Smoked Salmon

This is as stripped-down as salmon cooking gets, and that’s exactly its charm. Butter, lemon juice, seasoned salt, a shower of dill, and a hot grill. The fish does the talking.

Lemon butter is the bridge ingredient. The acid brightens the salmon’s richness while the butter bastes the surface and helps it color evenly over direct heat.

Dill and salmon are a pairing as classic as it gets, the herb’s grassy, slightly anise character cuts through the oily richness of the fish without overwhelming it.

Despite the title saying “smoked," the actual directions are for grilled salmon. If you want smoke, consider using a couple of wood chips on the grill for light flavor.

Chef Tips

• Start with the grill grates scorching hot and clean. Salmon sticks to cold or dirty grates every time.
• Oil the flesh side of the fish, not the grate. A quick brush of neutral oil on the salmon before butter basting prevents tears.
• Cook skin-side down first if using skin-on steaks, then flip once. Let the skin crisp up, it acts as a built-in spatula surface.
• Pull salmon when it flakes but still looks slightly translucent in the middle, 125°F (52°C) at the thickest point. Carryover heat finishes it to medium.

Variations

• Toss a few handfuls of soaked hickory or alder chips on the coals for genuine smoked flavor.
• Swap dill for fresh tarragon or chives for a different herbaceous lean.
• Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the lemon butter for a sharper, tangier basting sauce.