Grilled Salmon Fillets

FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while preparing fish.

FOR THE SALMON: Trim away and discard thinner bottom 1 inch of salmon to make salmon more consistent thickness. Cut salmon crosswise into 4 equal fillets. Dry fillets thoroughly with paper towels and refrigerate while preparing grill. Combine salt and pepper in bowl; set aside.

FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.

Use grill brush to scrape cooking grate clean. Fold rag into compact wad. Holding rag with tongs, dip in oil, then wipe grate. Dip rag in oil again and wipe grate for second time. Cover grill and heat to 500 degrees, about 5 minutes longer. Uncover and wipe grate twice more with oiled rag.

Using pastry brush, brush flesh and skin sides of fillets with thin coat of oil. Sprinkle flesh side all over with salt mixture. Place fillets on grill, flesh side down, perpendicular to grate bars, about 3 inches apart on all sides. Cover grill (reduce heat to medium if using gas) and cook, without moving fillets, until flesh side is well marked and releases easily from grill, 4 to 5 minutes.

Using fish spatula, gently push each fillet to roll it over onto skin side. (If fillets don't lift cleanly off grill, cover and continue to cook 1 minute longer, at which point they should release.) Continue to cook, covered, until centers of fillets are opaque and register 130 degrees, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Using tongs to stabilize fillets, slide spatula under fillets and transfer to platter. (If skin sticks to grill, slide spatula between fillet and skin and lift fillet away from skin.) Serve with sauce.