Grilled Whole Salmon with Lemon and Shallots
On September 07, 2021 (Updated May 10, 2024)
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This Grilled Whole Salmon is cooked in its entirety on a hot grill with lemon, shallots, and dill. Give this recipe a go whenever you have some freshly caught salmon you want to grill up or you’re looking for maximum flavor with a simple, solid effort.
Grilled Whole Salmon
Once in your life, you need to try making a grilled whole salmon. Far beyond the reason that it tastes so darn good, is the untouchable street cred you get by roasting a meal that still has a face. It looks as impressive as it tastes. I’m a firm believer that if you are willing to consume meat, you need to be willing to admit, acknowledge, and respect the fact that your meal was once a living animal.
Harsh truths for a lighthearted recipe post, but it is something that I have been thinking about a lot lately and honestly trying to implement. The more I am learning to respect ingredients, the better my cooking skills and meals have become. By using fresh, quality components, you need to do less to them to make them amazing.
Grilled Stuffed Whole Salmon
So it goes with this awesome salmon. Simply stuffed with shallots, fresh lemons, and dill, then drizzled with a little butter, salt and pepper before being grilled to perfection. A grilled whole salmon makes an absolutely beautiful presentation for a crowd. Seriously, people will go nuts.
Beyond that, it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, and then it’s hands-off until dinner time. I think it could be the perfect dinner party food! This is the ultimate in delicate salmon flavor, with just a hint of savory herbaceousness and mild smoky flavor from the grill. No one flavor note hits you over the head, they just all work together and melt in your mouth. Serve with a side of bacon wrapped asparagus and you’ve got an outstanding meal!
How to Grill a Whole Salmon
I grilled this beauty over indirect heat on my pellet grill (you can read more about what grills I use in my BBQ Grill Guide) but the recipe is adaptable to whatever grill you are using! If you’re cooking over charcoal, simply arrange the hot coals on one side of your grill and cook the fish on the other. If you are using gas, I recommend cooking the salmon on a large baking sheet and rotating the salmon often to prevent the bottom from burning.
Here’s how to grill a whole salmon:
- Stuff the salmon. Season the interior of the salmon with salt pepper, and layer with sliced shallots, sliced lemons. and dill fronds.
- Finish prepping. Slice 3 to 4 diagonal slices on the top of the salmon. Drizzle the fish with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill. With your preferred grill preheated to 400-425 degrees F, grill your fish for around 30 minutes. Squeeze more lemon on the fish and continue cooking until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. The total cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your particular whole salmon, so make sure to pay attention to temperature and not to time while grilling. Use a reliable meat thermometer to ensure the salmon is cooked through.
- Serve! Once your salmon reaches 140 degrees F, remove the fish to a large cutting board. Peel the skin back along the slits and allow your guests to serve themselves.
More Salmon Recipes
If this salmon hit the spot, you gotta try my other grilled (and smoked!) salmon. Everyone is full of delicious flavor.
- Hot Smoked Salmon with a Maple Orange Glaze
- Cilantro Lime Grilled Salmon
- Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon with Lemon Chive Butter
Grilled Whole Salmon Recipe
Things looking a bit different around here? We’ve made some awesome, new changes! This post was originally published in March 2016. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
I would LOVE to chat with you guys! I hang out on Instagram and Pinterest the most lately. Make sure to follow me over there and let me know what you thought of this recipe.
Grilled Whole Salmon with Lemon and Shallots
Ingredients
- 1 6-pound whole salmon cleaned and scales removed
- 2 shallots sliced into rings
- 3 lemons divided use
- 10-12 fresh dill fronds
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat. Begin by preparing your grill. Set the temperature to about 400-425 degrees over indirect heat and allow your grill to preheat while you prepare the salmon.
- Prep the salmon. Wipe the entire exterior and interior cavity of your salmon with paper towels. Season the interior with half of the salt and pepper. Layer in the sliced shallots, 2 of the sliced lemons, and dill fronds.
- Season. Using a sharp knife, cut 3-4 diagonal slices into the top of the salmon. Drizzle the top of the fish with the melted butter and season with the rest of the salt and pepper.
- Grill the whole salmon. Transfer your fish directly to the grill grates, close the lid and roast for 30 minutes. Cut the last lemon in half and squeeze half of it over the top of the salmon. The time can vary 15 minutes or so in either direction depending on how thick your fish is.
- Finish grilling. Close the lid and roast for another 15 minutes then squeeze the other half of the lemon over the top. At this point, use an internal thermometer to check the temperature of your salmon. The time to finish the salmon can vary 15 minutes or so in either direction depending on how thick your fish is. From this point on, keep a close eye on the temperature. Salmon is cooked through at 140 degrees F.
- Serve immediately. When your salmon has hit the proper internal temperature, carefully transfer the fish to your serving platter or cutting board and serve with extra lemon wedges. Peel back the skin along the diagonal slits and allow your guests to serve themselves.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Whole salmon was on sale this week so a quick google lead me to this recipe. Wow this is super tasty and easy, we will be making it again. My daughter said it was the best salmon she’s ever had.We served it with spinach cooked with the remaining shallots and with wild rice. Yum.
Amazing recipe, we had a 2kg Sockeye I caught out of the Adam’s River (Shuswap BC) I’ll never go back to wrapping in foil, everyone loved it thanks..also I added a bit of garlic
Susie…I’m trying it tonight! I’m confused about step 4 – “Transfer your fish directly to the grill grates, close the lid and roast for 30 minutes. Cut the last lemon in half and squeeze half of it over the top of the salmon. The time can vary 15 minutes or so in either direction depending on how thick your fish is.”
What am I looking for that would cause the time to vary by 15 mins?
The thickness of the fish. Just watch your temps closely!
Just returned from Michigan with a whole Salmon fished from Lake Superior. We purchased fron a local fisherman. After witnessing the spectacle of Salmon jumping the falls in the Betsie River, I felt her presence (the fish!) with me in the RV. I am so humbled by the experience, I will never take eating fish for granted again. I agree with your comments and feel the same about all food. As a gardener, I appreciate what goes into the food we’re eat. This glorious fish is going on the grill tomorrow!
Purchased a 4.3 pound Copper River Sockeye and used this recipe to prepare it on a Traeger. Salmon turned out wonderful with great flavor. Only thing I might change next time is to cook to 135 degrees versus the 140 in the recipe. We tend to prefer our salmon a little more medium rare. Just to be clear though, the salmon is not over cooked at 140, it was very good.
Awesome! I’m so glad it turned out well for you Dave!
Did you place a foil on the up the coals or gas burners?
I cooked this on my smoker, so I can put foil under my grates. I wouldn’t place foil on your gas burners or over the coals. If you would like to place foil on your grates, then you can do that.
Hey this recipe actually works! I caught a 3kg salmon in Australia high country, followed this recipe and cooked on a PK (portable kitchen(R) BBQ) I would have to honestly say that this fish was the best I have ever tasted. And yes I have tasted some damn good fish in my life. 5 stars on your recipe and thanks a ton ????
I used mangrove charcoal and cooked indirectly.
Used olive oil instead of butter
Also put some parsley in the mix.
Thanks so much Brandon! This is one of my favorites too. Sometimes simple is really the best way.
A friend gave me a 4 lb coho & I have been scanning the web for a recipe. This one sounds WONDERFUL & I can hardly wait to shop for fresh dill tomorrow. & shallots I have NEVER used! Summers! Can’t wait. It’s going on the Traeger tomorrow at 3!
Oh good!! I hope you love the shallots and doll, I think they add a lot to the salmon without taking away from the natural awesome flavor.
Love the recipe! I brine a lot of my fish, and smoke at 225 deg F for about two hours, and it produces a buttery flavor with no butter added to the recipe. Devine!
I like your philosophy! It’s not hars at all! We all need to learn to respect our food! Not only meat! There are a lot of great vegetables too! This salmon would fit on my Q too 🙂