# Salmon Steaks?



## Chef Munky (Apr 26, 2013)

I've never cooked Salmon Steaks before. It's all the store had. Bought 7 Lbs. Having company over to.

Making Hubby's B-day dinner. He wants them grilled. With a Lemon butter sauce.. Now I'm really stuck. Don't know how to do that either. He likes Red Lobsters sauce.
What is that white round thing in the middle, a bone? Does it get removed before grilling? Do they cook in less time or the usual?

So, the menu tonight is

Grilled Sirloin steaks 1 Inch thick cuts
Salmon.. lets hope
Salad
Baked Potatoes
Grilled Squash..Maybe.
Garlic bread
Finish it off with a Chocolate Fudge cake.

I've stepped into it this time.


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## Andy M. (Apr 26, 2013)

Grill salmon steaks as you would meats.  Oil the surfaces and season.  Slap them on the grill over med. high heat.  It's not complicated at all.  That white thing is the fish's backbone.  Leave it in.  People like their fish cooked well done to rare.  It will cook faster than a beef steak.


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## Addie (Apr 27, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> Grill salmon steaks as you would meats. Oil the surfaces and season. Slap them on the grill over med. high heat. It's not complicated at all. That white thing is the fish's backbone. Leave it in. People like their fish cooked well done to rare. It will cook faster than a beef steak.


 
That sounds perfect Andy. Just don't move them or turn over until they release by themselves on the grill. You don't want to tear them. Makes for a great presentation with the grill marks. Don't forget to oil the grill grid also.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 28, 2013)

I agree with both posts above!  Yum

As for the lemon butter sauce...melt the butter, add lemon juice and some dried parsley, reduce until it gets a bit syrupy. A little garlic is good, too!


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## buckytom (Apr 28, 2013)

andy and pf's advice is spot on.

if you have time beforehand, make a compound butter to be melted over the salmon as it finishes cooking.

soften a stick of butter (but not melted), and mix in the zest of 2 lemons, a good handful of chopped parsley, a heaping tsp of freshly ground black pepper, a 1/2 tsp of salt if using unsalted butter, and a clove or three of minced garlic. 

mush it all together, then form into a log amd wrap tightly in plastic wrap. let sit in the fridge overnight or for a day or two.

when ready to cook, slice off a few thick coins of the compound butter, and as your steaks are on their last flip on the grill, put the buttercoins on top to melt down over the salmon. 

or, if using a broiler, put the coins on top about 1/2 way through the time broiled.

another compound butter i like to make for salmon is fresh dill and basil, with s&p.

btw, if you have leftover skins from the salmon, save them. chop into bits and fry them in hot grapeseed, peanut, seadame, or even olive oil until crispy lke well cooked bacon bits.


mmmm, crispy salmon skin. serve over sticky rice with a little wasabi and soy sauce, or make salmon skin maki eith nori and sushi rice.


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## Addie (Apr 28, 2013)

You folks are making me hungry for salmon. I haven't had any in more than a year. Shopping day is less than a week away. It goes on the list. Along with Haddock and salted cod.


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## MrsLMB (Apr 28, 2013)

OMG  ... I'm with you Addie .. now I want a salmon steak !

When we lived in Oregon we had lots of fresh salmon and cooking it on the grill is the best.  Once you go there you will be hooked.

Yummy ... now .. those leftovers can be shipped overnight ya know


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## Steve Kroll (Apr 28, 2013)

I'd be willing to bet I cook more fish on the grill than any other kind of meat. It isn't as hard as people make it out to be, and salmon is easier than many types because it's an oilier fish. 

Two tips for perfect salmon. First, I always clean and oil the grate before cooking fish of any kind. I don't like to chance having the seafood release on its own because, unless you have the perfect temperature, it will too often be overdone by this point. Oil is just a little added insurance.

Second, do not overcook salmon. It's easy to do and this is the mistake most people make. For beautiful, flaky fish, it should be just barely done in the middle when you take it off the grill. By the time it gets to the plate and sits for a few minutes it will be perfectly cooked. If you want to make it easy on yourself, only light half the grill. Cook over direct heat on side one to get some nice char marks. Then carefully turn it over and move to the cooler side to finish cooking. I like the "poke" test to determine when it's done. It should be firm but still have some give when you press a finger on it.

Good luck!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 28, 2013)

Hmm...I have a choice of plain salmon, teriyaki, lemon-dill and sundried tomato.  I buy a half salmon at Costco, cut, prep and freeze.  I can do what ever I like with the salmon, Shrek doesn't eat it.


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## Addie (Apr 28, 2013)

When the salmon were running, small neighborhood stores would have squares of smoked salmon stacked on the counter and kids would buy a couple of pieces on their way to school in the morning. One of the benefits of living in the Northwest.


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## pacanis (Apr 28, 2013)

The salmon run where I live, too. Coho anyway.


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## Addie (Apr 28, 2013)

pacanis said:


> The salmon run where I live, too. Coho anyway.


 
I love to watch them. Funny thing, Atlantic salmon do not die after they do their thing. The adults return to the sea. Only on the west coast do they die. 

Spike and I were talking this evening. I would love to see Ken Burns do a special on the fishing industry and whaling. They were one of the very first industries in this country. I am going to send an email to PBS with the suggestion.


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## buckytom (Apr 28, 2013)

addie, i would be very interested in seeing a show about the history of the u.s. fishing industry. from boston cod and whaling, to california's cannery row.

great idea!    


here's ken burns' pbs page: Ken Burns | PBS

and his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kenburnspbs/info


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## buckytom (Apr 28, 2013)

pacanis said:


> The salmon run where I live, too. Coho anyway.




pac, you're near lake eerie, right?


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 29, 2013)

This is a good book on the Cod Industry by Mark Kurlansky.


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## buckytom (Apr 29, 2013)

thanks, pf. looks very interesting. i'm not a reader, though. if i ever slow down to read something other than a technical manual for work, i fall asleep no matter how good it is.


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## Addie (Apr 29, 2013)

buckytom said:


> addie, i would be very interested in seeing a show about the history of the u.s. fishing industry. from boston cod and whaling, to california's cannery row.
> 
> great idea!
> 
> ...


 
Thanks. Email sent. I hope I get a reply.


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## buckytom (Apr 29, 2013)

me too. i'll look for you in the credits.


this show brought to by the macarthur foundation, supporting creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.

and viewers like you, addie.


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## pacanis (Apr 29, 2013)

Yes, Bucky. I'm pretty close to the lake. I could easily walk there.
I never fished for coho or steelhead. I was more of a perch and walleye guy. Or bass.


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