• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Main Course
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Dips and Appetizers
    • Low Carb and Keto
  • Kitchen Product Reviews
  • This for That
My Kitchen Serenity
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Main Course
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts
  • Dips and Appetizers
  • Low Carb and Keto
  • Ingredient Substitutions
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • About
  • ×
    Home » Main Course » Easy Grilled Salmon with BBQ Sauce

    Easy Grilled Salmon with BBQ Sauce

    Published: Sep 28, 2019 · Modified: Mar 20, 2022 by Anne Clark · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    grilled bbq salmon on grill

    This easy grilled salmon with bbq sauce recipe is a snap to fix and is really delicious.  It's a little different twist on how to prepare salmon. Most people don't think of trying barbeque sauce with their salmon, but I think you are going to really like it!

    Four BBQ Grilled Salmon Fillets on white platter with grilled zucchini slices on the sideWelcome to My Kitchen Serenity!  Grilled salmon filets are probably my second favorite way to eat fish (first being fried catfish).  Salmon has a very tender texture with a deliciously rich, buttery flavor (see this guide for more information about fish flavors and textures) and is full of health benefits.

    Additionally, salmon cooks up faster than other meats (steak or burgers).  Which is great if you are short on time.  So if quick and delicious appeal to you, then you are going to love this easy bbq grilled salmon!

    Why We Love This Recipe

    This super easy recipe uses store-bought barbeque sauce.  We add our own additional seasonings to boost the flavor.  The bbq sauce I use for this recipe is Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce with Brown Sugar.  I love the flavor Sweet Baby Ray’s gives the salmon.

    grilled bbq salmon ingredients measured out in bowls

    Ingredients

    please scroll down to the printable recipe card for the detailed ingredient list

    wild-caught salmon filets (leave the skin on)

    Special Sauce:

    your favorite BBQ Sauce

    lemon juice

    lime juice

    garlic powder

    onion powder

    Worcestershire Sauce

    Easy Directions

    Mix all the ingredients for the special bbq sauce in a medium-sized bowl. 

    BBQ Salmon Marinade in bowl with whisk

    Preheat your grill to medium heat.  

    Use a brush to apply a thick coating of the bbq sauce to each salmon filet.  Note:  Be sure to check your salmon if you use a brush with bristles.  Sometimes the bristles come out and you end up with bristles in your meal.  I hate it when I find bristles in my food!  Use a silicone basting brush as opposed to one with bristles to avoid this problem.  

    BBQ marinade on 4 uncooked salmon fillets on white square plate

    Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the grill grate then add the filets to the grill.  Close the grill cover.

    4 salmon fillets on foil on the grill

    Cook salmon on your grill at medium heat for approximately 12 to 15 minutes.  For food safety purposes, make sure you grill the salmon to an internal temperature of 145 F.

    Remove the filets when they flake easily with a fork.

    View my Google Web Story on preparing Easy BBQ Salmon.

    Four BBQ Grilled Salmon Fillets on white platter with grilled zucchini slices on the sideAlternative Cooking Method

    In case it's cold and rainy outside or you just don't have a grill, here is a grilling alternative. 

    • Turn your oven broiler on high heat with the rack in the center.  Place your salmon on a greased baking dish and broil for 4 to 5 minutes.  The method works really well and you may find that you prefer broiling to grilling.  

    Frequently Asked Questions and Tips

    Low Carb / Keto Version

    Simply substitute the Sweet Baby Ray's for any sugar-free bbq sauce.

    No Lemon version

    So many salmon and other fish recipes call for lemon flavoring.  That's fine unless you're not into lemon flavor or just want to try something different.  For this recipe, you could simply leave out the lemon juice.

    Are there any good salmon recipes without lemon?  Well, there are a bunch (including our Grilled Salmon with BBQ Sauce) that are great recipes, but Honey Salmon in Foil is one that is superb.

    Side Dishes

    You know it really depends on what you are in the mood to eat.  I really like grilled squash and zucchini with grilled salmon, but some mashed potatoes go great, too.

    Delish.com put together a list of 30+ side dishes that taste amazing with salmon.  If you are struggling with what to cook with your salmon, check out their post and get some great ideas.

    Leaving the Skin Off or On

    According to FoodNetwork.com, grilling salmon with the skin on helps hold the salmon together and prevents the salmon from sticking to the grill.  The skin also helps keep the salmon moist during the grilling process.

    The salmon skin has some real health benefits including high concentrations of omega 3-fatty acids.  Besides, crispy salmon skin is pretty tasty and has a texture similar to bacon.

    Keep in mind that the skin will add a few more calories to your meal.  If you are counting calories (approximately 100 calories), considering passing on eating the skin.  

    Salmon Doneness

    Cooking salmon (either on the grill or in a pan) can be a little tricky.  It cooks quickly and can easily be overcooked.

    However, don’t let that intimidate you.  If you pay attention to what you are doing and keep an eye on your salmon, it’s going to come out great.

    The Wild Salmon Company has a great post on how to know when salmon is done.  I learned some really great tips reading their post.    

    Marinating Salmon Tip

    If you can spare some time, let the raw salmon marinate in the BBQ sauce mixture (covered in the refrigerator) for 30 minutes. This isn’t a must, but more like a little extra flavor booster.

    According to mamalovesfood.com, you should marinate for no longer than 30 minutes if your marinade is acid-based.  

    For me personally, I tend to stick with marinating for no longer than 30 minutes.  Much longer than that and you run the risk of the salmon becoming mushy.   

    Common Mistakes When Cooking Salmon

    Grilled salmon is easy, delicious, and healthy; but you do need to be careful to avoid these common mistakes.

    • Overcooking
    • Undercooking - make sure your salmon has an internal temperature of 145 F.  
    • Not removing any pin bones
    • Over marinading - marinading for longer than an hour can cause your salmon to be soggy
    • Removing the skin - as mentioned above, it is a best practice to leaving the skin on when grilling your salmon.

    Reheating Salmon

    Like most fish species, salmon doesn't reheat very well.  If you have leftover salmon, my suggestion is to refrigerate it and later add it to a salad.  A great leftover salmon salad recipe can be found on The Healthy Foodie.

    Other fish and seafood recipes you may want to check out:

    Red Snapper with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce

    Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

    Easy Cod with Herb Butter

    Easy Miso Ginger Salmon

    Shrimp and Rice Casserole

    If you tried this recipe, leave me a comment and let me know how it turned out!

    Need more great recipe ideas?  Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to get more delicious recipe ideas in your feed.

    Recipe

    grilled zucchini and salmon

    Grilled Salmon with BBQ Sauce

    Grilled Salmon with BBQ Sauce is a quick and healthy dinner recipe.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin For Later Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 88kcal
    Author: Anne Clark | My Kitchen Serenity

    Equipment

    • mixing bowl
    • grill
    • Basting Brush
    • measuring cup
    • measuring spoons

    Ingredients

    • 4 8 ounces each Salmon Filets with skin on
    • ⅔ cup Sweet Baby Ray's with Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
    • 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
    • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • ⅓ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ⅓ teaspoon Onion Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Mix all the ingredients listed above (except salmon) in a medium-sized bowl.
    • Preheat your grill to medium heat. 
    • Use a brush to apply a thick coating of the bbq sauce to each salmon filet.  Note:  Be sure to check your salmon if you use a brush with bristles.  Sometimes the bristles come out and you end up with bristles in your meal.  I hate it when I find bristles in my food!  Use a silicone basting brush as opposed to one with bristles to avoid this problem.  
    • Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the grill grate then add the filets to the grill.  Close the grill cover.
    • Cook salmon on your grill at medium heat for approximately 12 to 15 minutes.  For food safety purposes, make sure you grill the salmon to an internal temperature of 145 F.       
    • Remove the filets when they flake easily with a fork. 

    Notes

    Alternative Cooking Method:
    In case it's cold and rainy outside or you just don't have a grill, here is a grilling alternative. 
    Turn your oven broiler on high heat with the rack in the center.  Place your salmon on a greased baking dish and broil for 4 to 5 minutes.  The method works really well and you may find that you prefer broiling to grilling.        
    Leftover Salmon?
    Like most fish species, salmon doesn't reheat very well.  If you have leftover salmon, my suggestion is to refrigerate it and later add it to a nice salad mix.
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @mykitchenserenity or tag #mykitchenserenity on Instagram!!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 505mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

    cooked salmon fillet on red plate with grilled zucchini on the side

     

    If you make this recipe, please share on Instagram.  Tag me at @mykitchenserenity or #mykitchenserenity.  I'd love to hear how your's turned out!

     

    Thanks for reading!  

    « Easy Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
    Low Carb Oatmeal Recipe »

    About Anne Clark

    Hi! I'm Anne, the founder and content creator at My Kitchen Serenity, a food blog focused on serving the needs of busy moms and dads who are looking for easy and delicious recipes for the family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    5 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Profile picture pose outside in front of tall brown grass in lavender floral blouse

    Hi. I’m Anne and I’m happy to share with you my easy, family-friendly recipes. I’ve been cooking for my family for 30 years, and what I’ve learned is that most busy families appreciate easy homemade meals. Now that the kids are grown, my passion is creating and sharing flavorful food for you and your family to enjoy as well. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at Anne@mykitchenserenity.com. 

    I’d love to hear from you!

    Recently Updated

    • Cooked Cajun spaghetti on white plate with two slices of buttered French bread on the side.
      Cajun Sausage Spaghetti
    • Baked cookies piled high in a large, black bowl.
      Homestyle Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
    • Baked and sliced meatloaf on a white serving platter.
      Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf
    • Overhead view of a bowl of etoufee with white rice. Sliced green onions for garnish. With sliced, toasted French bread in the background.
      Cajun Crawfish Etouffee

    Seasonal Favorites

    • baked cornbread dressing in white rectangular casserole dish with wooden serving spatula on the side
      Southern Cornbread Dressing
    • Whole Chocolate Chess Pie in white pie plate with silver pie server on the side and blue napkin
      Easy Chocolate Chess Pie
    • baked cheese macaroni in white oblong casserole dish with silver spoon scooping
      Southern Mac and Cheese Baked
    • baked and glazed cake with slice on cake server
      Easy Apricot Nectar Cake with Glaze
    • baked casserole in a white oblong dish with one serving removed and wooden spoon sitting on top of casserole
      Cheesy Cabbage Casserole
    • baked squares on white oblong platter and round plate
      Keto Pumpkin Bars with Candied Pecan Topping

    Popular Recipes

    • brats in buns topped with red, green, and yellow bell pepper strips on top. Sauerkraut in bowl in background.
      How to Cook Brats in the Oven
    • baked beans in white bowl
      Baked Beans with Ground Beef
    • rotel chicken spaghetti in blue bowl with white napkin and fork
      Easy Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
    • three baked muffins on white plate
      Easy Banana Nut Muffins Recipe
    • Easy BLT Dip with Cream Cheese
    • stuffed peppers with cauliflower rice
      Keto Stuffed Bell Peppers

    Cajun Favorites

    • Cooked Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya in pan with toasted french bread on the side
      Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
    • Red beans and sausage next to rice on brown plate with cornbread on the side.
      Easy Cajun Red Beans and Rice
    • Baked chicken breast with potato wedges and green salad on the side.
      Cajun Butter Chicken
    • Baked Casserole in white oblong dish with wooden spoon
      Easy Shrimp and Rice Casserole
    • fried green tomatoes stacked on white plate with shrimp creole sauce poured on top
      Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Cajun Sauce
    • cooked jambalaya in pan on wooden table with glass of water and white bowl on the side and blue and white striped kitchen towel in the background
      Easy Keto Jambalaya Recipe

    Profile picture pose outside in front of tall brown grass in lavender floral blouse

    Hi. I’m Anne and I’m happy to share with you my easy, family-friendly recipes. I’ve been cooking for my family for 30 years, and what I’ve learned is that most busy families appreciate easy homemade meals. Now that the kids are grown, my passion is creating and sharing flavorful food for you and your family to enjoy as well. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at Anne@mykitchenserenity.com. 

    I’d love to hear from you!

    Recently Updated

    • Easy Lemon Lush Dessert
    • One cooked and seasoned pork chop with a pat of butter on top on a white serving plate.
      Easy Buttermilk Brined Pork Chops
    • Baked meatball sliders on white serving platter.
      Easy Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders
    • Three layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting in between the layers and on top. Sides not frosted.
      Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Seasonal Favorites

    • baked cornbread dressing in white rectangular casserole dish with wooden serving spatula on the side
      Southern Cornbread Dressing
    • Whole Chocolate Chess Pie in white pie plate with silver pie server on the side and blue napkin
      Easy Chocolate Chess Pie
    • baked cheese macaroni in white oblong casserole dish with silver spoon scooping
      Southern Mac and Cheese Baked
    • baked and glazed cake with slice on cake server
      Easy Apricot Nectar Cake with Glaze
    • baked casserole in a white oblong dish with one serving removed and wooden spoon sitting on top of casserole
      Cheesy Cabbage Casserole
    • baked squares on white oblong platter and round plate
      Keto Pumpkin Bars with Candied Pecan Topping

    Popular Recipes

    • brats in buns topped with red, green, and yellow bell pepper strips on top. Sauerkraut in bowl in background.
      How to Cook Brats in the Oven
    • baked beans in white bowl
      Baked Beans with Ground Beef
    • rotel chicken spaghetti in blue bowl with white napkin and fork
      Easy Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
    • three baked muffins on white plate
      Easy Banana Nut Muffins Recipe
    • Easy BLT Dip with Cream Cheese
    • stuffed peppers with cauliflower rice
      Keto Stuffed Bell Peppers

    Cajun Favorites

    • Cooked Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya in pan with toasted french bread on the side
      Cajun Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
    • Red beans and sausage next to rice on brown plate with cornbread on the side.
      Easy Cajun Red Beans and Rice
    • Baked chicken breast with potato wedges and green salad on the side.
      Cajun Butter Chicken
    • Baked Casserole in white oblong dish with wooden spoon
      Easy Shrimp and Rice Casserole
    • fried green tomatoes stacked on white plate with shrimp creole sauce poured on top
      Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Cajun Sauce
    • cooked jambalaya in pan on wooden table with glass of water and white bowl on the side and blue and white striped kitchen towel in the background
      Easy Keto Jambalaya Recipe

    Footer

    collage of all featured articles

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy

    • Privacy Policy and Disclosure
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    742 shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.