Last Updated on January 27, 2025
One of the greatest gifts of grilling is that the grill, especially a charcoal one, does much of the flavor work for you. The char, the smoke and just being outside cooking are super satisfying–so much so that you don’t need a ton of ingredients. In this recipe, our sockeye salmon and fresh summer corn are the stars, with an herby and savory compound butter to make each bite rich and delicious.
Some practical notes: Be sure to close the lid and get the grill super hot before cooking. You’ll need that heat to develop char on the corn. For the salmon, you want a hot grill but not direct flames, so look for hot spots away from the fire.
Ingredients
- 4 ButcherBox Sockeye Salmon Filets defrosted and patted very dry
- Salt and pepper
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
- 1 tbsp finely grated citrus zest lime, lemon or orange, or a combination
- 1 tbsp white miso
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- Canola oil
- 4 ears fresh corn shucked
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Season the salmon filets all over with salt and pepper and set in the fridge, uncovered, for 45 minutes (to help season and dry the fish out a bit, which can help reduce any sticking to the grill).
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter, chives, citrus zest, miso and chili flakes. With a fork, mash the butter and mix in all the ingredients thoroughly. Season lightly with salt.
- Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for high heat, making sure to clean the grates and lightly slick them with a kitchen rag or brush dipped in canola oil. Brush the corn lightly all over with the butter mixture; place the corn on the grill. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, until the corn is lightly charred all over, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.
- Clean the grill grates very thoroughly. Dunk a paper towel or kitchen rag into some more canola oil and rub the clean, hot grates with enough oil to make them shimmer, but not so much that they drip and cause flare-ups. Make sure the grill is still at high heat.
- Rub the salmon filets all over with enough canola oil so they are completely coated but not dripping. Place the fish on the grill skin side down and cook undisturbed until charred and the skin lifts away from the grates on its own, about 5 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a cast-iron skillet, skin side up, and place the skillet on the grates. Cover the grill and finish cooking the salmon until it registers 120ºF with an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes longer.
- Plate the salmon and corn, placing lemon wedges on the plates. Slather more butter over the corn and salmon, or pass the butter on the side. Serve.
The ButcherBox Kitchen Team works hard to give you confidence you need to pull off any kitchen endeavor.
