It is Labor Day weekend. What is the good old fashioned mid-Western thing to do? Obviously I am barbecuing and making burgers! I've recently acquired a barbecue and am taking any opportunity to use it. I don't eat that much meat, though. So, my go-to is always burgers. Barbecue salmon burgers are actually incredibly easy to make and one of my favorite things to do.
I grew up on the West Coast where salmon was paramount. It's a little bit more difficult to come across in rural Wisconsin. But the oily fish make great burger substitutes. Sometimes people are intimidated by salmon burgers. After all, they do cost more than beef burgers. Although a good sale price is only a couple more dollars a pound and, since you only need a pound to make 4 burgers, really is relatively reasonably priced!
They're also much easier to make than at first it seems. Beef burgers have the same problems sticking together and not crumbling on the grill. Both often use eggs and other binding agents. I like to use a combination of eggs and bread crumbs. Salmon is such an oily fish that you need something to hold it together and soak up some of that oil.
You can mix and match in other flavors and seasonings as well. I'm fond of adding jalapeños and shallots sometimes to play up the subtlety of the fish. Although for this particular version, I decided to go with a hefty spread of Mayonnaise-free Tartar Sauce w/ Greek Yogurt. Much like it's a fish fry in burger form.
Gallery
Variations of Barbecue Salmon Burgers
Burgers are one of my favorite things to make in the summer. So, it seemed only fitting to make salmon burgers to kick off the fall season. I also topped them off with Mayonnaise-free tartar sauce and homegrown tomatoes from the garden. There are plenty of other ways to make burgers. The other day I made salmon burgers with squid ink rolls that were a lot of fun! Although you can easily substitute more traditional burger buns.
These homemade barbecue salmon burgers are topped off with mayonnaise-free Greek yogurt tartar sauce, fresh from the garden tomatoes, and homemade brioche. If you don't eat red meat or are just looking to mix things up a bit, salmon burgers are a great options. They're incredibly flavorful and work with a variety of toppings. Today, I did a play on a fish fry with Greek yogurt tartar sauce with a slice of lettuce and fresh tomatoes from my garden. Burgers are a great dish, though, to explore your own favorite flavor combinations!
This recipe utilizes a lot of things that you can make yourself or buy in a pinch. If you want to make everything from scratch, you will need to start a few hours ahead of time!For a quicker recipe, you can always substitute store-bought burger buns or salmon patties.
Brioche Rolls are the first thing that you will need to begin to prepare because it will take about 4 1/2 hours to rise and get ready to bake. It will also make 8 rolls, while the salmon patties here are going to make 4 servings. You can easily double the ingredients in the salmon patties to fulfill all 8 burger buns.
Tartar Sauce
Mince all of the produce and mix all of the ingredients together.
I would highly recommend letting this refrigerate for a couple of hours or the day beforehand in order to let all of the flavors permeate.
Make Salmon Patties
Preheat the barbecue on medium heat.
Place salmon skin-side down on griddle or a baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and add a dash of salt and pepper. Slice a lemon and place evenly on top of the salmon.
Bake the salmon for 12-17 minutes, or until it begins to flake. Salmon tends to be cooked when it loses the bright color and you can take a fork and it easily separates. Remove from the oven and let cool.
When the salmon has reached a manageable temperature, flake into a bowl with eggs, bread crumbs, and a splash of olive oil. Mix until combined.
Separate into 4 equal-sized portions and form into round patties, about 1/2 inch thick.
Place salmon patties back onto the griddle or directly on to the barbecue and fry until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip and repeat on the other side. Add more oil as necessary to keep the pan lightly coated with oil.
Assemble Burgers
Slice the roll in half. Place griddle or directly on the barbecue and toast until golden brown.
Place the roll on a plate. Top with with tartar sauce.
Add lettuce and tomatoes to the top half of the roll.
Add salmon patty to the bottom of the roll.
Serve immediately.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
I have a more in-depth article on Mayonnaise-free Tartar Sauce w/ Greek Yogurt. It is just that simple as mixing everything together in a bowl! But there are some additional photos of what it should look like there.
For more information on baking salmon, check out my articles on The Fundamentals of Oven Baked Salmon and Barbecue Salmon. I'm particularly fond of cooking on a well-seasoned cast iron griddle because you don't need additional oil or foil to to keep it from sticking. But there are certainly ways around this if you don't want to dedicate an entire cast iron pan to fish! Cooking salmon is also more of an art than a science. No two filets are going to cook in the exact same amount of time and there are definitely some tips and tricks to nailing the cook on fish.
Leave a Reply