Grilled Salmon Collars

October 6, 2025

Cool evenings invite comforting and refined meals, and Grilled Salmon Collars deliver precisely that. This flavorful cut, taken from just beneath the gills, offers tender, buttery meat with crispy, flame-seared edges that bring out its natural richness. When grilled to perfection, it becomes the kind of dish that fits right into the rhythm of fall—warm, smoky, and deeply satisfying.

As autumn settles in, the aroma of grilled salmon mingles beautifully with the season’s cooler air. A squeeze of citrus and a brush of soy-based glaze bring balance—bright, savory, and slightly sweet. Served beside roasted squash or grilled root vegetables, this dish feels at home among the colors and textures of the season.

Enjoying a meal like this outside highlights what fall dining is all about—warmth, simplicity, and connection. A well-prepared grill setup turns cool weather into the best time to cook outdoors, letting you savor the evening instead of rushing back inside.

Whether you need a new grill or a complete outdoor kitchen upgrade, explore Nicolock’s outdoor dining products designed to make every meal unforgettable. Then visit our collection of recipes for more dishes that celebrate the flavor and comfort of the season.

Serves 4

Grilled Salmon Collars Ingredients

• 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 fresh red chile (such as Fresno or Holland), coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• ½ cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup sake
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 4 salmon collars (about 3 pounds total), scaled, fins removed
• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil (for grill)

Grilled Salmon Collars Directions

1. Bring ginger, chile, garlic, mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugar, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 15–20 minutes. Let cool. Strain tare through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring glass or small bowl; discard solids. Set aside ¼ cup tare. Pour remaining tare into a large resealable plastic bag. Season salmon lightly with salt and place in a bag. Seal the bag and turn the salmon to coat. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours (go the full time for the most flavor).
2. Prepare a grill for medium heat. You want moderate heat for fatty fish like salmon, so the fat can slowly render while the skin gets nice and crisp. Clean the grate well with a wire brush. Just before you set salmon on the grill, fold up a paper towel and hold it with a pair of long tongs. Dip the paper towel in oil and wipe down the grate.
3. Remove salmon from tare, letting excess drip back into the bag; discard tare in the bag. Grill salmon, skin side down, brushing occasionally with reserved ¼ cup tare, until skin is lightly charred and crisp, 5–7 minutes. Turn salmon and grill until the other side is lightly charred (don't brush this side with tare), about 5 minutes. Transfer salmon collars to a platter.

Taken from bonappetit.com