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4.6 from 90 votes

Grilled Chipotle-Orange Salmon

Sweet and smoky and beautifully spiced - and so very pretty - this recipe promises to become a grilling season obsession!

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 341 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb. Salmon fillet skin on
  • Zest and juice from 1 large orange navel, Cara Cara, whatever you like
  • ½ T. olive oil
  • 1 T. brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 to 6 thin slices from another large orange
also needed:
  • wood grill plank
  • 1 can beer
  • 2 cans water just use the emptied beer can to measure
  • Spray bottle filled with water for any flare-ups

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. At least 4 hours prior to grilling, place a cedar plank inside a large rimmed pan. Pour in the beer, plus two beer cans of water to cover the plank. Add more water if needed. Place a couple heavy mugs on top of the plank to push the plank into the liquid. Let soak until ready to grill. If you don't want to use beer, just use all water. When possible, soak plank overnight.
  2. When preparing to grill, take salmon out of the refrigerator. In a small bowl, whisk together orange zest and juice, olive oil, brown sugar, chipotle powder, and cumin. Set aside.
  3. Drain liquid from pan with cedar plank, leaving the plank inside. Add salmon fillet, skin side down, to plank. Rub chipotle-orange mixture all over the top and sides of the salmon. Sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with fresh orange slices.
  4. Heat grill to medium-high, about 415° F. Place plank with salmon on grill grates and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes for a thicker piece of salmon. Salmon thickness will vary, so thinner fillets will take less time to cook. The salmon is done when the thickest part of the fillet is beautifully pink but no longer has a translucent appearance. It should flake a bit when prodded with a fork. Have a spray bottle of water handy for any flare-ups on the wood plank. The wood will smoke and smolder, and slowly start to char and burn, becoming more fragile and brittle at the end of the cooking process. Your goal is to keep the wood smoking, and not burning up. Just use the spray bottle to keep adding moisture to the exposed wood (don't directly spray the salmon). To remove the grill plank, use a large grill turner to get under the plank to lift it onto a rimmed pan. Serve the salmon right from the plank inside the pan for a fun and fuss-free presentation.

Notes

  • from a farmgirl's dabbles

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 341kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 16g (5%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 11g Cholesterol 71mg (24%) Sodium 201mg (8%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 9g (18%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 341

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 341kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 16g 5%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 11g 65%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 201mg 8%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 9g 18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.