Lemon Garlic Sockeye Salmon Recipe - Easy Oven Baked Salmon! (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake salmon at 350 or 400? ›

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.

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

We recommend baking the salmon uncovered.

Slow-roasting is the most foolproof method. Cooking salmon with gentle heat, either in a low oven (225°F to 250°F) or in the slow cooker, results in succulent fillets each and every time.

The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.

To check the color of the salmon, you can use a fork to gently pull apart the flesh in the thickest part of the fillet or steak. The flesh should be opaque, flaky, and moist. If it is still translucent, it needs more time to cook. If it is dry or appears white, it may be overcooked.

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.

By baking fish in foil or parchment paper in the oven, the flavors will meld together and steam in their very own packet that doesn't need cleaning later. You can create a delicious, mess-free meal in no time.

Salmon fillets are best cooked starting with the skin-side down. This prevents over-browning the meat, which can make it dry and pretty unappealing to look at on the plate. "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 might think that rinsing your salmon will help keep it clean and bacteria free, but you're wrong. Not only does rinsing the salmon not destroy bacteria, but it can in fact spread bacteria, not only on the surface of the fish but in your sink, too.

What to season salmon with? ›

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.

Sockeye salmon "runs" in the summer, and officials make sure a sizable population is already upriver headed to spawn before the season opens. If runs start to get too small, the season will close for a while. In general, sockeye is caught in most places from mid-June through July.

When we cook wild salmon, we find that when it's cooked to 125 degrees – which is our preferred temperature for most fish and for farm-raised salmon – it tastes a little dry. That is because it has less fat, and the muscles fibers are already a little bit firmer.

Bake salmon at 400 degrees F for 11 to 14 minutes for 6-ounce fillets or 15 to 18 minutes for a single side, until it registers 135 degrees F on an instant read thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the salmon. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes.

The ideal temperature to bake salmon is at 350°. At that temperature, a large piece of salmon should take about 25 minutes to bake in the oven.

If baking individual salmon fillet portions, a higher temperature of 400 to 425 degrees F is best. For a larger side of salmon, 375 degrees F is the best temperature.

Salmon Temperature – 125°F

Salmon – like all fish – has almost no collagen, which means it will start to lose moisture more quickly than beef. While the FDA recommends cooking fish to 145°F, for a flakier, more moist and tender salmon filet, many chefs find that it's best enjoyed when cooked to medium – 125°F.