How to Cook Salmon

Guide Note: Salmon is a fish rich in omega-3's and protein, and, when cooked properly, is a delicious, tender entree. Our guide, How to Cook Salmon, will lead you through the proper way to prepare and cook salmon and provide a number of tasty recipes for you to try.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Salmon is delicious and nutritious. (Creative Commons photo by Sharon Mollerus)
Salmon is delicious and nutritious. (Creative Commons photo by Sharon Mollerus)
  • There are a variety of ways to prepare and cook salmon—you can grill it, bake it, broil it, even poach it in your dishwasher (how efficient!). And of course there are even more sauces, marinades, and other preparations to make salmon an equal delight for the health-conscious and the I-refuse-to-count-calories set. For this heart-healthy fish, the key is not to overcook, lest fish become tough and dry.
  • Keep reading to learn the tools and tricks to making perfect salmon, as well as how to choose between wild and farmed fish. And don't forget to make a little extra to have cold on a salad the next day!

Before You Begin

Ask for a center cut of salmon. (Creative Commons photo by Boca Dorada)
Ask for a center cut of salmon. (Creative Commons photo by Boca Dorada)
  1. Haven't bought salmon before? A few guidelines will help you choose the correct fish.
  2. When selecting your fish at the market, make sure to buy salmon with the skin still on.
  3. Allow about 6 ounces of fish per person.
  4. And ask for a "center cut" single piece of salmon and then cut it into appropriate portions when you get home.
  5. You'll need to decide between farmed and wild salmon (generally from the Pacific Ocean or Alaska). Proponents of wild salmon argue that farmed fish has polluted the wild fish population by escaping and sharing diseases with wild salmon. While farmed fish is less expensive and more widely available, it may be not be as healthy as wild salmon because it can contain harmful dioxins.
  6. And people believe that wild salmon has a fishier and somewhat stronger flavor than its farmed counterpart.

Grilling Salmon

Grill it up! (Creative Commons photo by Woodley Wonderworks)
Grill it up! (Creative Commons photo by Woodley Wonderworks)
  • Perhaps the most popular and the easiest way to prepare salmon, all you'll need is the fish, some aluminum foil, a little oil, and a grill.
  1. First, preheat your grill. If it's a charcoal grill, coals should be bright red and flames should have subsided. If you have a gas grill, put temperature between 300 and 325 degrees.
  2. Everyone likes to use a different preparation for grilling salmon. The simplest way is to brush it with olive oil, keep skin on, and add a little salt and pepper. And if you've oiled the grill a little, you can simply sprinkle salt and pepper before adding the salmon.
  3. You can also try applying mayonnaise to one side before placing on the grill.
  4. For slightly more involved marinades, try whisking together three tablespoons soy sauce, 6 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, and two tablespoons Dijon mustard. Brush the marinade on top of the fish (skin side down) before placing salmon on the grill. When your salmon is finished grilling, pour the remainder of the marinade on top. This is enough marinade for three pounds of salmon, or 5-6 servings.
  5. See a few ideas on Epicurious for grilled salmon prep:
  6. Grill the salmon for about 4 minutes per side. Only cover the grill if you have a gas grill.
  7. Do not overcook! When you remove your salmon fillets from the grill, they will continue to cook a little as they sit, so they should look a little raw inside upon removal from the grill.

Broiling or Roasting Salmon

Everyone loves salmon. (Creative Commons photo by Terry Bordeleau)
Everyone loves salmon. (Creative Commons photo by Terry Bordeleau)
  • Broiling salmon is a nice way to cook it if you don't have a grill, and often you can choose a recipe with an easy to make marinade you can prepare ahead of time.
  1. Preheat your broiler and place aluminum foil on a baking sheet or on your broiler pan (this will make for easy clean-up later!). Lightly brush olive oil on the foil so the fish won't stick.
  2. You'll want to broil the salmon skin side down about 4-6 inches from the heat source. Recipes vary in terms of keeping the fish uncovered or wrapping it in foil to trap in the marinade.
  3. You do not need to turn salmon mid-broil. Broil for 6-8 minutes, or until salmon is the same color throughout.
  4. Again: do not overcook! Your fish should be just cooked through when you remove it.
  5. Many broiled salmon recipes involve some variation on a mustard sauce, often featuring brown sugar. Try:
  6. To incorporate different flavors, try Broiled Salmon with Onion, Tomato and Lemon or the simple and delicious Broiled Salmon with Tarragon Butter.
  7. And it's definitely worth using cedar planks to roast salmon, which is a method derived from Native Americans living in the Pacific Northwest. Check out John's Cedar Plank Roasted Salmon for more instructions.

How To Make Slow Roasted Salmon With Sweet Mustard Sauce

Poaching Salmon

  • Poaching is simply cooking in hot, simmering liquid kept just below the boiling point. Poached salmon is a classic means of preparation that you can do easily at home.
  1. You can poach a whole fish in water or a court bouillon.
  2. If you don't have the proper vessel for such a project, you can improvise. In 1964, House and Garden suggested using a baby's bathtub if you didn't have anything else on hand.
  3. For fillets of salmon, obviously a deep skillet will do the trick.
  4. Most recipes instruct you to just cover the fish with liquid (whether water, wine, a mixture of both, or something else entirely), and poach for 8-10 minutes until fish is opaque.
  5. See the following recipes for more detailed instructions or variations:
  6. For a slightly more advanced preparation, try Poached Salmon with Truffles and Shrimp in Cream Sauce.
  7. And, as alluded to earlier, you can also poach salmon in your dishwasher if all else fails. Just be sure foil is sealed properly and skip the dishsoap if you're a beginner.

How To Make Poached Salmon

Salmon Resources

Salmon Recipes

Grilled Salmon

Broiled or Roasted Salmon

Poached Salmon

Related Searches

How to Grill Salmon | How to Fillet Salmon | How to Bake Salmon | How to Cook Lobster | Salmon | How to Cook Lobster Tails | How to Eat Healthy Foods | How to Select Wine | How to Throw a Dinner Party | How to Make Mashed Potatoes | Olive Oil | Garlic | Scallops | Clams | Oysters



Have any great tips on How to Cook Salmon? Post your thoughts to the discussion board or email them to Ryan M: ryan at mahalo dot com.