It sure feels good to be home! Being gone from home with 4 kids ages 7.5-2.5 for over two weeks is a lot of fun, but a lot of work. We had a WONDERFUL trip complete with sightseeing, fun, family time, and really good time friends. Did you enjoy my top ten recipes while I was gone? I hope you gave one or two a try! After this break I feel refreshed, refocused, and ready to cook!
The one thing I was craving the entire time we were gone was fresh salmon. Since we were in Colorado I figured I better not order it and just wait to make some when I got home (my assumption being we would have better salmon here since we are on the coast and not land locked in Colorado, maybe I was wrong? I never gave it a try!) So what did I do for our first dinner home? Make a sweet and delicious maple glazed barbecued salmon!
I used a whole side of salmon, but streaks or fillets would work well in this recipe too. It is simple, but tastes fancy! The salmon is marinated for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to cooking, but could be placed in the marinade up to 4 hours ahead of time. While the salmon was marinating and the grill was pre-heating I whipped up a quick soy and maple reduction on the stove and then basted it over the salmon while on the grill, delicious!
I served the salmon with a side of my basic quinoa but you could be more fancy and make sun dried tomato and rosemary quinoa, I just didn’t have the extra energy in me after a 1,700 mile road trip home!
Looking for another salmon recipe? Try my Salmon with a Dill Mayo Sauce or delicious Salmon Chowder.
Maple Glazed Grilled Salmon
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
- 1 side of salmon or 4 salmon fillets
Marinade
- 1/3 cup soy sauce or Tamari
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. ginger powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 5-10 turns of freshly ground pepper
Glaze
- 2 Tbs. soy sauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
In a 9×13 inch pan whisk together the marinade ingredients. When the soy sauce, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, and pepper are well mixed lay the salmon in the marinade, skin side up. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but up to 4 hours.
Just before you are ready to cook preheat the BBQ grill to high. While the grill is preheating whisk together 2 Tbs. soy sauce and 1/4 cup maple syrup to make the glaze. Heat it in a small pan over medium high heat. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Use 1-2 Tbs. of this glaze to brush over the salmon while grilling. Drizzle the rest over the fully cooked salmon before serving.
When the grill is up to fully heated oil the grate. Liberally sprinkle the salmon with freshly ground pepper. Place the salmon, flesh side down on the grill and cook for 1 minute. Flip the salmon over to the skin side and cook on high for another 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10-15 minutes. During this time periodically brush the salmon with the glaze. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the salmon and desired doneness.
Serve the salmon with remaining glaze drizzled over the top.
Have leftovers? Use it in my wonderful Salmon Chowder!
The kitchen is where I express myself. It is where I go when I need to process or escape. Cooking is my creative outlet and my stress reliever. When I am in my kitchen, my ingredients listen to me, they do what I want, and I can produce something that is satisfying, tasty, and healthy without it whining or talking back to me! Join me as I journey through life in my kitchen. 
