Mesquite-Grilled Salmon with Chile Glaze
There is something magnetic about the scent of mesquite drifting through the Colorado air, sharp, sweet, and earthy all at once. It is the kind of smoke that clings to your clothes and follows you home from the grill, reminding you that dinner was built over real fire. This salmon carries that spirit perfectly. A simple fillet, kissed by mesquite flame, brushed with a warm chile glaze that glows like the last light on the Front Range.
This recipe was born from the same rhythm that defines the West: bold flavor, balanced restraint, and respect for good ingredients. The glaze pulls from the deep color of ancho chile and the soft heat of smoked paprika, rounded by a touch of piloncillo for sweetness. The mesquite gives a rugged edge to the delicate salmon, sealing in moisture while adding a subtle caramelization to the surface. It is an approach that celebrates smoke without overpowering it, a hallmark of Colorado cooking where altitude, fire, and flavor meet halfway.
