Hot Honey Salmon
On February 05, 2025
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Spicy Sweet Rub seasoning and Hot Honey BBQ Sauce glaze give this tender, flaky Grilled Hot Honey Salmon a fiery finish your family will love.
Hot Honey Grilled Salmon
If you’re ready to give your grilled salmon a serious upgrade, you have to try this Hot Honey Salmon recipe. It helps you deliver a combination of sticky-sweet and fiery heat that’ll have everyone licking their fingers clean. The magic happens when my Spicy Sweet Rub meets my Hot Honey BBQ Sauce on the grill, creating a glossy, caramelized exterior while keeping the salmon moist and flaky inside.
Don’t let the results fool you, this recipe is surprisingly simple to make. If you already have some of my signature rub and sauce on hand, the whole thing is ready in less than 40 minutes. If you’re ready to give your family a fiery salmon experience that’ll stick to their ribs, let’s get started.
Ingredients for Hot Honey Salmon
One of my favorite things about this Hot Honey Salmon is how simple the recipe is. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- 1 2-3 pound salmon fillet (skin-on or skinless, cut into portions)
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Spicy Sweet Rub
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Hot Honey BBQ Sauce
Spicy Sweet Rub
You can make your own version of Spicy Sweet Rub following the recipe here, or you can pick up a bottle in the Hey Grill Hey Store here. If you decide to make your own, here’s what you’ll need:
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
Hot Honey BBQ Sauce
You can also make some homemade Hot Honey BBQ sauce following this recipe, or you can grab a bottle in the Store here. Here’s what you’ll want on hand if you’re making your own sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
How to Grill Hot Honey Salmon
Once you have your ingredients ready to go, you’re ready to fire up the grill and make this recipe. Here’s how to grill your salmon:
- Preheat the grill. Set your favorite charcoal grill or gas grill up with direct heat on one side and indirect heat on the other with an overall temperature of around 350 degrees. This two-zone method for cooking allows your delicate salmon to cook through fully and take on some smoky flavor without overcooking. If you need help setting your grill up, check out my post on two-zone grilling.
- Season the salmon. Liberally sprinkle the salmon fillets with the Spicy Sweet Rub. If you’re using skinless, you can season on both sides. Just be careful when doing so as fish can be delicate.
- Grill the salmon. Place your salmon fillets directly on the grates over the indirect heat side of your grill, then close the lid. Allow the salmon to cook for 12-15 minutes. You want the salmon to cook through until it’s around 10 degrees from your target internal temperature.
- Drizzle the sauce. Once your fillets are close to finishing, drizzle a healthy layer of the Hot Honey BBQ Sauce on your salmon fillets. Use a basting brush to ensure everything is evenly coated, then close the lid and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes. You want your salmon to have a slightly crispy, caramelized crust, and to read an internal temperature of 145 degrees F in the thickest part.
- Serve and enjoy. Remove your grilled salmon fillets to a platter and enjoy immediately. I recommend serving with something cool (like my broccoli salad), so you can temper the sticky, spicy fish.
Tips for Grilling Salmon
Grilling salmon is fairly straightforward when you follow my recipe card, but here are some pro tips to help you nail it.
- Season and sauce creatively. The rub and sauce I use in this recipe are some of my favorites, but don’t be afraid to branch out. You can use these same cooking instructions with any rub or sauce you love with salmon.
- Oil your grates. Fish can be delicate and stick to your grill grates if you don’t take precautions. To help ensure your fillets flip and come off the grill easily without sticking, rub the grates with a little high-heat cooking oil on a folded paper towel. I like avocado oil because it doesn’t affect flavor, but you can also use vegetable oil or canola oil.
- Cook to temperature. The time guidelines on any fish or meat recipe are just guidelines. Each salmon cut and grill is a little different, so cooking to the correct internal temperature using a reliable instant-read thermometer is the only way to assure perfect results.
More Salmon Recipes for the Grill
Once you realize how quick and easy this Hot Honey Salmon is to make, you’ll be looking to grill more. That’s where I come in. Your Recipe Library and the Hey Grill Hey App are loaded with dozens of simple and delicious salmon recipes for both your grill and smoker. Here are some of my family’s favorites to check out so you can start planning your next grill session:
Hot Honey Grilled Salmon Recipe
Follow the recipe card below, then sit back and watch as the people you love devour this Hot Honey Salmon. I really want to hear how you enjoy the Hot Honey BBQ Sauce and Spicy Sweet Rub, so please leave a comment telling me all about your experience. And if you had fun making this recipe, feel free to give it a 5-star rating.
Don’t forget to follow my Instagram and Facebook page so you never miss another new recipe like this one. If you haven’t already, make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel. I’ve got several video tutorials on preparing and grilling fish, so you can make this Hot Honey Salmon like a real Backyard BBQ Hero.
Hot Honey Grilled Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 2-3 pound salmon fillet skin-on or skinless, cut into portions
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Spicy Sweet Rub link in notes section
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Hot Honey BBQ Sauce link in notes section
Instructions
- Make the rub and sauce. If you have some of my Spicy Sweet Rub and Hot Honey BBQ Sauce on hand, then you can skip to the next step. If you’re making your own, I recommend doing so ahead of time. The rub is ready right away, but I like to allow the sauce to cool overnight in the refrigerator before using. There are links to both recipes and products in the notes section below.
- Preheat the grill. Set your grill up for two-zone grilling, with an overall temperature of 350 degrees F.
- Oil the grill grates. Dip a folded paper towel in avocado oil and brush it lightly across the grill grates to coat them in oil.
- Season the salmon. Liberally sprinkle the salmon with the Spicy Sweet Rub, If you’re using skinless fillets, you can season on both sides. Just be careful when doing so as fish can be delicate.1 2-3 pound salmon fillet, 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Spicy Sweet Rub
- Grill the salmon. Place your salmon fillets directly on the oiled grates over the indirect heat side of your grill, then close the lid. Allow the salmon to cook for 12-15 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of around 130 degrees F.
- Drizzle the sauce. Drizzle a healthy layer of the Hot Honey BBQ Sauce on your salmon fillets, then use a basting brush to ensure everything is coated. Close the lid, and continue cooking the salmon for another 5-10 minutes. You want the sauce to be slightly tacky, and for the salmon to read an internal temperature of 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the salmon using a reliable instant-read thermometer.2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Hot Honey BBQ Sauce
- Serve and enjoy. Remove your grilled salmon fillets to a platter, serve with your favorite salad or side, and enjoy.
Notes
- Purchase in the Hey Grill Hey Store here
- Make your own following the recipe here
- Purchase in the Hey Grill Hey Store here
- Make your own following the recipe here
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
