Mushy Grilled Salmon? You're Probably Making This Marinade Mistake

Cooking fish at home, while rewarding, can be a little bit difficult to get just right. In the oven or in a hot pan on the stove are the easiest ways to make sure your fillets or steaks don't fall apart. But fish on the grill can be especially satisfying to get some nice smoky undertones and beautiful caramelization. When you're working with salmon, it has its own rules — not particularly delicate, when it comes to fish — but it's flaky, so you need to know how to handle it without ruining the meat.

There are some mistakes you should avoid when cooking salmon, but for a little more advice on marinating salmon for the grill (so it doesn't end up all mushy), we reached out to an expert. Chef Hugo Galvan of GOATS Arena & Sports Bar in Frisco and Fairview, Texas, knows his way around a piece of fish. Galvan says that, regardless of what marinade you're using, the salmon should be patted dry before cooking and brought to room temperature. If you leave it full of wet, cold marinade, it is likely to steam internally on the grill, making it fall apart, and it won't get a nice caramelization, which helps to keep it firm. So, you'll need to drain your marinade, then pat it dry with a paper towel right before it's ready to hit the hot grill. Beyond a dry pat, Galvan has some more advice for perfectly grilled salmon.

Chef Hugo Galvan says you should consider where the cut comes from on the fish for your marinated grilled salmon. "If you're going to marinate, [it] needs to be a firm piece of salmon loin — otherwise it will break in the process of cooking," he says. The salmon loin comes from the mid top or back section of the fish — from the spine down, behind the head. The loin is considered one of the best parts of a salmon, smooth and buttery and uniform in texture. It's often used for sushi or poke because of its high quality, but it's great for grilling because it is nice and firm and its high fat ratio makes it cook up beautifully on the grill.

When working with a marinade, there are some great seasonings that will upgrade your salmon — salt and pepper are obvious, but think about a little maple syrup or honey to bring out the sweetness. You can marinate your salmon for as little as 20 minutes, but 30 minutes to an hour is ideal, and use a non-reactive container, like glass, ceramic, or stainless steel. You don't want to marinate almost any kind of fish for too long or the acid in the marinate will begin to break down the proteins — another way to avoid a mushy meal.

Finally, Galvan says, "[The grill] needs to be clean, and pan spray will help [the fish] not stick." So, get that grill good and hot; scrape it with a wire brush; and spray it before your salmon loin goes on. Whether eating it hot off the grill, added to a pasta, or saved for a cold salad, Galvan says the preparation is the same. Give it a minimum marinade time and pat it dry, and you'll get a delicious, flaky salmon every time.