Grilled Salmon Foil Packets Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to grill salmon in foil or not? ›

While you can grill salmon without foil (see these classic Grilled Salmon Fillets and Cedar Plank Salmon for recipes), for a foolproof method that works especially well for a large piece of salmon, use the foil packet method. Using foil to make a packet around the salmon keeps the salmon moist when grilling.

Grill the salmon.

Place the foil pouch on the hot grill and close the lid. Cook the salmon for 14 to 18 minutes, depending on how thick your salmon fillet is. Check doneness at around 14 minutes for a thin piece of fish. Thicker fillets will take a few minutes more.

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Place two frozen 6-ounce salmon fillets skin-side down in a baking tray and lightly coat with cooking oil and your preferred seasonings or sauces. Cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake the salmon for 15 minutes.

As always use these times as a base, true times will depend on the thickness of your salmon and temperature of your grill. But as a general rule you'll grill salmon for 6-8 minutes skin side down, flip once and then grill 1-2 minutes flesh side down.

Fold the tops of pieces of foil together, leaving the sides open. Tent the foil for heat circulation. Place foil packets on the preheated grill and cook until salmon is easily flaked with a fork, 15 to 25 minutes, opening foil during the last 5 minutes to lightly brown.

Just add the salmon in foil to the grill and walk away and the fish will cook evenly every time! No need to flip the packets or move them around or worry about the salmon falling apart, sticking to the grill or causing flareups. Easiest way to serve salmon to a crowd.

Internal temperature: Use an instant-read meat thermometer; the salmon should register 145°F (63°C) at its thickest part. Flakiness: When gently pressed with a fork, the fish should easily flake apart. Avoid overcooking, as it can dry out the salmon. Cook with the skin side down for best results.

Use a salad fork or the tip of a paring knife to test whether the top of the fish flakes apart easily. It's done cooking if it's flakey. If salmon is hard to the touch and doesn't flake when testing it with a utensil or finger, it needs to cook a little longer.

So when you're cooking salmon, keep that skin on: It provides a safety layer between your fish's flesh and a hot pan or grill. Start with the skin-side down, and let it crisp up. It's much easier to slide a fish spatula under the salmon's skin than under its delicate flesh.

The USDA cautions: “do not rinse raw fish, seafood, meat, and poultry. Bacteria in these raw juices can splash and spread to other foods and surfaces. Cooking foods thoroughly will kill harmful bacteria.”

Are salmon packets ready to eat? ›

Our wild caught pink salmon is hand-packed in a convenient Flavor Fresh Pouch^®. With no draining required, this delicious, lean protein is ready for your favorite recipe or to enjoy straight from the pouch – just tear, eat and go!

Drizzle with avocado oil and use your hands to coat the flesh of the salmon in oil. Sprinkle with Herbs de Provence (or Italian seasoning), and sea salt. Place lemon slices on top of the salmon fillets and wrap in foil to create a foil packet. Place foil packet on the grill and cover the grill.

Grilling salmon imparts a smoky flavor and creates beautiful grill marks. The heat from the grill caramelizes the exterior, creating a delicious crust while keeping the flesh tender and moist. Because grilling is a relatively quick cooking method, it retains the fish's nutritional value.

How hot should your grill be to cook salmon? I recommend grilling salmon at a medium-high heat, or 375 to 400 degrees F so that it gives the salmon a nice char while sealing in all of the moisture. This will prevent the salmon from overcooking.

It's easy: Have no fear of your prized perch sticking to hot grill grates. Take the gamble out of grilling fish by making a foil basket instead. It's quick: The foil conducts heat and helps to steam fish in just minutes. It holds up: Delicate, flaky fillets can't stand up against many forms of cooking.

Don't line the grill grates with foil either. It restricts the airflow in the grill which can be a fire hazard. Lining your grill grates with aluminum foil doesn't allow the juices and fat to drain naturally.

Cooking with aluminum foil has been shown to create numerous tiny cracks and flakes in the surface of the aluminum foil, as demonstrated with electron microscopy. Moreover, chemical leaching of aluminum into food occurs with greater ease when food contains acidic properties such as lemon juice or spices.