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Achieving restaurant-quality crispy skin on a salmon fillet is the ultimate test for any backyard pitmaster. Many people struggle with fish sticking to the grates or ending up with soggy skin. However, you can master this technique easily with the right heat and a little bit of patience.
The Big Green Egg is the perfect tool for this job because it holds the high, steady heat needed for a perfect sear. In this guide, I will show you how to get that coveted crunch while keeping the salmon incredibly moist. Using a cast iron skillet on the Egg provides the even surface required for that golden-brown crust.
Grab your cast iron pan, light the charcoal, and let’s get that fire started with this post on How to Grill Crispy Skin Salmon on the Big Green Egg.
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Step 1: Make the Jalapeño Crème Fraiche
Creating this zesty sauce is the first step toward a perfect meal. This creamy topping provides a cool contrast to the smoky salmon. Best of all, it only takes a few minutes to prepare.
Start by roughly chopping one cup of fresh cilantro and three cloves of garlic. Next, prep your jalapeño pepper. You should deseed the pepper if you prefer less heat in your sauce. Place these ingredients into a food processor or a blender.
Add a half cup of sour cream and the juice from half a lime to the mix. Finally, season the mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend everything until the sauce is smooth and vibrant. Set the sauce aside so the flavors can meld while you focus on the fish.
Step 2: Prep the Salmon for the Sear
Success with this recipe depends on your preparation of the fish. First, gather two tablespoons of canola oil and two tablespoons of butter. You will also need four whole garlic cloves and your fresh salmon fillets.
Removing as much moisture as possible from the salmon is the most important trick for crispy skin. If the hot oil in the pan meets too much moisture, the skin will pull away from the meat. Consequently, you will lose that desired crunch.
Use paper towels to pat the fillets dry on all sides. You should focus specifically on the skin side to ensure it is bone-dry. Once the fish is ready, set it aside for a moment while we prepare the cooking surface.
Step 3: High-Heat Searing on the Big Green Egg
Preheat your Big Green Egg to 450°F and set it up for direct grilling. Next, place your Lodge cast iron pan directly on the grate to get it screaming hot. Once the grill is preheated, add the canola oil, butter, and whole garlic cloves to the skillet.
Wait for the butter to melt and start foaming before you add the salmon. Place the fillets into the pan skin-side down. Immediately press the fillets into the pan with a fish spatula for about one minute. This ensures the skin crisps up perfectly and does not stick to the cast iron surface.
Step 4: Baste and Finish
Now you can begin to braise the salmon with that fragrant garlic butter. Continue to cook the fish for 5 to 10 minutes while you baste the fillets repeatedly. This technique keeps the meat incredibly moist while the skin becomes golden and crunchy.
Monitor the internal temperature closely during this process. You should pull the salmon off the grill once it reaches 140°F. Finally, place the fillets skin-side down on paper towels for a moment. This simple step removes any excess oil and keeps that crust crisp before you serve.
Step 5: Plating and Final Thoughts
Presentation is just as important as the cook itself when you serve a dish this beautiful. Start by taking a generous spoonful of the jalapeño crème fraiche. Smear the sauce across the center of a clean plate to create a colorful base.
Carefully place the salmon fillet directly on top of the creamy sauce. You want to keep that crispy skin facing up so it stays perfectly crunchy until the first bite. For a complete meal, consider pairing this dish with a side of grilled asparagus or a light quinoa salad.
The cooling heat from the jalapeño perfectly complements the rich, buttery flavor of the fish. This recipe proves that you can master restaurant-quality seafood right on your Big Green Egg.
Bon Appétit!
How to Grill Crispy Skin Salmon on the Big Green Egg
Equipment
- 1 Cast Iron Pan
Ingredients
For the Crème Fraiche:
- 1 cup cilantro, rough chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded if you want less heat
- ½ c of Sour Cream
- ½ Lime, juice
- Salt & Pepper
For the Salmon:
- 2 Lbs salmon Filet, Skin on
- 2 Tbls of Canola Oil
- 2 Tbls of Butter
- 4 Garlic Cloves
Instructions
- To make the jalapeno crème fraiche is simple. Just roughly chop a cup of Cilantro, 3 cloves of garlic, and a jalapeño pepper (deseeded if you want less heat). Add that to a half cup of Sour Cream and juice from a half of a Lime. Add a little salt and pepper then blend using a hand mixer or Food Processor.
- Cook the Salmon:
- Next measure out 2 Tbls of Canola Oil, 2 Tbls of Butter, 4 Garlic Cloves (whole), and your salmon filets.
- Preheat the Big Green Egg to 450° and place your Lodge Cast Iron Pan on the grate. Once preheated add the oil, butter, and garlic. Once the butter has melted add the Salmon skin side down.
- Continue to cook for 5 – 10 minutes using the garlic butter to baste the salmon filets. Once the salmon gets to 140° internal temperature pull them off and place skin side down on paper towels to remove excess butter and oil.
- Smear the jalapeño crème fraiche on the plate and serve the salmon filet on top.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I definitely will be making that green jalapeno creme fraiche to accompany dinner tonight.. I make salmon regularly so this is just perfect.
Thanks Thalia! This sauce compliments salmon perfectly. Add in a nice Sauvignon Blanc and you will have a perfect meal 🙂
I just made this with some wild caught frozen salmon filets from Costco and they turned out great! The creme fraiche was fantastic. We had to add some extra sour cream to fight back an extra spicy jalapeño, but that worked well.
FYI the ingredients list is missing the cilantro! We almost missed it at the grocery store.
I’ll fix that today. Thanks for the update!