Grilled Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon

Name: Grilled Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Ingredients: 4 8 oz wild sockeye salmon filets (skin-on) or a 1-2 lb whole wild sockeye filet; 1/4 cup extravirgin olive oil; 1½ tsp kosher salt; 1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; lemon slices (optional garnish)

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Grilled wild caught sockeye salmon is the perfect balance of buttery rich salmon and that smoky grill flavor. Sockeye salmon makes the perfect healthy dinner and is wonderful served over a fresh summer salad.

wild caught sockeye salmon covered with olive oil salt and pepper

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If you are a salmon lover like me, you have come to the right place! Some of my favorite salmon recipes include Pistachio Crusted Salmon and Easy Baked Lemon Salmon. You will also love this delicious and easy seafood dinner of Blackened Cod, great served with a side of Roasted Asparagus.

As for this amazing grilled wild caught sockeye salmon, get ready for easy deliciousness! You can make this salmon recipe with any kind of salmon that you like (think, regular farmed, or wild king salmon, coho or chinook), but I love wild caught sockeye salmon (wild red salmon).

Wild sockeye salmon is BIG on flavor. Dense, buttery and great on the grill. Absolutely wonderful solo with simple salt and pepper to enjoy the flavor of the salmon. Or, you can play with fun sauces like a drizzle of Chili Crisp or Bang Bang Sauce!

Why this recipe works

Grilled sockeye salmon is the perfect quick and easy dinner recipe! If you need other quick and easy dinner ideas, you will love this Instant Pot Tri Tip and Wagyu Ribeye!
Wild caught sockeye salmon is super healthy! Packed full of protein and rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, win-win!
Eating sustainable wild sockeye salmon helps the environment.

Where to buy wild sockeye salmon

wild caught alaskan sockeye salmon filet

If you want to order wild sockeye salmon from my favorite seafood company, you can click on any of my links in this post to receive $15 off your first order at Wild Alaskan Seafood Company!

I am envious of those who live close to the sea and can obtain sustainable, responsibly sourced fresh seafood and wild caught salmon. For me, trying to find good seafood and salmon at local grocery stores in Arizona can be challenging to say the least.

The top reason why I love Wild Alaskan Company out of many online fish markets that I tried was because their seafood was simply the freshest and tasted the best. They also offer an excellent variety of fish, including wild sockeye salmon, coho salmon and various whitefish, such as cod, halibut and pollock and free shipping with some of their best deals.

Beyond that, their company provides wild caught, responsibly sourced wild seafood and sustainable fish for Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, known for some of the best seafood and health benefits. Unsustainably farmed fish is notoriously poor in quality and is harmful to the environment and often unhealthy.

One tip for maximum freshness is to buy frozen sockeye salmon, frozen wild caught salmon or frozen wild Alaskan salmon as frozen salmon portions from a company such as Wild Alaskan. When the salmon is caught, it is generally flash frozen right away so when you defrost it to cook, it will be super fresh.

Ingredients

Wild Sockeye Salmon: Wild Alaskan Company is a great source to purchase wild caught sockeye salmon. They are my favorite because they ship the absolute freshest sockeye salmon, individually portioned and can be defrosted the day before for maximum freshness. Costco Kirkland wild Alaskan sockeye salmon or Trader Joe’s sockeye salmon and Whole Foods sockeye salmon also good local options. You can also use king, Coho, chinook or regular farmed salmon. Try to purchase skin on wild caught sockeye salmon if possible so the salmon doesn’t stick to the grill. Not a deal killer but it is a bit trickier if there is no skin.
Oil: Extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, grape seed or avocado oil all work well.
Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is a course salt that works well for cooking and more even application.
Black Pepper: Freshly ground is recommended for extra flavor.
Lemon Slices: Garnish

Sockeye Salmon Recipe

Pre-heat grill on high. Clean off grill grates.
Reduce grill heat to medium-high heat.
Generously coat your wild salmon (whole sockeye salmon or individual wild sockeye salmon portions) in olive oil on both sides.
Sprinkle wild sockeye salmon with salt and pepper.
Start grilling wild Alaskan sockeye salmon skin side down for 3-5 minutes. You will see the sides of the fish start to cook.
Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until done. FDA recommends a safe internal cooking temperature of 145° for fish such as wild Alaska sockeye (note: it is always best to check FDA for any updates).
Note: Do not close the cover while grilling.

FAQ and expert tips

Is Costco salmon farmed or wild?

Costco has a wide variety of salmon including both farmed and wild. Costco Kirkland wild Alaskan sockeye salmon is a great option.

How can you tell if salmon is farmed or wild?

You can generally tell if salmon is farmed or wild by the color and fat marbling. Farmed salmon will be a lighter pink and have more fat marbling. Wild salmon will be a brighter orange red and more lean (less fat marbling).

Is it safe to eat wild Alaskan salmon?

Yes, it is generally safe to eat wild Alaskan salmon. When eating fish of any kind, it is always recommended that you cook the fish to FDA recommended temperature to kill any bacteria and parasites.

grilled wild caught sockeye salmon garnished with lemon and parsley

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