This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a small commission. Thanks.
What’s your favorite method to cook fish? If you do know how to cook salmon on a Blackstone grill, your serving plate can have ready-to-eat food under twenty. And on top of the fast delivery, it is super flavorful, with unbeaten tenderness and a crispy crust.
But, of course, not every time your salmon will come out flavorful and tender. If the fish’s overcooked, it gets dry and chewy, which may still be satisfying but not pleasurable.
In any case, this post covers how to cook salmon on a Blackstone grill properly without compromises. The tips are applicable whether you have the full-range or portable flattop grill, only that the former has you cook more fish fillets at once.
Cooking Salmon on a 1-Burner vs 2-burner vs 3-Burner Blackstone Grill
As with any other recipe, you’ll need to make sure your Blackstone grill is working alright before you start cooking. If you have old equipment, the cooking plate should still have a smooth surface to prevent the food from sticking.
Furthermore, the idea is to cook the salmon at medium heat, thereby the control knobs for the heat should be working fine too.
In a two-burner Blackstone 22 or 28, you can have an even and consistent heat when all the “H” burners are still on. If you notice a different outcome, chances are that one flame is slightly higher than the other.
The single burner Blackstone also has the “H” burner that distributes the heat evenly too. But for the 3-burner Blackstone, there are individual straight (tube) burners.
The three straight burners will still have the cooking plate with decently even heat. It’s actually better on indirect heating as you can work with only the first two burners, which is exactly what I’d recommend. Why so?
In most cases, your salmon will have pieces that are thick (the loin part) and others thin (the tail area). You can place the thinner pieces on the side of the griddle the burner is off. And that way you may not have to worry about some fillets cooking faster than others.
A Quick Recipe on How To Cook Salmon On A Blackstone Grill
It’s super simple to cook salmon on a Blackstone grill. The recipe will be even easier if you have all the fillets from the same part- preferably loin portions. They will have the same thickness, thereby will cook at about the same rate.
You can choose to work with salmon with or without the skin. But the skinned fish hold seasoning on both sides better, and so is a crispy crust.
What You’ll Need for the Recipe:
- Salmon- the fresher the better
- Olive oil/ avocado oil
- Fresh Lemon or juiced
- Pepper ground
- Garlic salt (sea salt also works)
- Cutting board & a sharp knife
- A pair of tongs & spatula
- Your Blackstone griddle grill
Instructions on How to Cook the Salmon:
At this point, I’m assuming the flat top plate of your Blackstone grill is clean. You should also have everything needed in your work area. It makes the whole process easier and saves cooking time.
Once done with all that:
Step One: Prep Your Salmon
Here we’ll start with getting the salmon ready for cooking. The first step to do that is to check if your fish still has pin bones.
Yes, yes the thin bones (they’re actually calcified nerve endings) are edible and nutritious- has nutrients like calcium and iron. But they could cause serious damage to your esophagus, stomach, or intestines if accidentally swallowed.
After identifying the pin bones on your salmon, you can easily remove them with a pair of tweezers or kitchen needlenose pliers. And once done, grab your sharp knife and cut the fish into small portions of about 4oz each.
Note: before you cut your salmon into portions, you might want to remove the skin for nice seasoning and crust on both sides.
Step Two: Season the Salmon Fillets
Mix a bit of garlic salt and pepper in a bowl, then apply gently on both sides of your fillets. You can add basil, thyme, or any other of your favorite dried herbs into the mix for a more delicate flavor.
But before seasoning, it’s a good idea to coat the sides of your fillets with a thin layer of olive oil. The oil will help make sure you get a thick and crispy crust while the inside is still soft and tender.
Tip: when you coat your salmon fillets for a thick crust, choose cooking oil with a high smoke point. A perfect candidate is an olive oil or avocado oil.
Step Three: Connect Your Grill to Gas
Confirm your Blackstone grill is properly connected to the gas supply. If not, do so. Then turn on the regulator valve and make sure there’s no leakage.
Step Four: Preheat the Grill Griddle
Now turn on the control knob to your grill and hit the igniter button or manually light it with a matchstick/ lighter. Preheat the griddle on medium-high heat (375 – 400°F) for about fifteen minutes.
The step helps sanitize the griddle before cooking and also keeps the whole surface evenly hot before you place the fillets. Thus, you won’t have some pieces cooking faster than others.
Step Five: Place the Fillets on the Griddle
After the griddle is hot enough (reaches 375 – 400°F), drizzle a bit of cooking oil and spread it over the whole cooking surface. Don’t overdo the oiling as we just want to prevent the salmon fillets from sticking on the griddle. And after spreading it, add the seasoned fillets.
Tip: The oil you spread on the grill griddle should be the same one you use to coat your salmon fillets on Step Two. Otherwise, the mix-up of the oils might also give your food different tastes.
Step Six: Cook & Flip the Fillets
When you cook salmon on a Blackstone grill, wait until the first side down on the griddle is done. Then flip it over with a spatula to cook the other side.
Unlike with steak, you should only flip your piece of salmon once. If you turn it over repeatedly, chances of it breaking apart are very high- even when the sides have formed that crust.
Meanwhile, the time you cook each side of your fish varies with its thickness: usually between 3 – 5 minutes. Thus, giving you a total cooking time of 6 – 10 minutes.
Tip: when cooking your salmon, you’ll notice a white line from the side sitting on the griddle. When that white line reaches halfway, it means the particular side done cooking and you can flip. When the line from that other side creeps up halfway, it will meet with the first one. And that means your food is done.
Step Seven: Remove the Food from the heat
As I’ve just mentioned, you can easily tell your salmon is properly cooked when all the thickest part is white instead of pinkish-red. You can also jab a meat thermometer (if available) and make sure the fillet has an internal temperature of 145°F.
If everything was done right until this point, these are the results you get. Grab your spatula and remove the cooked fillets from the griddle into the serving tray/ board. I’m sure the sizzling sound will make your mouth water.
Step Eight: Switch off the Blackstone Grill
If no more raw salmon fillets to cook, switch off the control knobs to your Blackstone grill. Turn off the regulator valve too to cut the gas supply to the control panel. Otherwise, you or someone else can accidentally turn on the grill control knobs, which would fill the place with gas. And as you know, that is one of the causes of a fire outbreak.
Step Nine: Serve & Enjoy
Serve your salmon immediately after cooking while still warm. You can drizzle some lemon juice (optional) to brighten the taste a little bit.
As for what to serve with your cooked salmon, simple dishes like roasted sweet potatoes, parmesan pasta, or corn on the cob will do. You can also make a nice lunch sandwich with a hamburger, plus a touch of lettuce and tomato. Or else enjoy it solo with your favorite salad toppings.
Remember to Clean & Oil
If you need a quick lunch or dinner, that’s how to cook salmon on a Blackstone grill. As was promised, the recipe can be ready in under half an hour, including both the prepping and cooking time.
A nicely cooked salmon, especially with a top crust is super flavorful as much as it’s nutritious. But to maintain these two properties, I’d recommend cooking the freshest salmon you can get. A splash of lemon juice or some soy sauce also does make a huge difference in the final taste.
After the flat top plate of your Blackstone griddle has cooled down wipe it clean. You should also apply a thin layer of oil on the whole surface to protect against corrosion until the next grilling session.
