Easy Baked Salmon
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Salmon. It’s packed with omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients, not to mention, it’s super tasty. Especially when cooked correctly. Salmon is not a protein that needs to be cooked well done, so make sure you have your meat thermometer ready!
Salmon with lemon and butter
Salmon is delicious on it’s own, but when combined with the perfect blend of fat and acid, we are at a whole different level of flavor! That’s exactly how we are going to cook it today. I’ve cooked salmon at home and at fancy restaurants and that’s how I landed on this method of cooking this tasty fish. It is by far the tastiest baked salmon I have tried and I recommend you try it as well.
Remove the skin?
I have done research as well as my own trial and error when it comes to removing the skin. I have found that leaving it on, not only adds more flavor, but it also creates and extra layer of protection from the heat in the oven. Cooking it without the skin risks burning it on the bottom and won’t retain moister as well, resulting in a dry, less flavorful salmon. Once you cook the fillet, the meat can be easily removed from the skin with a fish spatula. Just because you cooked with it on, doesn’t mean you have to eat it. I for one am not a fan of baked fish skin. Grilling or pan searing are techniques that will get you a much crispier beautiful skin, but that’s for a different post. This method is much easier to execute.
Easy Dinner
I keep this recipe in my front pocket because it is easy and quite delicious. My son loves eating this salmon with white rice and some veggies. Normally I give him raw carrots or celery unless I have broccoli, which we will all eat. For the adults, you can’t go wrong with sautéed veggies of your choice. Since it will be 30 minutes of cooking and resting time for the salmon, that’s how much time you have to work on your sides. Everything will be much easier for you if you have all your ingredients out before you begin any prep. Also, I like to top my salmon with teriyaki sauce or thai sweet chili sauce. Throw some toasted sesame seeds on as well to elevate your fish even further.
Easy Baked Salmon
Equipment
- baking tray
- aluminum foil
- fish spatula
- chef knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 Salmon Fillet ~2 lbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp butter
- pan spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Slice lemon into 5-6 wheels. Slice butter into 6 pieces
- Line a baking tray with aluminum and spray with pan spray. Place fillet on lined tray. Brush with oil season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Place lemons over salmon. Place butter over lemons.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Spin tray 180°. Set oven to broil and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until an internal temperature in the thickest part of the fillet reads 135°F.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze remaining lemon juice from wheels onto the salmon. Slice into 4-6 pieces. Use fish spatula to separate the meat from the skin. Don't forget to turn off your equipment and enjoy your fish with some awesome sauteed veggies and steamed white rice!
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