Smoked Salmon Burnt Ends With Hot Honey Glaze

Originating in Kansas City, Burnt Ends have become a barbecue delicacy. From the classic Brisket Burnt Ends to the Pork Belly Burnt Ends that earned the nickname “Meat Candy”, the ability to pack so much flavor into a bite-sized piece of meat is always a fan-favorite.

These Hot Honey Salmon Burnt Ends put a seafood twist on the traditional idea of burnt ends that will change the way you think about fish forever!

Smoked Salmon Burnt Ends

I will be the first to admit that sometimes I forget about seafood when I’m deciding what to throw on the grill.

I naturally gravitate towards heartier options like beef and pork, but there is something really special about the amazing flavor that you can create with an open fire and good quality fish.

For this recipe, I recommend grabbing a piece of center-cut salmon if you can find it. If not, then filets will work too.

The goal is to keep your cubes of salmon as even as possible because salmon cooks quickly, and smaller pieces will end up overdone before the bigger pieces finish if they’re not relatively uniform in size.

If you love salmon, give our cold smoked salmon recipe a try as well.

Lemon and Salmon: A Match Made in BBQ Heaven

There is a reason that so many salmon recipes incorporate lemon into them. The acidity and sour tang of lemon with the creamy, subtle flavor of salmon pair perfectly.

Making your own lemon pepper seasoning at home only takes three ingredients and really elevates this dish.

It does take a few hours, so if you are pressed for time, you can use a store-bought lemon pepper seasoning, but I highly recommend making your own.

The process takes a few hours, so you must make it ahead of time.

How to make salmon burnt ends

1. Cut the salmon into even cubes

You are going to start by chopping your salmon into cubes about 1-1/2” thick.

Do not remove the skin because it creates a good base to keep the fish together while it’s grilling.  

2. Season the salmon

Add the cubes of salmon to a mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Give the bowl a shake until each cube is coated lightly in olive oil.

Then, it’s time to season each cube with a bit of lemon pepper seasoning. The easiest way to season them is to take each cube in your hand and lightly season every side. This will ensure that each cube is packed full of flavor!

3. Place salmon cubes on wire rack

The salmon burnt ends are best cooked on a wire rack, also known as a “jerky tray”.

While you could put them directly on the grates of your grill, the skin of the salmon will stick when they’re cooking, so laying them out on a wire rack makes clean-up a breeze.

No one wants to deal with scraping fish skin off the grill! 

Lay each cube of salmon, skin-side down, on the wire rack about 1” apart to allow plenty of air flow between them.

4. Fire up the grill

Pre-heat your grill or smoker to 250°F.

I smoked these on my Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 over Acacia wood lump charcoal.

If you decide to use a grill, then propane or charcoal will work just fine. If you prefer to use a smoker, then I recommend using a light wood like Pecan or Oak, so you don’t overpower the flavor of the fish.

The cook time is relatively short but adding a little smoke flavor will really take the salmon to the next level.

Place your wire rack onto the grill over indirect heat (the furthest point from the firebox if you are using a smoker).

Let them cook for about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how you like your salmon cooked. According to the USDA, 145°F is the safe cooking temperature of salmon. I wouldn’t recommend going much higher than 155°F because at that point the fish is going to start drying out, but it’s all about personal preference! 

5. Drizzle with hot honey for a touch of sweetness

This recipe calls for Hot Honey, which is essentially just honey with chilis added to it.

If you don’t like spice, then regular honey will work just fine.

The sweetness of the honey combined with the tang of the lemon pepper really creates a fantastic flavor combination.

Drizzle a bit of hot honey over each piece of salmon and then place them back on the grill for another 10 to 15 minutes. The honey will start to melt and create a beautiful glaze on the outside of the salmon.

When they’re done, you can add another drizzle of hot honey and a sprinkle of green onions for freshness, but then they’re ready to enjoy!

Love burnt ends? Give our poor man’s burnt ends a try next.

Next try these other grilled and smoked seafood dishes

• Hot Smoked Salmon
• How to Grill Cedar Plank Salmon
• Smoked Lobster tails