Homemade peach Carolina BBQ sauce slathered Prince William Sound salmon is the perfect weeknight dinner. Twenty minutes is all it takes to make perfectly crispy and flaky peach Carolina BBQ salmon.

When I think back to family Sunday dinners with my grandmother, we often ended up at one of the familiar chain restaurants — Bennigan’s, Chili’s, Lone Star, or TGI Friday’s. Each spot had something I loved: Bennigan’s loaded baked potato soup or the country chicken salad, a burger or salad at Chili’s, ribs at Lone Star, and the Jack Daniel’s BBQ Salmon at Friday’s.

I tend to stick with what I like, but when I find a great local non-chain place I’ll order the specials every time. Lately, I’ve been craving BBQ salmon: the contrast of buttery, flaky fish with a spicy, tangy sauce is irresistible.

Since I’m an adult now, I decided to make my own BBQ sauce. It’s simple to prepare and, in my opinion, even better than the sticky version from TGI Friday’s. This Peach Carolina BBQ sauce works with canned or fresh peaches. If you use fresh peaches, score the bottom, blanch them 1–2 minutes in boiling water, peel off the skins, and remove the pits.

The real star of this dish was the beautiful Prince William Sound Sockeye salmon I received — a whole filleted fish. The fish is stunning and cooks quickly: a hot sear on the skin side followed by a short finish under the broiler gives crispy skin and tender, flaky flesh. You could keep it simple with just salt and pepper, but the peach Carolina BBQ sauce elevates the whole dish.

Peach Carolina BBQ Salmon

Yield:
4 pieces of salmon

Prep Time:
6 minutes

Cook Time:
14 minutes

Total Time:
20 minutes

Sweet and tangy peach Carolina BBQ sauce coats sockeye salmon that is pan-seared and finished under the broiler for a crisp, caramelized glaze and tender interior.

Ingredients

For the BBQ Sauce:

• 3/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 8 oz canned peaches (drained) or about 2 fresh peaches, peeled and pitted
• 2 tbsp butter

For the Salmon:

• 4 salmon fillets, skin on
• Olive oil for searing
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Add all the BBQ sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer the sauce to a lidded container and chill until ready to use.
2. Preheat an oven broiler. Lightly season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add a thin layer of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, place the salmon in the pan skin-side down. Brush a thin layer of the peach BBQ sauce on each fillet.
4. Sear the salmon in the pan for about 7 minutes, allowing the skin to crisp and the flesh to cook most of the way through.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat. Baste the salmon with more BBQ sauce, then place the skillet under the broiler and broil for 4 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
6. Remove the skillet, baste again, and broil for an additional 3 minutes. Baste once more and broil for a final 3 minutes if you want a deeper glaze. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
7. Let the salmon rest for a minute, then serve with extra sauce on the side if desired. This pairs well with simple sides like roasted vegetables, rice, or a crisp salad.

Disclaimer: I received free salmon in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions in this post are 100% my own. I love salmon and love to share things that I truly support and actually buy.