Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
On January 30, 2023 (Updated May 10, 2024)
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This grilled teriyaki salmon is a flavor-packed meal for the those busy weeknights when you want an easy dinner that tastes gourmet. The teriyaki marinade adds the perfect amount of sweet and savory flavor to the salmon without overpowering the fish itself.
Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
While I love a simple seasoning on my grilled salmon, sometimes I’m looking for a little extra, unique flavor. That’s where this grilled teriyaki salmon comes in. It still gives you a classic salmon flavor with a little extra zhuzh.
The teriyaki marinade is the perfect blend of sweet and savory that really complements rich and luxurious salmon. The flavor really shines when you cook your teriyaki salmon on the grill. Those sweet notes from the pineapple and brown sugar are heightened as the high heat of the grill starts to caramelize the outside edges. Serve with rice and steamed edamame for a meal that tastes very expensive, but cooks up easily and quickly.
Ingredients for Teriyaki Salmon Marinade
This is what you’ll need for the teriyaki marinade for grilled salmon.
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized zip-top bag or glass baking dish and add the salmon. Ensure the entire filet is covered in marinade and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
How to Grill Teriyaki Salmon
Let’s get into the entire process of cooking this tasty fish, shall we? Here’s the step-by-step process of how to grill teriyaki salmon.
- Marinate. Follow the instructions in the previous section to marinade the salmon.
- Prep the grill. Preheat the grill for 2-zone cooking to 350 degrees F. Next, pour some high-heat oil into a small bowl. Fold a paper towel between a pair of tongs and dip it in the oil. Brush the grill grates with the oil to evenly coat them (this will help prevent the fish from sticking).
- Grill the salmon. Remove the fish from the marinade and place it skin side down on the indirect heat side of the grill. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 125 degrees F. (I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to track the temperature of your salmon while it cooks on the grill).
- Sear. Flip the fish over so it is flesh side down onto the high heat side of the grill. Continue to cook the fish until it reaches a final temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Enjoy. Once the fish is done cooking, promptly remove it from the heat to a serving platter. Top with sesame seeds and green onions (optional) before serving.
Tips for Grilling Teriyaki Salmon
Fish is a tricky meat to cook on the grill because it’s prone to stick to the grates. Here are some master tips to help you grill salmon without it all flaking apart.
- Oil the grill grates! Pour some high-heat cooking oil (like avocado, vegetable, or canola oil) into a small bowl. Tightly fold a paper towel and clamp it with tongs. Dip the paper towel in the oil to saturate and then run it lightly along the grill grates to coat. This helps the salmon cook and crisp without sticking (especially necessary with the sweet teriyaki sauce)
- Cook the salmon using two-zone heat. By starting the salmon on the grill over indirect heat, you’re allowing it to slowly cook through without burning the sugars in the sauce. Finishing the salmon over the high heat gives you those nice crispy edges and sticky sauce you want on a teriyaki salmon.
- Buy salmon with the skin on. This recipe works great with every salmon variety in terms of flavor, just make sure you buy filets with the skin still on. Having that barrier helps keep the salmon moist during the indirect step and gives you a nice release from the grates before flipping it to the direct heat side. Fish loves to flake apart on the grill, but the skin really helps it stay together nicely.
More Grilled Salmon Recipes
It doesn’t get much better than cooking salmon on the grill. These three recipes are our top 3 grilled salmon recipes on the site. Be sure to check them out!
Grilled Teriyaki Salmon Recipe
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Grilled Teriyaki Salmon
Video
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets skin on
Teriyaki Marinade
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- sesame seeds optional garnish
- thinly sliced green onions optional garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the salmon. Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a gallon-sized zip-top bag and mix well to combine. Place the salmon in the bag, remove as much air as possible, and seal tightly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours.
- Preheat. Preheat your grill to 350 degrees F with two-zone heat (one side of the grill is direct high heat and the other side has little to no heat for indirect cooking).
- Oil the grates. Pour some high-heat cooking oil (like avocado, vegetable, or canola oil) into a small bowl. Tightly fold a paper towel and clamp it with tongs. Dip the paper towel in the oil to saturate and then run it lightly along the grill grates to coat.
- Grill the salmon. Remove the salmon from the marinade and set it skin side down on the indirect heat side of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 125 degrees F.
- Sear. Flip the salmon flesh side down onto the well-oiled direct heat side of the grill and cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the salmon reaches 145 degrees F.
- Enjoy. Remove the salmon from the grill and let rest for a few minutes before serving with sesame seeds and sliced green onions (as optional garnish).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can u cook the salmon in the airfryer
Made this for the first time last night on a Weber Genesis II and it came out so good. One thing I’d recommend is flipping it back to the skin side on direct heat just for 30 seconds or so to crisp it up just a little bit more. Also, I had gotten about 8 filets (almost double) from Costco, and doubled the recipe, which was totally unnecessary–next time, I’ll just use one serving.Another great recipe from HGH!
Hi Susie, My wife and I had friends over the other night and tried your salmon recipe .We love skin on Steelhead salmon and this was the best we have had. The salmon was moist and is our new go to recipe for salmon. Glen and Eileen