Dreamy summer evenings call for delightful flaky, fire-kissed salmon straight from the grill. Easily accessible in most grocery stores and seafood markets, this well-loved protein is quick to cook and can be beautifully complemented with fresh seasonal produce like corn and tomatoes. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to grill succulent salmon at home.

King and sockeye salmon are most suitable for grilling. King salmon has a rich, buttery flavor, and its thickness along with its high fat content prevents it from drying out when grilled. Sockeye salmon, however, has a firmer texture. The fillets render a deep reddish-orange hue and are thinner in comparison to king salmon.

When buying salmon, it's preferable to go for fillets with the skin on even if you don't plan to eat it. The founder of Lummi Island Wild, a wild reefnet fishery in Bellingham, Washington, Ian Kirouac, is a passionate advocate of skin-on fish. He notes, “Every now and then we get a request for skinless salmon, which to me seems preposterous!" Even though Kirouac himself doesn't always eat the skin, he insists that cooking salmon with the skin is the way to go. According to him, "The flavorful and heart-healthy fats present next to the skin are relished by salmon lovers and can only be enjoyed with skin-on salmon. The skin also cocoons the fish, shielding it from overcooking and keeping it from drying out."

Grilling salmon won't exhaust your kitchen cabinet! Other than your everyday spatula, a slender yet bendy fish spatula might make the process smoother, especially when flipping the delicate salmon fillets. In case you're grilling an entire side of salmon, having a couple of fish spatulas on hand can help navigate the hefty piece. For accurately cooked juicy fish, an instant-read meat thermometer is your best friend.

Preheating a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F) for indirect cooking is the first step. Salt and pepper your three-pound salmon, or simply use whatever spices you prefer. After cleaning and adding a light layer of canola oil to the grill grates, place the salmon, skin-side down, over indirect heat. The grill should remain covered while the salmon cooks undisturbed until its skin turns lightly charred and the internal temperature reads 120°F for medium-rare. This usually takes around 18 to 24 minutes. Transfer the cooked salmon to a serving platter and keep it aside for 10 minutes before serving. For a delightful end, serve the salmon with a citrus-olive salsa or shred into large chunks to toss over a refreshing Cobb salad.

The method stays quite the same for six-ounce skin-on salmon fillets. Grill the fillets, skin side down, for four to six minutes until the skin appears lightly charred. Flip the fillets over and continue grilling until the thermometer reads 120°F. After taking it off the grill, let the fish rest for five minutes before digging in. Relish the succulently cooked salmon with a fresh tomato salad, succotash, or try it with ginger and scallion noodle salad.