Honey Bourbon Salmon

This honey bourbon salmon is marinated in an easy bourbon sauce, broiled until tender, and finished with a sweet honey bourbon glaze.

It’s probably pretty obvious that we love salmon.

This summer, we’ve received lots and lots of fantastic wild Alaska salmon from our CSF (community supported fishery) boxes from Sitka Salmon Shares, and have been enjoying it so much.

Unfamiliar with Community Supported Fisheries? Learn more here!

We’ve made baked mustard salmon, salmon almondine, and sweet chili salmon, just to name a few.

Recently, though, I was thinking back to one of the very first salmon dishes I ever tasted, a bourbon glazed salmon at a local restaurant.

That salmon was the inspiration for lots of the bourbon seafood recipes on this site, such as this bourbon pecan-crusted salmon, bourbon pan-seared cod, halibut salad with bourbon dressing, grilled sea scallops with bourbon, grilled lobster tails with bourbon, and maple bourbon salmon.

I realized, though, that I’d never shared a recipe that was similar to that original salmon dish. Until now.

This honey bourbon salmon is marinated in a quick and easy bourbon sauce, broiled until tender, and then glazed with the marinade. It’s a restaurant-style seafood dish that’s easy to make at home!

Looking for more salmon recipes? Try making air fryer salmon, salmon Caesar salad, slow-roasted salmon sandwiches, salmon sandwiches with Dijon, pesto salmon, or check out our salmon archives.

What Type of Salmon Should I Use?

There are six different types of salmon, and in my opinion, this recipe will work perfectly with any of them!

If you’ve got lean pink salmon fillets on hand, they’ll work perfectly. The bourbon flavor will contrast nicely with Sockeye salmon’s strong flavor.

The salmon in the pictures is King salmon, a decadent, extra-fatty fish. Use King salmon if you want this to be part of a gourmet dinner.

If you’ve got extra King salmon on hand, try making seared salmon with cherries, poached salmon with blueberry sauce, and grilled salmon with plum sauce.

What Can I Use Instead of Bourbon?

I feel like I should mention that if you make any of the following swaps, it’s no longer “bourbon salmon.”

If you’re out of bourbon, you can swap it for any unflavored whiskey.

If this recipe sounded delicious, but you prefer to skip the alcohol altogether, I recommend making this teriyaki salmon instead. It’s a similar (more kid-friendly) recipe.

How to Make Honey Bourbon Salmon

Start by whisking together the marinade.

You’ll need bourbon, soy sauce, and diced garlic.

Set your salmon flesh-side down (skin-side up) in the marinade, and refrigerate the marinating fish for at least 30 minutes.

Next, use your fingers to brush the marinade off the salmon, and place it in an oiled oven-safe pan (or sheet pan).

I used this Lodge 12″ carbon steel skillet.

Slide the salmon into the oven on the top rack, and broil until the fish is opaque and tender.

It will take about six to eight minutes per one-inch thickness.

While the fish cooks, pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Add a little honey.

Bring it to a boil, and then simmer the sauce for a few minutes to thicken it.

Brush the marinade over the fish.

It’ll look super pretty at this point.

Serve your honey bourbon salmon right away, along with roasted spaghetti squash (or Instant Pot spaghetti squash), a kale apple salad, and a glass of your favorite red wine.