Teriyaki Sockeye Salmon

Joe points out that, unlike farmed or wild-caught salmon from outside Alaska where skin removal is recommended to avoid exposure to pollutants, these fillets should be prepared with the skin on to maximize health benefits.

Yields approximately 6 servings.

Ingredients

1 (1 1/2 – 2 pound) sockeye salmon fillet with skin, thawed if frozen
Teriyaki sauce (I find 1/4-1/3 cup per pound of salmon is plenty; I like this homemade recipe)

Place the salmon and the teriyaki sauce in a large zip-top bag or a large, flat baking pan, turning several times to coat. (Tip: when using a frozen fillet that is packaged in a vacuumed-sealed bag, I marinate right in the bag by carefully snipping off the top end, pouring off any juices, and pouring in the marinade. Then I roll up and clip the end so that nothing seeps out.) Allow the salmon to marinate for approximately 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, having oiled the grates. Remove the salmon from the teriyaki sauce, discarding the sauce. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the grill. Cook the salmon for about 4 minutes. The skin will begin to crisp and the fish will cook from the bottom up. Using two large spatulas, carefully flip the salmon, and cook another 2 minutes or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. At this point, as an option, you may gently ease the skin off the salmon and place it directly on the grill to further crisp.
Remove the salmon to a serving platter. If the skin was removed to further crisp, you may break it into pieces and serve on individual salmon portions.

Don’t hesitate to cut into the fish to determine doneness. Unlike chicken or beef, the juices will not run out. I like the center to be just slightly undercooked. The fish will continue to cook as it rests, and this will ensure the end result is not dry. For easier flipping, you may wish to cut the salmon into individual pieces. If using farmed salmon instead, it will likely require a few extra minutes of cooking time.