if you want to serve it skin on your can. Whenever we cook this salmon with the skin we just serve it without the skin. Because this salmon is baked in the oven you will not get nice crispy skin. You could always try the barbecue. You may want to check out the lessons on "Cooking Fish Fundamentals" and "How to Pan Fry Fish" for more information on cooking fish skin on. Hope this helps. Cheers!