Salmon Recipes on the Grill: Lemon-Dill Salmon

This lemon-dill grilled salmon is made with salmon fillets coated in a quick honey-mustard marinade, then cooked over direct heat until tender and lightly charred. It is a straightforward way to make a flavorful dinner on a gas or charcoal grill, and the bright lemon and fresh herbs pair well with simple sides.

Ingredients

1½ pounds (680 g) skin-on salmon fillet, cut into 4 equal portions, about 6 ounces (170 g) each
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (about 2 g)
1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
2 teaspoons (10 g) Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced (about 6 g)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (about 3 g), plus extra to garnish if desired
¾ teaspoon fine salt (about 4.5 g)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 0.5 g)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral oil, such as canola oil, for the grill grates
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (about 120 g)

Instructions

Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, dill, salt, and black pepper. The mixture should look glossy and lightly emulsified. Taste a little before it touches the fish; it should be tangy, slightly sweet, and well seasoned. If your mustard is especially salty, you can hold back a pinch of the salt and season the salmon lightly at the table.
Coat and marinate the salmon. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels, checking for any pin bones and removing them with clean tweezers if needed. Put the portions in a shallow dish and spoon the marinade over them, turning once to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. This short rest gives the surface time to take on the lemon, dill, and garlic without letting the acidic juice soften the fish too much. Do not leave raw fish at room temperature while it marinates.
Heat the grill and prepare the grates. While the salmon marinates, preheat a gas grill to medium-high, about 400–450°F (204–232°C), for roughly 12 minutes. For charcoal, wait until the coals are glowing and mostly covered with gray ash, then set up a direct-heat area with a cooler zone nearby. Clean the grates thoroughly and use tongs and a folded paper towel to wipe them with the neutral oil. Keep the grill lid closed as it heats, and use the cooler side if flare-ups occur.
Start cooking skin-side down. Lift the salmon from the dish and let excess marinade drip off; discard the marinade that touched the raw fish. Place the portions skin-side down over direct heat, leaving a little space between them. Close the lid and cook for about 7–9 minutes without moving the fish. The skin helps shield the flesh from the heat and makes the fillets easier to lift. If the edges are browning too quickly or flames flare, move the portions to the cooler zone rather than letting the glaze burn.
Turn briefly and check for doneness. Slide a thin, wide fish spatula between the skin and the grate, then turn each portion carefully. Grill the flesh side for about 1–3 minutes, depending on thickness. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer; the USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for fish is 145°F (63°C). If a fillet has not reached that temperature, continue cooking in short intervals and check again. The fish should separate into moist flakes, but the thermometer reading—not color alone—is the reliable safety check.
Rest and serve. Transfer the salmon to a clean platter and let it sit for about 2 minutes while you bring out the sides. Serve with lemon wedges and a little extra chopped dill. The skin may stay on the grate or lift away with the spatula; either way, the cooked fish should come off cleanly if the grates were hot and well oiled. Do not pour any leftover raw-fish marinade over the cooked portions.

Tips

Choose evenly thick portions. Fillets of similar thickness finish at about the same time. If one end of a long fillet is thin, tuck it under slightly before grilling, or move thinner portions to the cooler part of the grill earlier. A thick center-cut piece is easier to manage than a tapered tail piece, though both work.
Keep the fish dry on the outside. Patting the salmon dry before marinating and letting excess marinade drip off reduces flare-ups and helps avoid a wet, steamed surface. Honey can darken quickly over direct heat, so use the cooler zone if the fish starts to blacken before it is cooked through.
Use a basket or foil if the grates are troublesome. A well-cleaned, oiled grate and a wide spatula are usually enough for skin-on salmon. For skinless portions or a grill with widely spaced bars, use a lightly oiled grill basket. A sheet of heavy-duty foil with a few small holes also works, though it gives the fish less direct contact with the grill and reduces the char.
Make simple swaps carefully. If fresh dill is unavailable, use 1 teaspoon (about 1 g) dried dill; it has a more concentrated, less fresh flavor. Maple syrup can replace the honey in the same amount and tastes slightly more earthy. If using bottled lemon juice, use 1 tablespoon (15 ml), but leave out the zest or add a little finely grated lemon peel if available.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the salmon hot with grilled vegetables, such as asparagus, zucchini, or bell peppers, which can cook alongside it while the grill is hot. For a more filling plate, add boiled new potatoes, rice, couscous, or a loaf of crusty bread to catch the lemony juices. A crunchy cabbage slaw or cucumber salad provides a cool contrast to the warm, lightly charred fish.

If you are planning a cookout, set out extra lemon wedges, chopped dill, and a small bowl of plain yogurt mixed with lemon and black pepper. Keep the salmon as the centerpiece and season the sides simply so they do not compete with the sweet-tangy glaze. For a composed meal, flake the grilled fish over greens with cooked grains and a quick dressing of olive oil and lemon; add the salmon just before serving so the greens remain crisp.

Variations

Make it smoky and spicy: Add ½ teaspoon (about 1 g) smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne to the marinade. The paprika gives the fish a deeper, smoky note, while the cayenne adds gentle heat. Start with a small pinch because the sweet glaze and direct grill heat can make the spice taste more pronounced.

Try a different herb or citrus: Replace the dill with 1 tablespoon (about 4 g) chopped parsley or cilantro. For a slightly different citrus profile, use orange zest and juice in place of the lemon, keeping the same total amount of juice; orange makes the finished salmon sweeter and less sharp. Lime also works, especially with cilantro, although its flavor is more assertive.

Use a cedar plank: If you want a gentler, wood-scented result, use a food-safe cedar grilling plank according to its package directions. Many planks need soaking before use, so that extra soaking time is not included in this recipe’s total. Set the plank over indirect heat and follow its instructions for grill temperature and timing; check the salmon’s thickest part with a thermometer and cook it to 145°F (63°C).

Make it without honey: Use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of maple syrup or agave in its place. If you prefer a less sweet marinade, reduce the sweetener to 1 teaspoon (7 g) and add an extra teaspoon of lemon juice. The glaze will be thinner and less likely to caramelize, but the mustard, garlic, and dill still bring plenty of flavor.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate cooked salmon within 2 hours of grilling, placing it in a shallow airtight container. It keeps for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. If you expect to keep it longer, freeze it promptly in a well-sealed freezer container; for best quality, use it within about 2–3 months. Thaw frozen portions overnight in the refrigerator, not on the counter.

To reheat, cover the salmon and warm it gently in a 275°F (135°C) oven until a food thermometer reads 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS temperature for reheated leftovers. The exact time varies with portion size, so check the center rather than relying on a fixed number of minutes. A microwave also works: cover the fish, heat in short bursts at medium power, and check the temperature between bursts. Reheated salmon can be drier than freshly grilled fish, so add a teaspoon of water or lemon juice before covering. You can also eat properly chilled leftover salmon cold in a salad or grain bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I leave the skin on when grilling salmon?
Yes, skin-on portions are easier to handle because the skin protects the flesh from direct heat and helps hold the fillet together. Start skin-side down and use a thin fish spatula to lift the portion. The skin may crisp, stick slightly, or come away from the fish; all are fine. Skinless salmon works too, but a grill basket or oiled foil can make turning less stressful.

Can I grill salmon in foil?
Yes. Lightly oil a piece of heavy-duty foil, place the salmon on it, and fold the edges up enough to contain juices without sealing the fish into a tight packet. Grill over medium-high heat, checking early because a foil surface can change how quickly the fish cooks. Foil is useful for delicate or skinless portions, but it will not produce the same direct-grill marks or crisp skin.

How can I tell when grilled salmon is done without a thermometer?
A thermometer is the dependable way to confirm the safe minimum temperature of 145°F (63°C). As a visual cue, cooked salmon turns opaque and separates into flakes when gently pressed, but color can be misleading, especially in a thick piece. For the best combination of safety and texture, check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer and avoid repeatedly cutting into the fillet.

Can I prepare the salmon marinade ahead?
You can whisk the marinade together up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. For the best texture, add it to the fish shortly before grilling and limit the marinating time to about 15 minutes; extended contact with lemon juice can make the surface soft. If you want to brush sauce on cooked salmon, set aside a clean portion before it touches raw fish rather than reusing the marinade.

Can I cook this recipe on a grill pan?
Yes. Heat a lightly oiled grill pan over medium-high heat until hot, then cook the salmon skin-side down first. Work in batches if the pan is crowded, and adjust the heat if the honey in the marinade begins to scorch. A grill pan will give you sear marks but not the outdoor smoke flavor. Cook to 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part, just as you would on an outdoor grill.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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