Skip to main content
Epicurious

Grilled Salmon Collars

Four salmon collars on top of a grill grate over coals.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott

Don’t fuss with the salmon too much once it’s on the grill: Let the flesh naturally release from the grate before attempting to turn it. You can also use the tare marinade for any cut of salmon.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
1 fresh red chile (such as Fresno or Holland), coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sake
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 salmon collars (about 3 pounds total), scaled, fins removed
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil (for grill)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring ginger, chile, garlic, mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugar, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 15–20 minutes. Let cool. Strain tare through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring glass or small bowl; discard solids. Set aside 1/4 cup tare. Pour remaining tare into a large resealable plastic bag. Season salmon lightly with salt and place in bag. Seal bag and turn salmon to coat. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours (go the full time for the most flavor).

    Step 2

    Prepare a grill for medium heat. You want moderate heat for fatty fish like salmon so the fat can slowly render while the skin gets nice and crisp. Clean grate well with a wire brush. Just before you set salmon on the grill, fold up a paper towel and hold it with a pair of long tongs. Dip paper towel in oil and wipe down grate.

    Step 3

    Remove salmon from tare, letting excess drip back into bag; discard tare in bag. Grill salmon, skin side down, brushing occasionally with reserved 1/4 cup tare, until skin is lightly charred and crisp, 5–7 minutes. Turn salmon and grill until other side is lightly charred (don’t brush this side with tare), about 5 minutes. Transfer salmon collars to a platter.

TagsJapaneseEast AsianAsianSalmonFishSeafoodMainStarterDinnerDairy FreeNut FreeEasyGrillingBon Appétit

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Spicy Salmon Hand Rolls
Spicy tinned salmon (or tuna!) is a fast track to flavor in these simple hand rolls—particularly when mashed with some oil from the can and a slick of mayo.
Angel Hair Bibimguksu
Gochujang creates a sauce that delivers the perfect balance of spice, tang, and sweetness.
Smoked Salmon Pasta With Capers and Dill
Cured fish, cream, and lemon make an elegant base for this unexpected one-pot pasta.
Air-Fryer Sea Bass With Dilly Potato Chip Crust
Crushed potato chips (mixed with a bit of mayo) make a delightfully crispy and nostalgic-tasting topping for flaky white fish.
Pork Dinakdakan
Braise tender pork belly in soy and vinegar, then grill with shishito peppers and toss with ginger and a tangy dressing for bold, savory Filipino dinakdakan.
Tuna Melt Nachos
Love a tuna melt? Meet your new favorite nachos—fast and filling all thanks to tinned fish.
Smoked Mackerel Udon
Chewy noodles, tinned fish, and hardy greens in an umami broth.
Chipotle-Citrus Ribs
Tender, well-glazed, and just spicy enough, these ribs are the ultimate grill-out food. Cook fully in the oven ahead of time and finish them on the grill.