Zesty Citrus Herb Grilled Salmon

Why This Zesty Citrus Herb Grilled Salmon Works

During marinating, the olive oil and lemon juice soak into the salmon and loosen up the surface a bit. The salt starts pulling some moisture out at first, but then that liquid mixes with the oil and citrus and goes back in, so the fish stays moist instead of drying out. Garlic, dill, parsley, and orange zest spread over the outside and into the little lines in the salmon, so every bite tastes seasoned, not just the top.

Once the salmon hits the hot grill, the outside firms up and forms a light crust, especially on the skin side. That crust holds the juices inside while the middle slowly cooks. Medium-high heat is strong enough to give some light browning, but not so hot that the fish burns before the center is done. As it cooks through, the salmon starts to flake along the natural lines in the flesh, which is a sign it’s done but still tender and moist.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the salmon sit in the marinade for too long, especially past 2 hours, can make the surface mushy. The acid from the lemon starts to “cook” the outside of the fish before it hits the grill, so it turns pasty on the edges while the inside still needs time to firm up.

Grilling over very high heat instead of medium-high often burns the outside before the center cooks through. The skin and edges turn black and bitter while the middle stays soft and slightly raw, so the fillet ends up both dry in spots and underdone in others.

Putting the salmon on un-oiled or dirty grill grates makes it stick badly. When it is flipped, chunks of the fish tear off and stay on the grill, so the fillet breaks apart and loses its nice flaky texture.

Skipping the step of patting off excess marinade right before grilling can cause flare-ups. The extra oil drips into the flames, the outside chars too fast, and the herbs and garlic scorch into hard, bitter bits on the surface.