Foil packet meals are a camper’s best friend. They’re simple to throw together, involve minimal cleanup, and can be cooked on the grill or over a campfire. Today’s recipe is a healthy and easy favorite, where salmon and asparagus are cooked together in a flavorful packet with lemon, garlic, and butter toppings that melt together to create a tasty sauce.
- Makes 4 servings/packets
Ingredients:
- 4 six-ounce salmon filets
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 3 lemons, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 TBSP butter, divided (1 TBSP for each packet)
Salt & pepper to taste
Equipment:
- Aluminum foil – 4 rectangles about 12-14 inches long
Directions:
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. The packets will be cooked over indirect heat, so if you’re grilling on a gas grill, leave a few of the burners off. If you’re grilling over charcoal, add the briquettes all on one side of the grill.
Prep work: Season the salmon filets with salt and pepper. Wash and trim the ends off the asparagus, thinly slice the lemons, and mince the garlic. You’ll want to divide the garlic, asparagus, and lemon slices into four groups (one for each packet).
When it comes to the packets, layering is key. For each packet, lay three to four lemon slices in a row down the middle of one of the tinfoil sheets. Place a salmon filet on top of the lemon slices. Add a few stalks of asparagus to each side of the salmon. Sprinkle some minced garlic on top of everything.
Top with 1 TBSP butter per packet (we recommend cutting each TBSP into a few pieces to evenly spread out the butter) and finish with a few more lemon slices. Repeat for the other three packets. Any extra lemon slices can be saved and used to squeeze over the top of the cooked fish.
Time to close up the packets. Bring the two long sides of the foil together and fold them over a few times. Fold in the ends to make a sealed packet. Make sure there’s a bit of room inside the packets to allow for air to flow and steam the salmon.
Place the packets on the grill. Cook over indirect heat with the grill lid closed until salmon is light pink and flakes with a fork. The cooking time will depend on how thick the salmon filets are. For thinner or smaller filets, 12-16 minutes should be fine. A very thick piece of salmon could take 18-20 minutes on the grill. Note: the FDA recommends that salmon be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, so we recommend using a food thermometer to confirm that the salmon is completely cooked.
Take one of the packets off the grill and carefully open (watch out for hot steam escaping!) to check for doneness. Throw it back on the grill for a few more minutes if it’s not quite ready. Once off the grill, let rest for five minutes. The fish will continue to cook while resting.
Then enjoy! You can eat them directly out of the packets or transfer the meal to a plate. The foil packets make clean up easy, which is always a bonus when camping. Why dirty some of our plates when you don’t really need to? If you’re worried about having a single layer of tin foil as your plate, consider layering some tin foil sheets.
Do you have any questions or concerns? Leave a comment below!
Salmon packets on the grill would take similar time as the oven if you are cooking at a similar temperature.