How to Cook Frozen Salmon Grilled

This frozen salmon grill recipe will save the day if you forgot to defrost dinner. Grilled frozen fish is possible and delicious. This is one of our favorite Traeger or electric smoker recipes of all time.

If you’ve ever wondered how to cook frozen salmon grill style it is totally possible, and delish. Just make a quick tray out of foil so it stays moist on your grate and enjoy as a healthy dinner idea this week. Use a charcoal or pellet grill to make it to perfection. THIS is how to cook frozen salmon you’re going to love. (affiliate links present)

Can you Cook Frozen Salmon on the Grill

Yep. I don’t know about you but when I find fish on sale I load up. Whether it is at the grocery store, fish market or it’s a special ButcherBox item I buy bunches. Not only is it heart healthy and great for my high cholesterol but my kids are even obsessed with seafood.

I will admit that cooking frozen fish in air fryer is a fave, but sometimes I want to grill. Why do I share this?? Well because I am forgetful and don’t always remember to take it out the night before. That was once a problem but not anymore with these tips I have saved for myself and y’all.

If you have a Foodi you may have already followed by Instant Pot frozen salmon recipe with butter and fresh slices of lemon. That doesn’t take very long to “steam” that way but you may not have that machine. Using the air crisp function you may have cooked air fryer frozen salmon a time or two too.

It’s summertime though and that means we want to soak in all the sunshine as possible though right? Especially if you live in a snowy area we covet the sun, which means grilling is where it’s at. Love smoked salmon but forgot to defrost it, NO problem…let us show you how to cook the next best thing.

How to Grill Frozen Salmon

First off if you have a few pieces left over from your last trip to the store you want to make sure they are separated. If they aren’t already just run them under some warm water and pull those babies apart. Another way is that if they are in a baggie you can lay in some cold water for a few minutes until separated.

It won’t really work unless they are the same thickness and smaller portioned out pieces work best as far as that is concerned too. Blot with paper towels to remove water from outside and follow steps below to continue.

Frozen Salmon on the Grill

We are talking specifically about this pink swimmer in this post, light with oil to keep it moisturized and tender. If you love homemade teriyaki sauce though you could brush that on in the last 5 minutes as well for added flavor. That goes for any other added seasonings, we are talking more about the technique here.

How to preheat your grill

What I mean by this is with charcoal make sure the coals have turned white, for pellets I would heat to 350 if you have a temperature gage. You want an even heat without flames rising is all. Same thing when grilling frozen shrimp too.

This is the brand of pellet smoker and grill we have. Anything above 250 degrees F is considered grilling vs. smoking food. Doesn’t matter what brand you have. We used to have a Green Mountain and before that a Coleman. Just create an even heat before setting your foil tray on top.

How to Cook Traeger Frozen Salmon

• Using heavy duty foil, or two layers, create a small foil platter to hold salmon.
  • Drizzle with oil and spread evenly on the bottom.
  • Place frozen salmon onto the foil, salmon skin side down.
    • could brush with olive oil on bottom to prevent salmon from sticking if you want to eat the skin
• Drizzle the top with foil and use a pastry brush to evenly spread oil onto the fillets.
  • Preheat grill.
  • Place foil directly onto grill grate.
• Close the lid to cook fish
  • fully cooked for us means a very thin strip of light pink in the middle, we hate overcooked and gray (NO!)
• Heat for about 15 minutes or until edges around the salmon fillets are crusty and there is no more moisture. (fully cooked timing will vary depending on the thickness and desired internal meat temperature)
  • if you want to add our dry rub, posted link below, sprinkle that on after minute 10 so it will stick well

Traeger grilled salmon with just a brush of olive oil and fresh lemon juiced squeezed is wonderful as well as adding out salmon dry rub halfway thru once it defrosts a bit.

You could do this same thing in your oven too though if you were at home and it’s cold outside. You can make as is listed below, or with sauce and follow our directions for oven baked teriyaki salmon in foil for temp and timing.