A whole grilled salmon side makes for an impressive presentation, whether you're hosting a BBQ or serving a family dinner. It’s easy to portion and simple to prepare with just a few ingredients, especially with our extraordinary marbled Loch Duart salmon.
Grilling a whole side of filleted salmon on the BBQ is not only a way to impress your guests; it also offers a more even cooking experience compared to individual fillets. The consistent thickness of the whole fish helps retain moisture and natural oils, resulting in a more flavourful and juicy dish. Plus, you can easily play with the flavours using different seasonings as suggested below.
Top Tips To Perfect Your Whole Salmon Side on the BBQ
Skin-On: Always grill with the skin on to prevent sticking, keep the fish intact, and add flavour. The skin acts as a barrier, protecting the flesh from drying out and adding a crispy, smoky texture if cooked correctly. Our whole salmon sides come filleted with the skin on and feed 4 to 6 people generously as a main course, or 8-10 as a starter or snack.
Sustainable Sourcing: Loch Duart, an independent small-scale salmon eco-farm, rears the best-tasting salmon with minimal environmental impact. With its wild heritage, high marine content diet, and innovative fish welfare practices, Loch Duart salmon offers a taste and texture indistinguishable from wild salmon, making it our go-to choice given the dangerously low numbers of wild salmon. Loch Duart's salmon is a rich variety that is thicker by nature, making it harder to overcook on the BBQ.
Indirect Heat: For thicker cuts, use indirect heat by placing the salmon away from the hottest part of the grill. This prevents the exterior from burning while the interior cooks. Fire up one side of the BBQ and grease the other side to lay the salmon on top.
Foil, Plank, or Citrus: We tend to keep it simple and grill our skin-on salmon directly on the oiled grates, but if you prefer less clean-up, you can place the salmon on a piece of foil, a cedar plank, or a layer of citrus slices (lemon, orange, or grapefruit) which also add extra flavour to your fish.
Indirect Heat: For thicker cuts, use indirect heat by placing the salmon away from the hottest part of the grill. This prevents the exterior from burning while the interior cooks. Fire up one side of the BBQ and grease the other side to lay the salmon on top.
Skin-Side Down: Place your salmon skin-side down on the greased BBQ. It will easily release itself from the grill grate when the skin crisps up, and there’s no need to turn the salmon over and a grilling basket isn't necessary either.
Seasoning: Before grilling, season your salmon side generously on a chopping board or serving plate. This will enhance the smokey flavours from the BBQ. Keep it simple by seasoning with a touch of salt and black pepper (adding a squeeze of lemon when serving), or experiment with different spice mixes (more on that below).
Our Top Recipe & Serving Suggestions
Signature Spice Rub: Our go-to recipe on our blog for an easy whole salmon side on the BBQ is perfect for effortlessly feeding a crowd and requires only four spices you likely already have in your cupboard: coriander powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a touch of sea salt. The coriander adds a zingy note, while cayenne pepper or chilli flakes provide a hint of heat.
Cedar Plank: Traditionally associated with North American cuisine, this recipe involves using soaked cedar planks on the grill grates to add a distinctive smoked-wood flavour to the salmon and sugar to the spice mix.
Citrus Bed: Place a layer of lemon, lime, or orange slices (or a mix of them) on your greased BBQ grate, and lay the seasoned salmon side on top. Keep it super simple by seasoning with sea salt and black pepper, using the grilled citrus slices as garnish. For added texture and flavour, use our signature spice rub.
Marinades: Instead of a dry rub, you can marinate the salmon side by adding olive oil and lemon or lime to your spice mix, saving some extra for serving on the side. Discover our Mediterranean citrus-herb and harissa-based marinades on our recipe blog here, or opt for a miso-glazed marinade (mixing miso, sesame oil, mirin, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic).
Refreshing Side Sauces: Balance the spiced, smoky flavours of the salmon with a tangy side sauce (or a mix of them) like chimichurri, tzatziki, or avocado salsa (simply toss diced avocado, tomatoes, and onion in olive oil and lime juice) for a cooling effect.
ABOUT LOCH DUART
We source our sashimi-grade Scottish salmon from Loch Duart, a responsible, small-scale eco-farm focused on innovative fish welfare practices and minimizing environmental impact. This makes it the most sustainable choice, with a taste and texture indistinguishable from wild salmon. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) advises against consuming wild Atlantic salmon, as "numbers are dangerously low," and instead recommends choosing eco-farms with organic or Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification as the best alternative.
For over 20 years, Loch Duart has been gently nurturing Scottish salmon in the crystal-clear waters of North Western Scotland. Their goal is to raise the highest quality salmon with the lowest possible environmental impact. Loch Duart has created a habitat that mimics the natural environment, with clean, parasite-free water maintained by wrasse. The salmon's wild heritage, high marine content diet, and slow growth (three months longer than average) result in a taste and texture indistinguishable from wild salmon, making it highly sought after by top chefs.
