Raging River maple butter crusted salmon

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Raging River Maple Butter Crusted Grilled Salmon

By Chris Capell

“I don’t even like salmon, but I like this!?” is something I have heard more than once since I started cooking this recipe. A perfect recipe for salmon, the combination of our Raging River seasoning, fresh salmon, and a maple butter glaze is sure to delight you and your guests – even those that think they don’t like salmon!

Health benefits of salmon are proven, and the flavor is buttery and unique. More and more folks are enjoying the benefits of this healthful fish, and farm-raised salmon is what you are likely to find. According to National Geographic, only 3.5 million of the world’s 300 million Atlantic salmon are wild. So if you have access to good fresh wild salmon, it is highly recommended. But as you can see from the numbers, the farm-raised variety is what most folks have available. Make sure it is fresh, does not have gaps in the flesh, is firm, and does not smell fishy. Ask the person behind the counter if you can have a smell. They will usually let you, and you can tell right away if it is not fresh. Avoid buying the pre-wrapped fish from the case. Go right for the counter and get the fresh stuff on ice.

Ingredients

Print Recipe

1-2 lb salmon fillet
Dizzy Pig® Raging River seasoning
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
3 Tbsp butter

Directions

Cut the fillet into 3-6 inch wide strips to make cooking and flipping easier. The fillet I purchased for this cook was a farm raised Atlantic fillet, and is about a pound and a half.
Remove the skin if you like. I prefer to remove the skin, as most folks do not eat it, and it allows the seasoning and glaze to adhere straight to the meat for the enjoyment of your taste buds. A sharp knife is critical, and the blade should be angled up toward the skin as you work.
Removing the skin also allows you to remove the ‘bloodline’. The ‘bloodline’ is under the skin running down the center of the fillet lengthwise. It is a narrow channel of dark meat that has an especially fishy flavor.
Apply Dizzy Pig’s Raging River seasoning on all sides of the fillets. Since it is not heavy in salt, I lay it on fairly thick.
Let the seasoning ‘melt’ in for 20-30 minutes
Prepare grill for direct cooking and medium hot fire. I like to get a good hot bed of coals going – wait until you have a good clean fire and cooker temps ranging from 350-400°F.
Set the fish on a preheated raised grate, approximately 12-18 inches from the coals if possible.
Cook the fish on side one for anywhere from 4-8 minutes. The time depends on the thickness of the fish, and the heat of your fire.
When well-browned, flip carefully. You really want a nice golden brown crust on one side before you flip. When one side is nicely crusted, carefully jiggle a spatula under the fish, and gently flip.
After 3-4 minutes on side two, liberally drizzle and brush mixture of butter and pure maple syrup, which I usually melt together on the grill.
After glazing, cook for another minute or so. Then carefully flip and glaze side two heavily.
Brush on one last coating of glaze before removing from grill onto serving plate.
Raging River Salmon is best served hot, right off the grill, but it is surprisingly good cold on crackers. We hope you enjoy!

Step by Step

The fillet I purchased for this cook was a farm raised Atlantic fillet, and is about a pound and a half.

Prep salmon by removing skin and bloodline.

Lay on a fairly thick layer of Raging River, making sure to get it on the sides as well.

You really want a nice golden brown crust on one side before you flip. When one side is nicely crusted, carefully jiggle a spatula under the fish, and gently flip. I use my fingers to aid in flippage.