Today we’re grilling up some flavorful Hot Honey Salmon Bites on my Oklahoma Joe’s Judge Charcoal Grill! This dish works great as a killer tailgating appetizer or a healthy dinner! The smoked salmon bites are basted in a buttery, spicy, and sweet sauce for a nice kick, which also makes them the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
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If you loved our Hot Honey Garlic Shrimp, Hot Honey Garlic Wings, and Grilled Lobster with Hot Honey Butter, you are absolutely in the right place! This easy dinner takes only 30 minutes of prep time and one hour of cooking time. Then, you’ll be ready to serve up to four people.
Why You’ll Love This Salmon Bite Recipe
You just can’t go wrong with cooked salmon, and don’t let these bite-sized pieces fool you– because these little guys pack a TON of flavor. The Oklahoma Joe’s Judge Charcoal Grill is a must if you want to take them to the next level. Plus, this grill makes cooking a breeze! This is a quick and simple recipe that will blow your mind.
If you’re a real salmon lover, good news! We have plenty of spicy seafood recipes you can enjoy. Check out our Maple Bacon Bourbon Salmon Bites and Nashville Hot Cast Iron Salmon, and go from there.
Ingredients for Hot Honey Salmon Bites
For the cubes, you’ll need some fresh salmon, sliced bacon, all-purpose BBQ rub, sesame seeds, and green onions.
Then, you’ll make a homemade Hot Honey Butter Sauce out of simple ingredients: melted clarified butter, local honey, your favorite hot sauce, Sichuan chili flakes, and a whole Serrano pepper. Yes, it’s that easy!
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How to Make Hot Honey Salmon Bites
To make this sweet and spicy meal, begin by removing the salmon skin. Then slice the meat into 2-inch pieces with a sharp knife.
Next, coat the outside of the salmon cubes in an even layer of your favorite BBQ seasoning. Wrap each salmon cube with ½ strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick and set to the side until ready to use.
Once they are assembled, mix all the ingredients for the Hot Honey Butter Sauce in a small bowl and keep warm.
Then, preheat your Oklahoma Joe’s Judge Charcoal Grill for two-zone indirect cooking at 300F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for added flavor if desired.
Once the grill is ready, add your salmon chunks to the smoker to cook, checking with a meat thermometer until their internal temperature reaches 145F (about 30-40 minutes). As the salmon cooks, baste the outside with the honey butter every 10 minutes. Once the salmon is done, pull off and let rest for 5 minutes.
Finish the crispy salmon bites with a spoonful of the Hot Honey Butter Sauce on top along with chopped chives and sesame seeds.
Serve and enjoy!
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Tips and Tricks
It’s very important that you try to cut the salmon into similar sized cubes. This will help ensure they all cook at the same pace and also that they’re all cooked evenly.
If you have any guests who are sensitive to spice, then take it easy on the hot sauce, Sichuan chili flakes, and Serrano pepper. You can also do half of the bites spicy and half less spicy– just make sure you don’t mix them up!
How to Store Leftovers & Reheat
Store any leftover salmon bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, air fry salmon or reheat on a baking sheet in the oven at medium-high heat– whatever is the easiest way for you to enjoy a quick meal!
What to Serve with Hot Honey Salmon Bites
This recipe can make for an easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love! Make it a complete meal by serving up the bite-sized salmon pieces in a rice bowl with some brown rice or Jasmine rice. You can also throw them on top of a salad, or enjoy some baked vegetables on the side.
Recipe FAQ’s
You can absolutely make crispy air fryer salmon bites rather than grilling them. Either use your knowledge from past air fryer recipes you’ve cooked, or do a bit of Googling to see how to best use this cooking method.
Of course, I’m partial to the Oklahoma Joe’s Judge and all the smokey flavor that comes from grilling. You won’t get that same flavor from an air fryer. But it is definitely possible to make them in the air fryer, and they will still be delicious!
You know I’m all about those sauces! Whether you like eating your salmon with spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce, or another dipping sauce, include them on the side when you serve this salmon recipe.
Pay attention to the way each sauce interacts with the Hot Honey Butter Sauce, so you can remember your favorite and enjoy it next time.
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Hot Honey Salmon Bites
Ingredients
Salmon:
- 1 Side of Salmon cubed
- 2 lbs Sliced Bacon
- 1 cup Big Bad BBQ Ale or other All Purpose BBQ Rub
- Sesame Seeds as garnish
- Chopped Chives as garnish
Hot Honey Butter Sauce:
- ½ cup Clarified Butter hot
- ½ cup Local Honey
- 1 tbsp FYR RED Sauce or Favorite Hot Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sichuan Chili Flakes
- 1 Whole Serrano Pepper thinly sliced
Instructions
- Begin by removing the skin of your salmon and slicing into 2” cubes.
- Next, coat the outside of the salmon in your favorite BBQ seasoning.
- Wrap each salmon cube with ½ strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick and set to the side until ready to use.
- In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the Hot Honey Butter Sauce and keep warm.
- Preheat your Oklahoma Joe’s Judge Charcoal Grill for two zone indirect cooking at 300F. Add some wood chips or wood chunks for added flavor if desired.
- Add your salmon to the smoker to cook until about 145F internal (about 30-40 minutes).
- As the salmon cooks, baste the outside with the honey butter every 10 minutes.
- Once the salmon is done, pull off and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Finish the salmon with a spoonful of the Hot Honey Butter Sauce on top along with chopped chives and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!
Made this! Easy and delish. Since we are not fans of “hot and spicy”. I made them sweet using a jalapeno and bacon jam plus butter and brown sugar. Came out excellent on my pellet grill!
I read some comments about people changing the recipe because they were afraid it would be too hot. Not the case! They were perfect, a little bite to it and then the sweetness of the honey! Great job guys they were amazing!!!