Gordon Ramsay BBQ Salmon is made with skin-on salmon fillets, smoky paprika, honey, soy sauce, fresh ginger, and lime. The result is a tender, caramelized fish with incredibly crispy skin and a sticky, sweet-and-savory glaze. It is the perfect weeknight meal or summer grilling dish and is ready in under 15 minutes.
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Why You Will Love This BBQ Salmon:
- Guaranteed Crispy Skin: The recipe’s focus on scoring and high-heat searing ensures the skin is perfectly thin and crispy, contrasting beautifully with the tender, flaky flesh.
- Sticky, Savory Glaze: The glaze is a masterpiece of balance. The salty soy sauce, sweet honey, and spicy ginger create a sticky, caramelized coating that tastes complex and restaurant-quality.
- Ready in Minutes: Salmon cooks incredibly fast. You can have this gourmet, flavorful dinner on the table in under 15 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
- Elevates Simple Meals: By using just a few bold, fresh ingredients (like lime and fresh ginger), this recipe transforms a simple piece of fish into a sophisticated, impressive main course.
Gordon Ramsay BBQ Salmon Ingredients
For the Salmon:
- 4 skin-on salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Sticky Glaze:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lime
How To Make Gordon Ramsay BBQ Salmon
- Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey (or maple syrup), minced garlic, grated ginger, smoked paprika, and lime juice/zest. Set aside.
- Prep the salmon: Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to score the skin 2 or 3 times diagonally across each fillet. This helps the skin crisp up and prevents the fish from curling.
- Sear the skin: Place a large, heavy skillet (cast iron or non-stick) over high heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering hot, season the salmon flesh and place the fillets skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes without moving them.
- Glaze and finish: Once the skin is dark golden brown and crispy, flip the salmon. Immediately spoon the prepared glaze over the top of the fish. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the glaze thickens slightly and the fish is cooked to your liking.
- Rest and serve: Remove the salmon from the pan and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle any leftover pan sauce over the top.
Recipe Tips
- Score the Skin: This is a crucial chef tip. Scoring the skin prevents the fillet from curling up in the hot pan and ensures the heat penetrates evenly for a crackling-crisp result.
- Pat Skin Dry: For any seared fish, the skin must be bone-dry before it hits the pan. Moisture prevents searing and causes the skin to stick.
- Timing the Glaze: Add the glaze only after the skin is crisp and you have flipped the fish. The high sugar content will burn quickly if applied too early.
- Don’t Overcook: Salmon is done when it is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork. Aim for an internal temperature of 145°C at the thickest part.
What To Serve With BBQ Salmon?
This flavorful salmon pairs beautifully with light, fresh sides serve it alongside fluffy jasmine rice or coconut rice to soak up the sticky glaze or grilled asparagus, a simple cucumber salad or a side of steamed bok choy also makes an excellent complement.
How To Store Leftovers BBQ Salmon?
- Refrigerate: Cooked salmon is best eaten fresh. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than 1 to 2 days.
- Freeze: Do not freeze cooked salmon.
How To Reheat Leftovers BBQ Salmon?
Reheating salmon requires very gentle, low heat, as the fish dries out quickly and turns tough if overcooked.
Warning: Do not use the microwave! The high heat will instantly dry out the fish and make the texture mealy.
1. In the Oven or Toaster Oven (The Recommended Method)
This low-and-slow approach is the best way to keep the fish moist.2
- Preheat: Set your oven to a low temperature, about 300°F.
- Prep: Place the salmon fillet on a small baking sheet.
- Cover: Cover the fish tightly with aluminum foil. This traps steam and gently warms the fish without letting the surface dry out.
- Heat: Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the center is just warmed through.
2. In a Skillet (Quick and Gentle)
This works well for a quick warm-up while adding back some moisture.
- Prep: Add a tablespoon of water or broth to a non-stick skillet over low heat.
- Heat: Place the salmon flesh-side down and cover the pan. Let the trapped steam warm the fish for 3-5 minutes.
FAQs
The pan was not hot enough when the fish went in. Ensure the pan is screaming hot, the oil is shimmering, and the skin is completely dry before placement. Once it hits high heat, it will form a crust and release itself naturally.
Yes, maple syrup works perfectly and provides a very similar sweetness and glaze texture.
Place the salmon skin-side down over high heat. Let it cook almost all the way through (about 7-8 minutes) on the skin side without moving it before flipping just for the glaze.
More Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Roast Pork Loin Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Prawn Pasta Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay’s Lobster Pasta Slowed Me Down in the Best
BBQ Salmon Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 fillet
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Total Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
- Sodium: 650mg (depending on soy sauce)
- Total Carbohydrate: 15g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 12g (from honey)
- Protein: 35g
Gordon Ramsay BBQ Salmon
Course: Salmon, Dinner, Lunch, MainCuisine: American, British, FusionDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes8
minutes410
kcalGordon Ramsay BBQ Salmon is made with skin-on salmon fillets, smoky paprika, honey, soy sauce, fresh ginger, and lime. The result is a tender, caramelized fish with incredibly crispy skin and a sticky, sweet-and-savory glaze. It is the perfect weeknight meal or summer grilling dish and is ready in under 15 minutes.
Ingredients
4 skin-on salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Sticky Glaze:
1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Juice and zest of 1/2 lime
Directions
- Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey (or maple syrup), minced garlic, grated ginger, smoked paprika, and lime juice/zest. Set aside.
- Prep the salmon: Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to score the skin 2 or 3 times diagonally across each fillet. This helps the skin crisp up and prevents the fish from curling.
- Sear the skin: Place a large, heavy skillet (cast iron or non-stick) over high heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering hot, season the salmon flesh and place the fillets skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes without moving them.
- Glaze and finish: Once the skin is dark golden brown and crispy, flip the salmon. Immediately spoon the prepared glaze over the top of the fish. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the glaze thickens slightly and the fish is cooked to your liking.
- Rest and serve: Remove the salmon from the pan and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle any leftover pan sauce over the top.
Notes
- Score the Skin: This is a crucial chef tip. Scoring the skin prevents the fillet from curling up in the hot pan and ensures the heat penetrates evenly for a crackling-crisp result.
Pat Skin Dry: For any seared fish, the skin must be bone-dry before it hits the pan. Moisture prevents searing and causes the skin to stick.
Timing the Glaze: Add the glaze only after the skin is crisp and you have flipped the fish. The high sugar content will burn quickly if applied too early.
Don’t Overcook: Salmon is done when it is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork. Aim for an internal temperature of 145°C at the thickest part.
