Grilled Pineapple Salmon
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Make pineapple salmon on the grill for a tropical Caribbean twist on wood plank salmon. This recipe uses grilled pineapple as the planks!
After working on a recipe for pineapple hand pies, I wanted to use the leftover pineapple, which is where I got the inspiration for this dish. Making it is a snap, and it’s oh, so good!
Grilling salmon is a fantastic way to prepare a healthy bbq dinner quickly and without a lot of effort. This recipe for grilled pineapple salmon takes less than 20 minutes to make!
For those who don’t enjoy the flavor of grilled fish, there are plenty of other ways to prepare a heart-healthy salmon dinner. Making broiled salmon is really simple, and the fish takes just 2 minutes to cook!
Or, if you share my love for everything bagel seasoning, try my recipe for crispy pan seared salmon. The flavor of my homemade everything bagel seasoning that encrusts the fish is completely delicious!
Or, take a walk on the raw and wild side! Get some sushi-grade salmon to use instead of ahi tuna for a Japanese poke bowl!
Making pineapple salmon
This meal is a serious adventure in tropical flavor. If you have never tasted grilled pineapple, you are in for a treat! The sugars in the fruit caramelize as they cook, creating even more sweetness, but not to the point of being too sweet.
Not to mention, warm pineapple is so soft, it practically melts as it hits your tongue!
Now, imagine the amazing combination of flavors in this meal. Sweet grilled pineapple, umami flavor from teriyaki sauce, and the buttery rich flavor of the fresh salmon.
I bet even the people who don’t normally enjoy fish will thank you for making grilled pineapple salmon!
Grilling Indoors
If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, a grill pan on the stove should work. But, you’ll have to use a large pot lid or something else that will completely cover the grill pan.
Preventing a fire
Be sure to use cotton kitchen twine or heat-safe silicone bands to hold the pineapple planks onto the salmon. If you’re using cotton twine, soak it in water for a few minutes first. This prevents it from catching fire on the grill.
I may have gotten carried away with the kitchen twine here, but I didn’t want the packages to fall apart as I flipped them on the grill!
How to cut pineapple planks
- Lay the pineapple down on its side onto a cutting board. Use a knife to remove the leafy crown from the top. Discard the crown. Use your knife again to remove a portion from the bottom of the fruit, creating a flat bottom surface.
- Stand the fruit back up on the cutting board. Hold a sharp chef’s knife in one hand and use your free hand to hold the pineapple steady. Starting at the top of the fruit, and next to the fibrous outer skin, cut around the pineapple, following the natural curve, but leave an inch of flesh on your “planks”. Repeat on the remaining 3 sides, then cube the bulk of the pineapple for another use and discard the pineapple core.
FAQ about grilling salmon
Using a plank, whether it’s made of wood or a large piece of fruit like pineapple, is one of the easiest ways to keep fish from falling apart on the grill. This is because with plank grilled salmon, you don’t have to flip the salmon over. Another great option is to grill salmon in foil.
To keep things simple, cook salmon with skin side down on the grill. The flesh of the fish is very tender, so it’s difficult to slide a spatula underneath it without a risk of it falling apart. It’s much easier to slide a fish spatula underneath the skin.
That white stuff oozing out from your cooked fish is harmless; it’s a coagulated protein called albumin. Although albumin doesn’t have much flavor, it’s perfectly safe to eat if you want to.
This usually happens when salmon is cooked over very high heat, and/or too quickly. Because you’ll use an indirect grilling method to make grilled pineapple salmon, you may not notice any albumin.
Indirect grilling involves cooking the food off of the direct flame (or white-hot charcoal) of the grill. This allows the food to cook gently, so it stays moist and doesn’t dry out while it’s cooking.Â
For this recipe, when you cook the salmon on a plank of grilled pineapple, the fruit becomes a protective barrier between the fish and the heat of the grill.
In comparison, direct grilling is perfect for a dish like blackened shrimp or salmon. This is when that super high heat and quick cooking process helps to create a good crust on the fish.
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This recipe first appeared on Kevin Is Cooking May 5, 2015 and has been updated with new content.
Grilled Pineapple Salmon
Ingredients
- 16 oz Salmon filets two 8oz. filets
- Cilantro
- 1 Pineapple
- 1/2 cup Teriyaki sauce
Instructions
- Soak kitchen twine in a small bowl with water. Set aside. Preheat your grill to 350° F.
- Lay pineapple on its side. Cut off and discard the leafy crown from the top and a small portion from the bottom of the fruit to create a flat surface.
- Stand the pineapple up on a cutting surface and slice down next to the core on each of the four sides to create 4 "planks". Cut and store pineapple in refrigerator for another use.
- Rinse salmon under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Lay a few sprigs of cilantro on top of a pineapple plank, then A salmon filet and brush with teriyaki sauce. Add another sprig of cilantro and top with another pineapple plank. Secure with kitchen twine tightly so salmon doesn't slide out when grilling. Repeat with other salmon and pineapple.
- Grill covered for 15 minutes and turn over, then cut kitchen twine. Remove pineapple plank and set on outer area of grill to continue to cook and caramelize. Baste top of each salmon with teriyaki sauce several times. Cover the grill and cook for a few more minutes until the salmon springs back when pressed slightly and is opaque.
- Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 minutes. To plate, serve each grilled salmon on top of one of the grilled pineapple planks, baste one more time with any remaining teriyaki sauce and garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Cut remaining grilled pineapple from planks and serve with steamed rice.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I followed the recipe and it took WAY longer to het up to temperature then the directions. Also I don’t feel like the pineapple flavored the fish at all. Not impressed with this recipe
Are you talking about the grill heating up or the 18+ minutes total cooking time for the salmon Rachel. Sorry that it wasn’t to your liking. Also, that grilled pineapple is served alongside the salmon so you experience both in each bite if preferred.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!! The melding of flavors was truly amazing. I cheated and used a flip grill basket. So glad you said you used 350 degrees. I monitored it like a hawk and it came out perfectly! My husband said that this is the best salmon recipe yet and I have done at least 10 new ones in the past couple months. By far the best!
So glad you enjoyed this one Beth. Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know! I have several salmon and other fish recipes, hope you check those out, too. 🙂
I really gave this my best shot. I could blame my grilling novice or my crummy pair of tongs, but it was incredibly difficult.
The note about slippery salmon was irrelevant during the tight tying of the planks, because later on after the string was snipped and the fish was liberated.
The pineapple planks aren’t exactly level. I lost one portion to the grill, unfortunately, as it skidded away from my aforementioned terrible tongs.
And then I pulled them too soon. (That is simply my salmon grilling naivete showing.) The smaller pieces were ok.
I was really excited to try this recipe, but it must be made for people much more skilled than I.
My spouse ate the smaller portions, though wasn’t enthused.
I wish to give it two stars, as it wasn’t inedible. The website seems to be glitching though.
Well kudos to you for giving such an effort and apologies if it was a bit frustrating for you. Please don’t underestimate yourself, practice makes perfect and it took me a many grilling session to get comfortable with it, the heat, using tongs, etc. I hope you give it a try again.
What exactly do you mean that the website seemed to be glitching? If you’re a little more specific I might better be able to look into it.
Thanks for stopping back and letting me know Elizabeth. Have a great day.
This looks amazing! Been wondering what to do with that tin of pineapples in my cupboard for ages.
Fresh pineapple is the best, but put those canned to work and give this a try Kate! Thanks for visiting my site and have a great day. 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight. Was awesome! Served with lime coconut jasmine rice. Thanks for the recipe
So appreciate the feedback, glad you enjoyed them Lauren!
Love the pineapple planks! Such a great idea!!
Thanks Kristen. Just checked out your site and am loving it and the photography. Glad to have connected and found your food blog. Have a great day.