Take butter out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften.
Add butter to a mixing bowl and add pressed garlic and herbs. You can either use a blender or simply mix it with a fork. Mix it until all ingredients are incorporated throughout the butter.
Grilled Salmon:
Prepare the coals for the grill until ashed over and make sure to clean the grill grate. Set the coals to the lowest level away from the grill grate.
Pat salmon fillets dry with a paper towel.
Season each fillet with salt on all sides. Use most of the butter to coat each piece and set some aside to top off salmon after it is cooked.
Place each salmon fillet on the grill skin side up first. Close the lid and cook salmon for 3-4 minutes before flipping. Salmon will release once it’s cooked enough so don’t try to mess with it or move it too soon.
Flip each fillet using a fish spatula, close the grill, and let it cook for another 4-6 minutes. A 1 1/2 – 2 inch salmon fillet will take 8-10 minutes to cook.
You can also use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the thickest part of the fish. Salmon is done when reaches 145°. Take it off the grill when it is about 142° and let it rest to get to temp all the way.
Top each piece of salmon with a teaspoon or so of herb butter while still hot.
Video
Notes
Make sure to use skin-on salmon: It’s always best to leave the skin on the salmon when grilling. It protects the fish from falling apart, makes it juicier because of the fat content, and makes the fish easier get off the grill.
Be patient! Remember not to mess with the fish once you place it on the grill and after you flip it. Fish and other meats naturally release off the grill once it’s 50-60% cooked. So if you try to tug at it or move too soon, it will break apart. So just place on the grill, let it cook, flip, and let it cook again.
Reheating: First of all, salmon doesn’t always need to be reheated! Cold salmon is perfect in a salad or a wrap sandwich, just flake it apart and use it cold. If you do want it hot, there are two methods that I use to reheat salmon. You can reheat it in a pan or in the oven.
To preserve the crispy skin, reheat salmon in the pan. Preheat the pan oven medium heat and place salmon skin side down. Close the lid and let it heat through.
Salmon can also be reheated in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F, loosely wrap each filet in foil, and reheat for about 15 minutes. Reheating salmon in the oven will help keep it more juicy.