This need-to-know technique assures perfectly cooked, tender salmon every single time－and you can apply the method to other favorite salmon recipes.🐟
In my early days of cooking salmon, I often broiled it. The method is quick, and a little crispy char is delightful. I quickly learned, however, that there’s a fine line between broiling to crispy perfection and overcooking the inside.
Overcooking is easy to do when baking and grilling fish, too. And then we cut into what began as a lovely piece of salmon, only to find it dry and disappointing.
Enter this need-to-know technique that assures perfectly cooked, tender salmon every single time. I’ve used this method so many times over the last few years, and despite the use of the word “slow” in the recipe title, fish tends to cook quickly; so you can still have dinner on the table in short order.
For added value and versatility, you can use the low-heat method with other favorite salmon recipes.
You may prepare this simple recipe with your choice of “aromatics” (like citrus slices, herbs and scallions) or you can give the fillet a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and call it a day.
The beauty of this method lies in its inherent simplicity－not to mention its versatility. If you enjoy your fish with a favorite sauce or rub, give it a try with the low oven called for in this recipe. Slow-cooked salmon is also the perfect vehicle for a variety of salsas, like mango, black bean and avocado tomato.
A low oven holds added appeal in the warmer months. Who wants to broil or heat the oven to 400℉ when the mercury is soaring? Happily, this salmon tastes delicious when served hot, room temperature or cold, so feel free to cook it in advance if you’d like.
The salsas mentioned two paragraphs up are particularly delightful when it’s warm out. They’re well suited to simple weeknight meals and special enough to serve company. For a really easy meal, serve with rice or another grain on the side; both work well with the salsas. If you’d like an added vegetable, asparagus, green beans and snap peas complement nicely.
The salmon in these photos is topped with 2-ingredient miso butter.⇩⇩ (If you like this idea, simply top with a few spoonfuls once the salmon has been removed from the oven and allow it to melt. An added benefit of not cooking the miso is that it retains all the healthy probiotics.) The earthiness of miso lends well to most any grain or vegetable side including mushrooms, root vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower and virtually any leafy green.
My whole family truly enjoys this meal. It’s tender and never dry. I initially saw the slow-roast idea in a magazine years ago; that recipe called for a temperature 275℉ along with a complicated sauce. I set the oven little lower yet, finding that a reduction of just 25° makes the salmon even more tender－and though you can add a favorite sauce, a barebones preparation is worthy in its own right.
For best texture and flavor, I aim for an internal temperature of 120℉ when taken in the thickest part of the fillet. The fish will still be good if you miss that mark, as the carryover cooking that happens when the fish is removed from a cooler-than-usual oven has comparatively less velocity behind it.
Also, don’t fret if the fish looks slightly transparent, even somewhat raw, once cooked; this is a result of the low oven temperature and is more noticeable with some varieties of wild salmon. (I actually think it looks pretty!) Despite the look, the internal temperature will validate that the fish is cooked.
So let’s get cooking!
Slow Roasted SalmonYield: 4 servings
This need-to-know technique assures perfectly cooked, tender salmon every single time. Plus you can use the method with other favorite salmon recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 salmon fillet, about 1½ pounds*
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Sea or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Optional aromatics: lemon or orange slices; fresh herbs like parsley, dill, chives, and/or basil; thinly sliced shallots or green onions; thinly sliced fennel, etc.
InstructionsPreheat the oven to 250℉, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the salmon on the baking sheet, skin side down, and rub the fish all over with the olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Option: If desired, you may place a layer of the thinly sliced aromatics－choose one or several－under the salmon prior to roasting. This will infuse a little extra flavor into the fish as it cooks.
Bake the salmon until it is opaque on the outside and just barely cooked through the center, 20 to 25 minutes. The internal temperature should read 120℉－or just cut into the thick end and peek inside. (Tip: When cooking leaner wild salmon fillets like Sockeye, I have found the time to be right at 20 minutes, give or take a minute or two. Extra time will likely be needed for farmed and thick wild fillets; simply cook until the fish registers an internal temperature of 120℉.)
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve as is or with your choice of citrus wedges or any of your favorite salsas or sauces.
Notes*I prefer to give the salmon time to come to room temperature (or close to it) before cooking. Often, however, there just isn’t time so I cook it straight from the refrigerator. The primary differences are a small difference in cooking time and you may notice a little more albumin, which is the harmless white stuff (actually a liquid protein in the fish that becomes semi-solid when cooked) that often appears on the exterior of the cooked salmon.
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- 1 salmon fillet, about 1½ pounds*
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Sea or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Optional aromatics: lemon or orange slices; fresh herbs like parsley, dill, chives, and/or basil; thinly sliced shallots or green onions; thinly sliced fennel, etc.
Preheat the oven to 250℉, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the salmon on the baking sheet, skin side down, and rub the fish all over with the olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Option: If desired, you may place a layer of the thinly sliced aromatics－choose one or several－under the salmon prior to roasting. This will infuse a little extra flavor into the fish as it cooks.
Bake the salmon until it is opaque on the outside and just barely cooked through the center, 20 to 25 minutes. The internal temperature should read 120℉－or just cut into the thick end and peek inside. (Tip: When cooking leaner wild salmon fillets like Sockeye, I have found the time to be right at 20 minutes, give or take a minute or two. Extra time will likely be needed for farmed and thick wild fillets; simply cook until the fish registers an internal temperature of 120℉.)
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve as is or with your choice of citrus wedges or any of your favorite salsas or sauces.
*I prefer to give the salmon time to come to room temperature (or close to it) before cooking. Often, however, there just isn’t time so I cook it straight from the refrigerator. The primary differences are a small difference in cooking time and you may notice a little more albumin, which is the harmless white stuff (actually a liquid protein in the fish that becomes semi-solid when cooked) that often appears on the exterior of the cooked salmon.
I loved all th receipes you have posted love this web site
Thank you, Barbara! I’m so glad to read this. And would you believe that your last name is my middle name?!
Fish is so sensitive and easy to overlook. This recipe works for many varieties. Salmon has become a frequent entree.
Gram
We enjoy it often, too, Gram…and you’re so right! 🙂