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A close up view of a fillet of grilled salmon topped with a pad of melting poblano butter sitting on a bed of cilantro rice on a white plate.

Grilled Salmon with Poblano Butter

Course: Entree / Seafood, Seafood
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinating and Pepper Roasting: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 428kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
Grilled Salmon with Poblano Butter is divine. Make the compound butter ahead of time, and you won't believe how quickly this superstar dish comes together. Serve over a bed of greens, and you'll have an amazing dish on your hands. Awesome!
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Gas or electric grill, or indoor grill, or grill pan

Ingredients

For the Salmon

  • 4 fillets salmon about 2 to 3 lbs
  • 3 tablespoon lime juice fresh
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin ground
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 4 limes halved, for garnish

For the Roasted Poblano Butter

  • 1 poblano chile
  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter softened, 1 stick
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh
  • 1 tablespoon Agavé or honey
  • 1 tablespoon cumin ground
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions

Prepare the Salmon

  • Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in a large glass dish. In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, oil, soy sauce, garlic, and cumin.
    4 fillets salmon, 3 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp cumin
  • Pour the sauce over the salmon, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, turning once.

Make the Compound Butter

  • Place the poblano pepper on a baking sheet and turn your broiler to HIGH. Place a rack about 4 to 6 inches under the broiler. Place the baking on the rack and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Use a pair of tongs to turn the pepper over and roast for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until charred all over.
    1 poblano chile
  • Place roasted chile in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Take the pepper out of the bowl, peel off the skin, and remove the seeds. Finely mince the roasted pepper and set aside.
  • Place the butter in a medium-sized bowl and add in 2 tablespoon of the roasted, minced poblano, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon Agavé, 1 teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Use a fork or whisk to work the butter until the ingredients are mixed in.
    8 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp Agavé, 1 tbsp cumin, ¼ tsp Kosher salt
  • Transfer the butter mixture to a square (10"x10") piece of parchment or wax paper. Using your hands, roll the paper over the butter and use your fingers to create a log of the compound butter. Place in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until the butter has hardened.

Finish the Dish

  • Turn your grill to medium-high heat. Spray the grates with cooking or grilling oil.
  • Place salmon, skin-side down. Sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper. Grill for 6 to 7 minutes. If desired, also place the lime halves on the grill at this point. Use a spatula or a pair of tongs, or the combination of both, to carefully flip the fillets over and grill for another 6 to 7 minutes, or until just cooked through.
    1 tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper
  • Remove the fillets and the lime halves from the grill and plate with a sliced pad of the poblano butter on top of the hot salmon. Garnish with grilled lime halves.
    4 limes

Video

Notes

NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.
If using cedar planks, be sure to soak them for 2 hours before placing them on the grill.  You can also prepare these on the stove with a hot grill pan or cast-iron skillet. Follow the same cook times as in the recipe, checking for doneness before serving. 
We like grilling the salmon with the skin on. This helps keep the fillet together without falling apart. If you prefer no skin, then use extra caution when flipping the fillets, or use a grill pan, or cedar planks.
Honey can be substituted for the Agavé. 
After roasting the peppers, you can gently run tap water over them to remove any excess seeds.  Pat the pepper dry with a paper towel before mincing. You'll only need 2 tablespoon of the pepper, which means you have some of the poblano left over. The roasted peppers are great in scrambled eggs or omelets, on a baked potato, or stirred into your favorite salsa. 
The butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. The marinade and cilantro rice can be made a day in advance. Don't let the salmon sit in the marinade for more than 2 hours because the citrus will cause the flesh to start to break down. Re-heat the rice in the oven in a covered dish for about 30 minutes, or until warmed through. 

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 1021mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 940IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg