Salmon Grilled with Lemon Butter Sauce
We love salmon. It can be served any way, any time. Grilled, poached, broiled, smoked or served cold the next day. It is truly the most versatile fish, that even non-fish lovers love.
When I traveled 40 weeks a year, mostly in the mid-west, salmon was my “go to” for many nights out, attempting to stay somewhat healthy. It seems even far away from the sea, salmon is a fish that just about anyone can get right.
We went from -4 to 81 degrees from one month to the next. Sunshine and warmer weather begs for simpler dinners, grilled fresh on the Egg (BGE) or gas grill. This, easy dish is one of our favorites for years.
A Simple Marinade
We combine just these three ingredients to marinate the fish for just 30 minutes. Use either a glass bowl, or our favorite, throw it in a plastic zip bag!
The Sauce
Now for the sauce; more lemons, more shallots and 1/4 cup of wine simmer together on the stove. The idea is to reduce to about 3 tablespoons. Once reduced turn off the burner. Cut in 6 tablespoons of butter, one at a time until incorporated. Then add 1 tablespoon each of chives and parsley. Add a bit of white pepper. Cover to keep warm. It may need to be slightly warmed again just before serving. Be careful not to warm to hot or too fast or the sauce will “break.”
Grill
Now it’s time to grill. We choose tonight to use the Big Green Egg (BGE). We do not, for this prep, use any additional flavored wood, as we don’t want the taste of smoke in this dish. We could make it prettier without the basket, but in reality, the basket ensures the fish does not stick and that the fish stays together.
Step 4: Pulling it all together
We served, outside of course on this beautiful evening, with wild rice and prosciutto wrapped green beans. The marinade on the sauce gave it just enough infused flavor, teamed up with the flavor of the grill. But the star of this show was the sauce. Delicate, buttery and yummy! We served the extra sauce on the side to pour more over the fish and over the rice. A nice tease of spring for sure!
Our Recipe
Salmon Grilled with Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup olive oil
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 Tablespoons chopped shallots
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/2 clove minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (chardonnay works well)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 6 tablespoons cold butter
- 1 tablespoon each, chopped fresh dill and fresh parsley
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place marinade ingredients into a non-metal bowl. Marinate salmon for about 30 minutes.
- Heat the grill (gas or charcoal) to medium high.
- In a small saucepan, combine shallots, wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, stirring occasionally. Reduce to very low heat or remove completely. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, blending each into the sauce fully. Once all butter is melted, add chives, dill and a pinch of salt & pepper. Cover and keep warm.
- Once the grill is hot, place the salmon in the grill basket on skin side up. Grill heat should be medium high or about 4-6 inches from the coals. Cook 8-10 minutes turning once. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
- To complete, plate the salmon and drizzle a bit of sauce over it. Pour the remaining sauce into a pitcher and serve on the side.
