Honey BBQ Salmon

Apologies for the lack of salmon on the plate, but this meal was eaten up so quickly I barely got this photo in at all.  I’ve had BBQ salmon at several restaurants and really enjoy it and the health benefits of salmon as well.  This recipe tasted just like I ordered it at a restaurant.  Now, you have to make your own BBQ sauce, but I really liked that part because you can control the spiciness and also using Hunt’s Ketchup let me avoid high fructose corn syrup.   BBQ sauces without high fructose corn syrup in them are few and far between!

Honey BBQ Salmon
yields 4 servings (or 2 servings for 2 hungry adults and 2 small children)

Sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp. liquid hickory smoke (near the BBQ sauce section in my grocery.  Smells soooo good)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. Tabasco pepper sauce

Seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I used 1/8 tsp. only because my cayenne pepper is ground fresh and much hotter than grocery store ones)

1 – 12oz. package of frozen salmon fillets OR
4 – 6oz. salmon fillets, without skin

1.   To make the sauce: mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan.  Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.  The BBQ sauce should thicken slightly.  Take off the stove to allow to cool.
2.  Mix together all the ingredients for the seasoning.
3.  Preheat you grill to high heat or preheat your grill pan for the stove to medium-high.
4.  Take the seasoning and sprinkle both sides of each piece of salmon.  Lay on the grill or pan.  Cook 6 minutes.  Flip.  Cook another 6 minutes.  Cook until fish is done (145 degrees) or check with a fork in the middle to see if it is flaky.
5.  Pour or brush the BBQ sauce onto the fish.

Adapted from Todd Wilbur’s Top Secret Recipes 3