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Jerk Grilled Salmon

Grilled salmon fillets marinated in a spicy ginger and pepper sauce.

From the Wikibooks Cookbook · 12 ingredients
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Why it works: Cinnamon and nutmeg match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 11,917 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓

Jerk Grilled Salmon

Time5–7 minutes rest

Ingredients

Directions

Make the marinade

  1. Purée all ingredients except salmon and oil until smooth in a blender or food processor.

  2. While the machine is running, slowly drizzle in the oil.

  3. Pour the sauce into a gallon-size zip-top bag.

  4. Add salmon and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

Grill and serve

  1. Heat about 28 charcoal briquets in a large chimney starter.

  2. Disperse the briquets evenly around the bottom of the grill.

  3. Reapply the grate.

  4. Quickly grease the grate with the towel.

  5. Add the salmon skin side down and cook, covered, turning often, until pink throughout and flakes easily when tested with a fork.

  6. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.

  7. Let rest 5–7 minutes before serving warm.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

376Calories
21 gProtein
28 gFat
10 gCarbs

Counts 11 of 13 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 11 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Salmon100g cooked208
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Nutmeg1 tsp ground (2.2g)12
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Cinnamon1 tsp ground (2.6g)6
Allspice1 tsp ground (1.9g)5
Thyme1 tsp dried (1.4g)4
Ginger1 tsp grated fresh (2g)2
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Scotchnot in our table0
Grains Of Paradisenot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Cinnamon + nutmegtop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together11,917 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  2. Allspice + cinnamontop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together5,536 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  3. Allspice + nutmegtop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together3,331 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  4. Allspice + thymetop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,077 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  5. Ginger + cinnamontop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together6,380 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Salmon fillets
Provides the main protein, which firms and turns opaque as it cooks.
Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers
Supply the heat and fruity aroma that define the jerk flavour.
Olive oil
Carries the spices and keeps the fish moist on the grill.
Ginger
Adds a sharp, aromatic bite that cuts through the richness of the fish.
Allspice
Contributes the warm, clove-like aroma central to jerk seasoning.

The step that matters

Grilling the salmon skin side down over moderate heat. Skin protects the flesh from sticking and drying, but fillets stick if the grate is not greased and hot enough. Turning often and cooking covered keeps the heat even so the fish cooks through without burning the surface.

Swap the ginger

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (salmon, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, olive):

  1. Clovefits better
  2. Marjoramfits better
  3. Cardamomfits better
  4. Gingerthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against salmon, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, olive. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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