Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Bites with Lemon Garlic Mayo

Fish cooked over a fire is a wonderful thing to eat, but it has a reputation for being tricky and sticking to the grill bars. I solve the sticking problem by wrapping cubed salmon in bacon, which acts as a protective (not to mention tasty!) layer between the fish and the grill bars.

How to Prepare the Salmon

To get nice even cubes, start with skinless salmon that’s at least an inch thick. But no worries if one side of your fillet is a little thin, you can still use it. Simply cut that section into slightly bigger pieces and fold it in half to create a thicker portion. This recipe would also work well with any firm white fish, like cod or haddock.

Salmon is a delicate protein. The lemon juice will start to break down the proteins pretty quickly, effectively beginning the cooking process. That is also why you should not add the lemon juice over the salmon more than a couple of hours before grilling.

Use Any Fresh Herb You Fancy 

I keep it simple and use chives to coat the salmon, but any soft fresh herb, like basil, parsley, or cilantro would be great. Woody herbs, like rosemary or thyme, are a little too strong in flavor, but if you want to try them—just use a little less.

Two Skewers are Better than One

I often double skewer any sort of kebab and this recipe is no exception. If you pierce a skewer through both edges of the bacon, not only are you guaranteed to keep it secure, it will also be easier to flip on the grill. A single skewer through the center can end up spinning around as the fish and bacon cooks and contracts, making it a little tricky to flip. 

I usually recommend using metal skewers as they are reusable and don’t burn on the grill. For this recipe, wooden toothpicks are okay because they’re not on the grill for long so they shouldn’t burn too badly. But use small metal skewers if you have them.

Make it a Kebab

You can cook the salmon bites kebab-style using longer skewers. Keep some space between each piece of salmon so that they don’t touch and cook more evenly. You may need to grill them for a bit longer too. 

How to Set Up the Grill

Whether you use a charcoal or gas grill, you’ll need to create two grilling zones: high direct heat for searing the bacon and lower indirect heat for cooking the salmon through.

• For a charcoal grill: Place the lit coals on one half of the grill, leaving the other half coal-free. 
• For a gas grill: Turn on the burners on one side and keep the burners on the other side off. 

Right above the fire, you’ll get direct heat. Away from the lit coals or above the burners kept off, you’ll get indirect heat. 

Say No to Fish Stuck on Grill 

• Start with a clean and hot grill. Salmon likes heat, so make sure you are cooking it directly over the fire to start. Get the grill nice and hot and give the grill bars a really good scrub with a wire grill brush before you place the fish on top. 
• Cook the salmon bites bacon-side-down on the grill. If they’re stuck when you try to flip them, let them be for a few more seconds before trying again. Once the bacon develops a little bit of a seared crust, it will naturally release from the grill bars.

Planning for Guests

You can assemble the salmon in the skewers up to 2 hours ahead of time—keep them chilled in the fridge—and then grill them once your guests arrive. These are best served hot off the grill! 

The lemon garlic mayo is really simple and quick. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, so you can make it ahead of time.

Grilled and Ready for Guests

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