Mesquite Grilled Salmon Recipe

Prepare wood chips

Place mesquite wood chips in a bowl and cover with warm water. Soak at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) to prevent immediate flare-ups and produce steady smoke.

Make marinade

In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cumin, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper until sugar dissolves and mixture is uniform.

Marinate salmon

Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place fillets skin-side down in the dish and spoon or brush marinade over the top, coating evenly. Reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade for basting. Let salmon sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes or refrigerate up to 30 minutes. Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes to avoid curing the fish.

Prepare grill for mesquite smoke

If using a gas grill: light one burner to medium-high and leave another burner off to create indirect heat. Drain soaked wood chips, wrap in aluminum foil (poke a few holes) and place directly over the lit burner or in a smoker box. Preheat grill to about 400°F (200°C) with lid closed for 10 minutes. If using charcoal: light coals and let them ash over, add drained chips directly to coals, and set up a two-zone fire (coals on one side for direct heat). Aim for a grill surface temperature of 375–425°F (190–220°C).

Oil the grill and fish

Brush the grill grates with oil or rub with an oiled paper towel using tongs to prevent sticking. Brush the salmon flesh lightly with the reserved extra olive oil.

Grill the salmon

Place salmon fillets skin-side down on the hottest part of the grill (over direct/medium-high heat) for 3–4 minutes to get good sear and smoke. Then move fillets to indirect heat (or lower the burner) to finish cooking. Close the lid and cook another 4–8 minutes depending on thickness (salmon is done when internal temperature reaches 125–130°F/52–54°C for medium-rare to medium, or 140°F/60°C for well done). Baste once with reserved marinade during the first minute on direct heat only (do not baste after transferring to indirect heat to avoid burning).

Rest the fish

Remove salmon from the grill and transfer to a clean platter. Let rest 3–5 minutes to redistribute juices and finish carryover cooking.

Brush a little extra olive oil over the salmon if desired, sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley over the fillets, and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Squeeze lemon over salmon just before eating.