There are several staples in our arsenal of grilling recipes but when the salmon are running, Grilled Salmon Fillet with Cucumber Dill Sauce goes to the top of the list every time.
While I’m as guilty as the next Twitter fan when it comes to guffawing about celeb stars new baby names or following the hashtag thread when events are happening around us that will have a much wider affect than my daily instagram of what I had for breakfast, one of the best parts about Twitter is keeping up with my favorite food producers and distributors.
So when I saw a tweet from my local Whole Foods about wild, freshly caught Alaska Sockeye Salmon being sold for one day only for just $12 a pound—half the price I normally see it—I took note. Then I retweeted it to share the good news and promptly cleaned out my freezer so I could stock up.
And that’s when I started daydreaming about my favorite grilled salmon fillet recipes and sauces to go with it.
Sure. Most any fish you eat is going to be good for you. Even the farm-raised, sort of pinkish salmon sold at your local discount store is going to be better for your heart health than a lot of things you could eat.
But the flavor? Simply not there. Those finned babies don’t have anywhere to swim when they’re ganged up in a water pen fighting for air in their H2O farm stall. They don’t have the opportunity to exercise and create a meaty inside full of flavor.
But wild salmon that swim in long, cold rivers make for a supremely lush and flavorful—not fishy—protein packed health source ripe with Omega 3’s. All of those good things your body craves for heart health, inflammation fighters and helping with cognitive functions.
Wild Sockeye salmon is just plain and simply good for you food.
So why is this fish so pricey and why did it get me so excited about the deal that I tossed my daughter’s 3-month-old fudge pops?
Here’s why.
See, these salmon are only fished from mid-May to September, with 3 main varieties (Kings, Sockeye and Coho) rolling out in stores at varying times due to limited fishing time on the rivers, instated by the Alaska Fish and Game, restricting commercial fisherman and their catch to help ensure the same number of fish returning the next year and avoid over fishing.
There are plenty of occasions for getting fancy with grilled salmon fillet recipes, but like many things in life, simpler is often…just..better.
Grilled salmon fillet is my husband’s domain. He’s the one that does all of the prep and has made and remade hundreds of variations on tartar sauce/dill sauce/cucumber sauce.
And that’s why this is a real life post, one with worn-out cutting boards, bowls that don’t show off the recipes as well as they could, bananas and drying dishes in the background. Not to mention my husband’s duct taped finger thanks to a kitchen war wound.
Life ain’t always pretty but there comes a time when eating dinner comes first and blogging about it comes last. This is one of those times. But the fish is too dang good not to share with you so I don’t think you’ll mind.
This is his latest, so far most favorite version of dill sauce, one with a little tweak you might not expect: The addition of just a touch of blue cheese dressing that provides just the right tartness to make a perfect topper for my favorite recipe for grilled salmon.
But if you’re not a fan of blue cheese, feel free to leave it out. The simple sauce is delicious with or without it.
- 1 pound fresh wild Salmon
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- coarsely ground black pepper
- Prepare your grill and bring to high heat.
- Rinse the salmon under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Run your fingers along the meaty surface to check for any bones and remove any of them with needle nose pliers or fish tweezers.
- Lighty coat the meaty side with olive oil then sprinkle generously with kosher salt and lots of freshly ground coarse black pepper. You don’t want to be skimpy here.
- Place the fish fillet on a hot grill, meat side down, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until you can easily slide your spatula under the fish without it falling apart. Don’t disturb the fish once its on the grill until you’re ready to flip it. Flip the fish and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until desired doneness. Section into preferred serving sizes with or without the skin and serve with fresh cut lemon and cucumber dill sauce.
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup olive oil mayonnaise
- ½ english cucumber, about ½ cup, diced
- ¼ cup blue cheese dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- pinch of kosher salt
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Thanks for reading and please keep in touch by subscribing to FoodieCrush and follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. I was not compensated for this post, I just like good, fresh fish. But thanks for supporting my partners which allows me to create new and special content like this for my you. As always, all opinions are my own.
This salmon looks so delicious…and I agree about the taste and flavor of different salmon. I have to fix salmon at least once a week….because my taste buds require it! It can get really expensive but is so worth it to purchase a quality piece of fish…Lucky for me, the hubby doesn’t really like salmon and my baby girl is allergic, so I buy a nice pretty expensive piece and eat it all…I am so glad you posted this recipe…it’s a must make for me…
Thanks again.
I’m with you when it comes to fish, don’t skimp on the price for the best flavored finds. How did you find out your daughter was allergic?
Gorgeous fillets! I love the sauce. One of the first meals Paul ever cooked for me was grilled salmon with a cucumber dill sauce, he was so proud of himself!
There really is nothing better than fresh, wild caught salmon. I have a place nearby that always has it for a few bucks less a pound than normal and I try to grab some weekly. Funny enough, even though we eat it that often, I hardly ever go the dill route for sauce. Definitely want to try this out next time!
The dill sauce is def a must try. Although I’m a huge fan of a good tartar sauce any day of the week.
Wonderful! I grew up on the coast of North Carolina and ate seafood year ’round. It was not until I left for college and discovered how expensive seafood is and how much bad quality fish there is inland. When I go back to the coast I could eat fresh seafood all day long!
I can only imagine the bounty you enjoyed when you were in NC. Glad you get to go back and satisfy the cravings.
So gorgeous!! I am loving the sauce and all the seasonings! Perfect summer meal!
Heidi,
I love salmon so definitely am going to give this a try . . yum! love this!
Lately I have been indulging in any type of seafood/fish and this is next on my list.
Nice recipe. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day!
This is amazing! I’ve been grilling salmon a lot this summer, its so delicious!
So refreshing and flavorful!
I lovelovelove wild-caught salmon like no one’s business. It truly is much better tasting. And that cucumber dill sauce? *Drool*
Love the less-than-perfect impromptu shots! And the duct taped finger. While I’m growing to like most seafood more and more as I get older and bolder, salmon has always been a favorite. It was my mother’s prized meal and I think she passed the obsession on to us kids. Going to have to try this dill sauce for sure! Any chance Whole Foods you think will run another special deal just for me? 😉
Love this! Beautiful pics, as always. I usually make Cilantro-Lime Sauce to go with salmon (http://cocinamarie.com/best-ever-cilantro-lime-sauce-good-on-everything-and-i-do-mean-everything/), but I want to try the cucumber dill! My grandmother Jeannie used to make one like that 🙂
Real life everyday recipes are my favorite! Keep ’em coming! I love salmon, and grilled salmon even more!
I love Cucumber Dill Sauce & I’ve been gaining a love for salmon over the past few years! Looks really good!
Wow, I love the sound of the sauce. And the duct tape finger is the perfect touch for a manly recipe!
Best duct-tape hand modeling ever.
What a fun combination! I love making salmon at home, and this sauce sounds wonderful 🙂
This looks really good. However, I am not a fan of blue cheese, any suggestions for a substitution?
how much per pound is a great price for good wild sockeye salmon?
I love Salmon, it is so tasty, thanks