Honey Soy Salmon Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds center-cut salmon, skin on, cut into 4 portions
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Marinate the Salmon Briefly

In a bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes.

Reserve about 1/4 cup of this mixture in a separate small bowl and set it aside; this will be your glaze for the grill.

Place the salmon portions in a shallow dish or a zip-top bag and pour the remaining marinade over them. Let the salmon marinate at room temperature for no more than 30 minutes.

Grill Hot and Fast

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, around 400-450F. It is essential to clean the grates thoroughly and then oil them well to prevent the salmon skin from sticking.

Remove the salmon from the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on the hot, oiled grates.

Grill for ~4-6 minutes on the first side, until the skin is crispy and releases easily from the grates.

Flip the salmon carefully. Immediately begin brushing the top (the skin side) with the reserved marinade. Continue to grill for another ~3-5 minutes, basting a couple more times, until the salmon is cooked to your liking and the glaze has caramelized. The internal temperature should be around 125F for medium-rare.

Rest and Serve

Let the salmon rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with the thinly sliced scallions. The glaze should be sticky and caramelized, and the skin should be crisp. This is best served over rice to catch any extra glaze.

Honey Soy Salmon

This recipe uses a single marinade that does double duty, first flavoring the salmon and then reducing into a sticky, sweet, and savory glaze on the grill. The key is the short marinating time; any longer than 30 minutes and the acid will start to break down the delicate texture of the fish. You must also reserve the marinade before the raw fish touches it to use for basting.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Active Time10 minutes mins

Marination Time30 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds center-cut salmon skin on, cut into 4 portions
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1.5 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1- inch piece fresh ginger grated
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 scallions thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

• In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
• Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade in a separate bowl for the glaze.
• Place the salmon in a shallow dish and pour the remaining marinade over it.
• Let the salmon marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400-450F).
• Clean and oil the grill grates thoroughly.
• Remove the salmon from the marinade, letting excess drip off.
• Place the salmon skin-side down on the hot grates.
• Grill for 4-6 minutes until the skin is crispy and releases easily.
• Flip the salmon and brush the skin side with the reserved marinade.
• Continue grilling for 3-5 minutes, basting occasionally, until internal temperature reaches 125F for medium-rare.
• Let the salmon rest for a few minutes.
• Garnish with the sliced scallions.
• Serve over rice to catch the extra glaze.

Notes

Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes as the acid will break down the fish.

Always reserve the marinade for basting before adding raw fish to prevent contamination.