Recipe: Outdoor Grilled Wild King Salmon

For all the salmon lovers out there, king salmon, also called Chinook salmon, is the largest of the Pacific salmon. These salmon can have a reddish-orange to pinkish-red to nearly white color. Unlike some fruits and vegetables, however, the color of the fish doesn’t indicate different nutrients or varying levels of nutrients. All king salmon is rich in protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can help safeguard your cardiovascular health.

This recipe illustrates how easy it is to increase flavor in foods by increasing the surface area that is exposed to heat. When you grill small, lean and thin pieces of foods, they will cook quickly, which reduces the risk of burning and charring. This also lowers the risk of carcinogens being produced during the grilling process.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup leeks, white part only, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 whole lemon, zested
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
8, 2-ounce skinless, boneless wild king salmon fillets

Directions

1. Prepare outdoor grill fitted with covered lid using lump wood charcoal, ignite and heat to 275° internal temperature.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Mix well.
3. Add salmon fillets and toss until coated.
4. Open grill lid, wipe grill surface clean, add optional soaked hickory or other wood onto coals, place salmon on grill, cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Turn salmon, grill about 1 minute or until lightly opaque inside.

Nutritional information (per serving)

Makes 4 servings

Calories: 180
Saturated fat: 1.5 g
Sodium: 320 mg
Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 0 g
Protein: 24 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg
Carbohydrate: 1 g