Dijon Baked Salmon - The Best Baked Salmon Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to best salmon? ›

A dry brine gives you firmer, juicier fish fillets with kettle-chip-crisp skin. Credit... Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times.

Baked salmon is best when cooked at 425°F in the oven.

Even thicker fillets don't take long. We recommend baking the salmon uncovered. Simply rub the fillets with a little oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, then place them in the roasting pan skin-side down before popping them in the oven.

What is the best temperature to bake salmon? 400°F (205°C) is ideal as it allows the fish to gain colour and the skin to become crispy. If you prefer a milder method, you can bake it at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes or until done. The salmon baked at 425°F (215°C) produces tender, creamy fillets that cook quickly.

A creamy but slightly tangy sauce works really well with salmon, and it's why sour cream-dill sauce over salmon is such a classic. Try mixing in curry powder, Sriracha, or scallions into yogurt or crème fraîche for an easy, elegant salmon topper.

The foil helps cook the fish faster and just all around better. Another reason is that it's a healthy way to cook fish. Yes, salmon is already a very healthy fish. But if you cook it in foil, you don't have to use a lot of oil or butter to cook it.

Pan-frying or pan-searing is one of the best ways to cook salmon fillets. It's quick, easy, and gives the fish that perfect crispy, crunchy skin. A simple pan-fried salmon is the secret to a flavorful and healthy weeknight dinner in 30 minutes or less. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper.

Firmness: Cooked salmon should be firm but still moist. When you press down gently on the flesh with a fork or your finger, it should feel slightly resistant but still give way easily. If the salmon is still hard or resists your fork, it needs more time to cook. If it is mushy or falls apart, it may be overcooked.

It is a good idea to let salmon sit out for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking so that it can warm to room temperature. Do not let it sit out for too long. You want it to reach room temperature right before cooking.

How to season salmon? ›

Using your hands or a brush, rub a dollop of quality olive oil on the flesh side of your salmon filet. Next, season generously with kosher sea salt and pepper. For a classic flavor, try adding garlic powder, dried basil, dried parsley, and onion powder. If you want a smokier taste, use paprika, chile powder, or cumin.

Cooking Fillets Skin-Side Up

"When pan-frying or grilling, cook salmon fillets skin-side down for 5-7 minutes, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes," says Norton. "You should also cook it skin-side down with other cooking methods, including baking."

Wrap your salmon in a parchment packet with aromatics, citrus, veggies, and a drizzle of olive oil. The steam trapped in the packet will infuse the fish with flavor and cook it gently, making it tender and juicy. Bonus: The parchment packets only take about 15 minutes at 425°F and the cleanup is minimal.

Best Fresh Herbs for Salmon Seasoning

Don't forgo the salt and pepper completely — you still need those ingredients as your base — but just add a little bit of other herbs and spices on top. Three herbs that always go well with salmon include rosemary, thyme and basil.

Apparently, the proteins present in milk can bind to the fatty acids that have been exposed to air and give salmon its fishy odor or taste and mitigate them to be more neutral. (Fishiness is caused by the oxidation of fatty acids.)

There's a reason this species is at the top of the list and earned itself the royal moniker: King salmon is considered by many to be the best salmon money can buy. It's rich, high in fat, and big. The average weight of a king salmon is 40 pounds, but they can weigh as much as 135 pounds or as little as 20-something.