salmon skin sticking

[tenorGJ]

Despite a heavy coat of EVOO, my salmon filet skins is sticking to the grill grate. I'm running on high temp for 15-20 minutes and grilling the salmon filets at highest setting (with a little hickory smoke pellets) for approx. 10 minutes per inch (flipping half-way through). Anyone have a tip on how to keep the skins from sticking?

These filets are wild and previously frozen, so maybe that’s why?

They make good crispy treats for the dogs, though 

[smokeasaurus]

I use a veggie pan to grill my salmon on in my charcoal grill, but I think the SRG gets hotter....hopefully the pros will be on shortly to give ya a hand.....

[drholly]

A few questions - and I mean no disrespect...

Are you oiling the salmon or the grate?
Is the fish dry before you oil it?
Is the grate really, really clean?

When I have a problem those are 9 times out of 10 the cause. The other is just not letting the process complete - in other words let the food release naturally.

Now, if you've done all that (and you probably have) there is another issue.

[TMB]

If you oil the grate the oil simply burns off before it can do any good, brushing oil on the meat would help.  DrHolly is correct about letting the meat finish cooking as well.

  The meat has to release on it's own or you just pull it up and tear the flesh.

[tenorGJ]

Thanks guys. Oiling the meat. I did dry the fish before oiling. Grate is clean--out of the dish washer.

[tlg4942]

  I cook salmon pretty often. I never oil the skin. I buy salmon flown in fresh (its almost frozen)at a local distributor and I just take it out of the bag and put it on the "HOT" grill...
 Like the others said just let the process complete and it almost always releases with a minimum of effort.
Secondly why high temp?  I usually go medium heat but I don't know if that makes any difference at all.
 It seems the high temp would make it release sooner than later. 
Are you starting with the grill HOT? That may be a factor...

 I rarely flip it.. Only if I'm in a hurry or if I want a few grill marks.   

Thirdly,  Barry Martin has a stroke over it and accuses me of "Frying" but I sometimes put it on open foil skin down. Place a thin coat of VERI VERI Teriyaki  on the meat. The skin will stick tight to the foil and when its done you can just use a spatula and slide the meat right off the skin. Fried or not its very good.
 

[drholly]

tlg has some very good points - a medium / hot grill does (imo) work better than screaming hot. As for oiling the skin - again, it is not to make it release it just helps move the heat to the meat. Whichever works best for you is perfect. But as Tommy said - oiling the grate doesn't really do anything - the grate is probably +500* almost every oil will be gone instantly. The real key is - let the fish cook (it has plenty of natural oil) - don't play with it and when it is ready to release it will - you already have your grates clean so you are good to go.

BTW - I also agree with tlg - however you make it on the grill, sous vide, etc - salmon is delicious!

[tenorGJ]

Thx, all. Good points....

[LostArrow]

Thanks guys. Oiling the meat. I did dry the fish before oiling. Grate is clean--out of the dish washer.

Don't run the grill grate through the dishwasher.
The aluminum will develop a seasoning similar to cast iron & become a better nonstick surface.

[hikerman]

I don't have an SRG so can't help much on that end, but I agree with LostArrow. The dishwasher is removing the seasoning of the grates.

Here is how I make salmon filets on the grill. Very simple. Season your filets and place on aluminum foil skin side down, NO oil. Lid on for about 10 minutes ( varies with thickness)I use the clean finger push test for doneness. No flipping and when done to your likeness hang onto a corner of foil and using a thin spatula get between the skin and flesh and push thru, leaving the stuck skin on the foil for easy clean up.