Should You Soak Salmon Before Grilling?

As an avid griller and salmon lover, I get asked this question a lot: should you soak salmon before tossing it on the grill? After years of trial and error, I’ve learned there are pros and cons to soaking salmon that are important to consider.

Why Soak Salmon Before Grilling?

Here are the main benefits of soaking salmon fillets before grilling:

• Moisture retention – Soaking allows salmon to absorb moisture, keeping it tender and juicy during cooking The flesh won’t dry out as easily on the hot grill

• Texture tenderizing – Salt and acids in the soak can partially denature salmon proteins, helping soften and tenderize the flesh.

• Flavor enhancement – Soaking permits seasoning and marinade ingredients to penetrate deeper into the salmon This adds more flavor than surface seasoning alone

• Improved grill marks – The moisture in soaked salmon helps it caramelize and char better than drier flesh would

Concerns About Soaking Salmon

However, soaking salmon can also have some undesirable effects if not done properly:

• Mushy texture – Too much moisture causes proteins to break down too much, leading to a mushy salmon texture.

• Diluted flavor – An overly diluted brine can leach out natural salmon flavor instead of enhancing it.

• Longer cooking – The extra moisture requires the salmon cook longer to reach safe serving temperatures.

Best Practices for Soaking

If you do decide to soak your salmon, follow these guidelines:

• Limit brining to 30 minutes or less – This gives just enough hydration without oversaturating.

• Pat salmon dry – Blotting excess moisture before grilling prevents steaming.

• Use a 6% brine – This salt-to-water ratio provides mild seasoning without overly curing the fish.

• Add aromatics – Incorporate garlic, herbs, citrus, and spices to the brine for extra flavor.

• Chill thoroughly – Keep brining salmon as cold as possible to inhibit bacteria growth.

How to Grill Perfect Salmon Without Soaking

You can absolutely cook delicious grilled salmon without any brining or soaking beforehand. Here are some tips:

• Pat dry – Blot fish with paper towels to remove excess surface moisture that causes steaming.

• Use skin-on fillets – The skin protects the tender flesh and helps prevent sticking.

• Oil grates well – Greasing the grill grates helps keep fillets from sticking so they release cleanly.

• Flip only once – Resist the urge to move salmon too much. Let it cook undisturbed before flipping.

• Get grill very hot – Cook over high direct heat for 2-4 minutes per side to sear the exterior.

• Rest before serving – Let salmon rest 5 minutes off direct heat so juices redistribute evenly.

Why Salt and Sugar Help

If soaking salmon isn’t your thing but you still want juicy, well-browned fish, using salt and sugar can help:

• Salt – A salt rub on salmon draws out moisture to improve browning and caramelization. Blot dry after salting.

• Sugar – Coating salmon in a bit of brown sugar helps it develop a lovely candied crust on the grill.

• Maple syrup – Brushing maple syrup over salmon before grilling creates an incredible caramelized exterior full of flavor.

While soaking salmon before grilling provides some benefits, it also poses risks if not done properly. For the best results, I recommend a short 30-minute brine at most. Even better, seasoning salmon with salt, sugar, and other flavorings without soaking delivers big flavor without the hassle. Master these simple grilling techniques for tender, flaky, moist salmon off the grill every time.