Three-Fish Teriyaki

Three-fish teriyaki turns a simple weeknight grill into a small showcase of texture. The trio leans on three fish that grill beautifully but eat very differently: silky salmon, meaty tuna, and dense, almost steak-like swordfish. They all soak up the same pineapple and soy sauce marinade but emerge with their own personalities under the heat.

The pineapple juice does double duty. Its enzymes tenderize the fish slightly during the two-hour marinade while its natural sugars caramelize on the grill into the lacquered, glossy crust that makes a teriyaki worth the name. Boiling and reducing the leftover marinade after the fish comes off is essential for food safety and gives you the spoon-over sauce at the end.

Chef Tips

• Don’t marinate longer than two hours. Pineapple’s bromelain enzyme will turn the fish mushy past that point.
• Oil the grill grates well. Fish releases cleanly only from a hot, well-oiled surface.
• Cook to internal temperature, not by time alone. Salmon and swordfish should pull at 125°F (52°C); tuna prefers a rare 110°F (43°C) center.
• Reduce the boiled marinade until it coats the back of a spoon. Thin teriyaki slides right off the fish.

Variations

• Swap one of the fish for mahi-mahi or halibut. Both hold up well to the strong marinade.
• Add a tablespoon of brown sugar or honey to the marinade for a deeper, stickier glaze.
• Finish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions, and serve over a bed of steamed rice with grilled pineapple wedges.