Sweet ‘N’ Sour Orange Salmon Recipe

There are plenty of people who would say salmon is too “fishy” for them; to be fair, salmon is a bit fishy but it’s also a blank canvas that can take on just about any flavor profile you like. Traditionalists usually go with just a little salt and pepper and maybe some lemon juice for their grilled salmon. Others may venture into the orange zest with orange juice and honey marinade. All delicious in my book, but today we’re doign sweet and sour orange salmon.

This salmon recipe is super easy, and of course I’m doing it on the grill. If you don’t have a grill or if it’s pouring rain outside this can also be done in a preheated oven. If you follow my blog you know I’m unitedbyflame so I always prefer cooking on the grill.

One last and possibly the MOST IMPORTANT thing about salmon is to know the source of your salmon. I blogged about the differences between wild caught and farm raised salmon here. As you can tell I’m pretty passionate about the source of my proteins so definitely check that blog.

If you’re looking for the best salmon ever, check this out. It’s pricey and doesn’t fit every budget but if you can splurge a little, it’s definitely worth it. If not, no worries—just be sure your salmon is wild caught and not farm raised.

Enjoy this recipe and tag me on social media if you try it. If you change it up a little, even better—let me know what you did to make this different, I’m always looking for new things to try myself.

Sweet ‘N’ Sour Orange Salmon Recipe

Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 mins. | Cook time: 10 mins.

Ingredients
Fish:
4 salmon fillets
2 tsp sesame oil

Sweet ‘N’ Sour Orange Sauce for Glazed Salmon:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp fresh minced garlic
1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp cornstarch

Step-by-Step Instructions for Sweet ‘N’ Sour Orange Salmon Recipe

Step 1: Pat the salmon dry and remove any pin bones that may remain. Use about 2 tsp of sesame oil to lightly coat the skin and tops of the salmon fillets and set them aside on a baking sheet. If you don’t have sesame oil you can use cooking spray or olive oil, but the sesame oil has a nice flavor to it.

Step 2: In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add the 1/2 tsp sesame oil and sauté the garlic and ginger for about a minute until it is fragrant. Add the fresh orange juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce and whisk until dissolved.

Step 3: Bring the mixture up to a boil and then lower the heat and allow it to simmer on medium low until the mixture begins to thicken slightly and reduces, about 5-6 minutes. Whisk in the cornstarch until it’s completely dissolved and set the glaze aside in a small bowl to cool slightly and to allow it to continue to thicken. It should be the consistency of syrup.

Step 4: Preheat your grill to 450°F and set it for two zone cooking. Cook the salmon fillets skin side down over direct heat for 2-3 minutes then flip them and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Once seared, move the salmon over to indirect heat (skin side down) and coat with the glaze.

Step 5: Close the grill lid and allow the glaze to set for about a minute or so, then apply a second coat if desired. Remove from the heat and serve with sesame seeds and sliced green onion. You’ll know the salmon is perfectly done when it flakes easily with a fork.

*Note—Try this salmon with my grilled baby bok choy recipe to bring the house down.

Make this Sweet ‘N’ Sour Orange Salmon Recipe: