Last week when Jake was out on his left coast / Puget Sound tour we grilled up a fresh sockeye salmon after a soak in one of our favorite spicy soy – brown sugar marinades. There’s really nothing like fresh salmon sizzling over hardwood coals.
While it was on the grill a neighbor poked his head over the fence and asked what the hell we were cooking that smelled so irresistible.
To make a long story short, turns out that was Eddie, an Air Force colonel who happens to be a big time foodie and neophyte fly fisher.
Eddie wanted our recipe and after some minor negotiations we ended up trading for this Maple Ginger Salmon recipe, heavily influenced by Eddie’s northeastern (Maine) roots. Eddie couldn’t remember (or more likely wouldn’t actually tell me) where he sourced the recipe years ago and insisted this had been his go to recipe even when stationed in Alaska where salmon recipes run wild.
At first glance the maple syrup – honey mustard – ginger combination appeared a little bizarre, but after Eddie pulled a slab of this grilled salmon out of his fridge (grilled over hardwood charcoal, alder and a little pecan wood) and flaked off a piece for me, I immediately started plotting how get ahold of some really good maple syrup without selling a fly rod to finance it.
You gotta try this one…
1 cup maple syrup (the good stuff)
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup (generous) Honey Mustard
4 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp finely grated or minced fresh gingerFresh salmon fillet
Dark sesame oil
Fire the Grill. Eddie uses hardwood charcoal with pecan and alder thrown in for good measure.
Glaze. Combine the first five ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes to slightly reduce. Don’t let it scorch (stir now and again) and you’re looking for it to become a bit thicker and syrupy. Divide into a basting bowl and serving bowl.
Prep the salmon. Check to make sure you’ve not missed any pin bones; rinse and pat dry. Cut into serving size pieces; Eddie brushed his lightly with the dark sesame oil and ground a dusting of fresh Pink Himalayan salt and black pepper on the fillets.
Grill time. Grill three to four minutes per side, basting with the glaze set aside for basting. Of course you don’t want to overcook these and pending thickness it won’t take long.
Serve. Plate on warmed plates immediately and serve with the glazed spooned over or on the side.
Enjoy.
