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How To Tell When Grilled Salmon Is Done

Grilled Salmon is a great healthy option for dinner. Grilling salmon gives it a great smoking grilled flavor that you will love.

You can tell when grilled salmon is done a few different ways. The easiest ways to tell are by using a food-grade thermometer, or by looking at it for flakiness.

A perfectly grilled salmon is cooked to medium doneness with an internal temperature of about 120-125°F.

In the post, I will cover the different ways to know when grilled salmon is done cooking and just what to look for.

Grilled salmon on a dark wooden background.

Methods to tell if grilled salmon is done

There are a few ways to know when your wild-caught or farm-raised salmon is ready to come off from the grill.

Using a food-grade thermometer is going to be your truest answer as to when to get it off the grill.

Don’t worry if you don’t have one though cause you can tell by looking at it pretty easily or you can use a fork to prick it and check for flakiness also.

Just remember that when you remove your salmon from the grill it will continue to cook a little bit off the grill.

Food thermometer

Using a thermometer to check if your salmon is done cooking is the best way to be sure that it is done.

You want to probe the thermometer into the thickest part of your salmon after you have cooked it for about 7 minutes.

When you get the internal temperature up to 120°F-125°F you want to remove it from the grill. This will allow for the salmon to cook up to 125°F-130°F which is perfect for a medium juicy salmon.

Fork test

When you think your salmon is done cooking you can give it the “fork test”. Glide a fork or push down lightly across the white marks of the fish going in the opposite direction.

If you see the salmon separate or flake along the white lines then you know that it is ready to come off from the grill.

Look at it

Raw salmon will have a dark pink color to it. When it is done cooking it will become an opaque pink on the outside with a translucent pink in the middle.

If the inside becomes an opaque pinkish color then it has been overcooked.

If it still looks dark pink then you want to allow for it to cook a few more minutes. But don’t forget that it cooks fast so it won’t take long.

How to grill salmon

When you are grilling salmon it is best to grill it between 375°F and 450°F for about 7-10 minutes. The size of the salmon will determine how long you need to grill it for.

Start by laying the skin side down on the grill for about 5 minutes and then flip it over and continue to grill for another 2-3 minutes.

Check out my post all about grilling salmon skin side up or down.

Salmon cooks up quickly on the grill so you will want to stay right there with it while it cooks. No one likes overcooked salmon.

I have another great post on how to tell when grilled portabello mushrooms are done and also one for shrimp… how to tell when grilled shrimp is done.

Is salmon supposed to be pink?

Yes, wild-caught salmon is naturally pink in color due to its diet. It will be a darker pink in color but it will lighten up a little after it has been cooked.

Do you flip salmon on the grill?

Yes, you want to flip your salmon when cooking it on the grill. Start by cooking the skin side down on the grates and then when it is almost done you flip it over.

Is it OK to eat slightly undercooked salmon?

No, it is never recommended to eat salmon that is undercooked. Salmon should be cooked to at least 120°F before being removed from the grill. It will continue cooking up to 125°F-130°F and be cooked to medium.

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