The Best Way to Cook Salmon


Olde Hornet

Well-Known Member

The most common mistake when it comes to salmon is overcooking. In fact, we bet that many people haven’t ever really cooked their salmon to a true, melt-in-your-mouth state. What you probably think of as done is probably overdone. Salmon, like steak, can be served on a spectrum from rare to well-done inside. Fillets, especially a lean one like sockeye (which home chefs are more likely to encounter than king), can go from perfectly cooked to dried out in a matter of moments. As long as a salmon fillet reaches 145°F (or 120°F for medium-rare), even if it looks quite underdone, it is good to go.

Popular methods for cooking salmon vary wildly from pan-seared crispness to low-and-slow roasting. Now, it must be said that there are many solid, weeknight-friendly ways of cooking salmon that we rely upon. The two easiest and most common ways of cooking salmon are in the oven on a sheet tray at 425°F (like this one) and on the stovetop with a little oil (like this one).

How I Tested Salmon-Cooking Methods​

All tests were conducted using 6-ounce fillets of Copper River Wild Sockeye Salmon, patted dry, plus extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. When it came to rating each method, I was looking for a few things. First, I knew that I wanted that meltingly soft salmon. But an evenly cooked, perfectly flaky fillet wasn’t enough; I also wanted flavor and ease, with a method that required little time, effort, or expertise.
 

The most common mistake when it comes to salmon is overcooking. In fact, we bet that many people haven’t ever really cooked their salmon to a true, melt-in-your-mouth state. What you probably think of as done is probably overdone. Salmon, like steak, can be served on a spectrum from rare to well-done inside. Fillets, especially a lean one like sockeye (which home chefs are more likely to encounter than king), can go from perfectly cooked to dried out in a matter of moments. As long as a salmon fillet reaches 145°F (or 120°F for medium-rare), even if it looks quite underdone, it is good to go.

Popular methods for cooking salmon vary wildly from pan-seared crispness to low-and-slow roasting. Now, it must be said that there are many solid, weeknight-friendly ways of cooking salmon that we rely upon. The two easiest and most common ways of cooking salmon are in the oven on a sheet tray at 425°F (like this one) and on the stovetop with a little oil (like this one).

How I Tested Salmon-Cooking Methods​

All tests were conducted using 6-ounce fillets of Copper River Wild Sockeye Salmon, patted dry, plus extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. When it came to rating each method, I was looking for a few things. First, I knew that I wanted that meltingly soft salmon. But an evenly cooked, perfectly flaky fillet wasn’t enough; I also wanted flavor and ease, with a method that required little time, effort, or expertise.
For health reasons, Salmon has become my preferred fish as I approach my mid-years. I've been surprised with how easy it has been to cook. Aside from grilling, I simply fry it skinned faced down in olive oil, throw on the lemon pepper and a few choice seasoning, all in a matter of 7 minutes and I am done just like that, served up with some rice and broccoli.
 
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