Salmon fillets and steaks are yummy, but it is not the easiest of things to cook salmon well. So, here are a few salmon cooking tips which would help you sidestep the usual errors and will save you the blushes when it is serve-up time!
Salmon Cooking Tips
Poach, Grill, or Pan Sear?
You can employ any of these methods, but you will need to go the right way. When poaching, many commit the common mistake of poaching the fish in plain water, though when poaching, you are missing on a great opportunity to add flavors. We say if you should poach, poach the salmon in milk, chicken stock, or fish broth and try flavors with lemon, peppercorns, bay leaves, etc.—whatever suits your fancy. It is also a great idea to poach the fish in dry white wine.
If you are grilling or hot-smoking, use only pre-soaked wood chips—try alder, hickory or maple. Lower the heat once it starts to smoke and keep the temperature inside the smoker at no higher than 80-90C.
In case of pan-frying, use a heavy non-stick frying pan and use olive oil or butter (heated in medium high-heat) to cook your salmon.
Choose the Right Salmon
If you are going for steak or fillet, make sure that you pick pieces all of uniform size and thickness. A center cut is normally your best option. Also, do not go for whatever is there in offer. Organically raised salmon tastes the best. They are normally more expensive, but you will also get the best of your salmon if you choose those varieties.
Do Not Rip the Skin Off
This is another common mistake you can make when cooking salmon. There are some recipes which may advise you to get rid of the skin, but we at Italian Home Kitchen Blog say that it is best that you do not, especially when you are pan-searing or grilling. The skin provides a nice safety layer between the soft salmon flesh and the surface of the grill or the hot pan. Cook the skin-side down and ALWAYS cook in lower heat.
Follow these tips and chances are slim that you will ever go wrong in cooking your salmon again.
We Japanese totally agree with you “Do Not Rip the Skin Off”!!!
Timely! We are having salmon for dinner! 🙂
Great information!
I love Salmon, so I am so glad to see these tips. Because it can be a bit pricey I don’t make it very often – so it becomes a bit of an anxiety producer when I do – I’m always a bit afraid I’ll goof it up. Thanks so much for posting this!
I love salmon and my full proof way to bake salmon is http://yummylummy.com/2015/10/23/perfectly-baked-salmon/ Twelve minutes in a small benchtop oven at 200 °C gives a perfect result every time.
Oops, that should have been fool proof 🙂
Salmon is such a favorite at our home here in Florida-choosing the correct cooking method is key; we personally love to grill (year round) and agree we always use the same Seafood Market-skin on!
Lemon and tarragon are my favourite salmon flavours, usually in foil in the oven with some butter
Lemon is always good, but love that you brought up tarragon! We love to do a light tarragon dressing from our favorite tarrogon vinegar: https://thebestwinesfromitaly.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/why-you-should-love-tarragon-vinegar/
Great tips. Thanks.
Definitely leave the skin on when pan frying. Brush the fish with oil first not the pan.
I oven poach salmon steaks in foil parcels with white wine, bay leaves, herbs and lemon.
Pan fry is probably our favorite method for salmon.
Great tips! Beautiful photo.
Thank you so much for these handy tips! Salmon is so expensive so it’s extremely important to cook it properly. Great post!
thanks for sharing…
Great post. When salmon is done right, it’s amazing.
Thank you for sharing
Nice tips! Also I love crispy fish skin, so deffo keep it on 🙂
Your salmon looks amazing!