I could tell you about how delicious this salmon is, but honestly I can barely think about grilling right now. Since arriving in Austin it’s been so hot I keep dreaming about submerging myself in a bathtub full of ice cream. Heavy on the ice, please.
Yes — it’s that warm here.
Before I left Pittsburgh and walked straight into the personal steam bath that is summer in Texas, I made potato salad. Then I made salmon. Then we ate it together — and it was perfect.
I could have lived on that potato salad alone, but my partner insists potatoes alone don’t make a complete dinner. So I fired up the grill and added salmon to the menu.
I cooked down fresh blueberries until they burst, then turned them into a quick homemade barbecue sauce with a touch less sugar than usual. I nearly ate the sauce with a spoon. I brushed it over buttery grilled salmon, and we ate until we were blissfully full.
Give this a try — it’s fantastic.
Grilled Blueberry BBQ Salmon
2 or 3
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds salmon filet, whole or cut into portions
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
for the sauce:
- 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (blueberry-flavored balsamic works well)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
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Place blueberries in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm until they begin to bubble and burst, about 10 minutes, then mash them with a fork. Add ketchup, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, ground mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk to combine and break up the blueberries. Increase heat to medium until the mixture bubbles, stirring occasionally, then reduce to low and simmer for 20 minutes, whisking every few minutes. The sauce will thicken and be slightly clumpy compared to store-bought BBQ sauce.
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Preheat your grill to its highest setting. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. When the grill is very hot, place the filet directly on the grates and cook for 5 minutes, then gently flip. Brush the salmon with the blueberry BBQ sauce and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, about 5–6 more minutes (time will vary with thickness; mine was about 1 1/2 inches thick). Remove from the grill, brush with remaining sauce and serve.
Notes
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Time to go survive the heat!