Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Baking Salmon (CORRECTED)

I love baked salmon, but I only love it when it's moist and tender, not overcooked and dry.

Baking salmon on a bed of KOSHER salt takes the guesswork out of it - the salt helps distribute the heat more evenly, ensuring a nice moist texture and excellent flavor, without transferring a salty taste to the fish. Best of all, the cleanup is easy too. (Note: This is NOT rock salt like you'd put on your driveway! Sorry, I always mistakenly call it that but rock salt is inedible (and not sold as food)!!)

To cook salmon this way, buy filets or a large hunk of fish (we usually do the one large piece, it's more easily available here in Israel and is easier to cook) with the skin still on.

Marinate the fish for at least 30 minutes in your favorite marinade, or rub with spices just before cooking.

Cover a large baking sheet with tinfoil (for speedy cleanup) and spread KOSHER salt over the tray to a depth of about 1 centimeter (about 1/3 of an inch).

Set the salmon carefully on the tray, skin side down. Bake at 325 degrees fahrenheit (170 celsius) until just cooked, about 35 minutes.
When you're ready to serve, lift the fish carefully onto a clean cutting board for cutting or serving. The salt will have baked into a "crust" and will remain behind.
When it's time to clean up, just carefully lift up the tinfoil and slide the whole thing into the garbage, then just give the tray a quick wash and you're done. No baked on fish residue to worry about. (I've done this without the tinfoil too. It works, but it's easier with the foil.)

I've been baking salmon this way for years and haven't had a miss yet.

Visit Rocks in My Dryer for all sorts of other household tips.

12 comments:

Mom not Mum (Sandy) said...

Mmmmm sounds good. I just recently found that all 3 of my kids will eat salmon. I made it on Sunday but folded it in tin foil packets with lemon and dill and put it on the grill for a few minutes.

Anonymous said...

I have never tried it like this. Good tip. I just dump some spices on it and grill it or cook it in the oven.

TnMomTo3 said...

Sounds delicious!! We usually pan fry salmon coated in toasted sesame seeds (Yum).

Ms. Kathleen said...

I just bought a huge piece of salmon. I love it with a buttery pecan glaze. Thank you for this wonderful tip. I understand what you mean when it gets to dry or overbaked.

Thanks!

Fairly Odd Mother said...

Wait, do you mean rock salt like we throw on the ice to make it melt??? This sounds fabulous but I don't want to kill my family by using the wrong salt.

Anonymous said...

That does sound good. I've never cooked salmon this way! Thanks for the tip!

BTW~ I emailed Leanne about my page, and I think I figured it out. Could you check to see if it's loading better.

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of that method before. We've always poached salmon in bouillion. I may just give it a go as salmon is my all time favourite.
Best wishes

Mel said...

That sounds like a great idea - we love salmon in this family! Thanks Robin!

Robin said...

Aack! I mean KOSHER salt - I always call it rock salt for some reason.

Jen said...

Ooh. OOH! I'll have to make this. Only thing is, we get our fish sans skin. So next time I get salmon with skin on I am sooo making this. Oh yum.

Fairly Odd Mother said...

LOL! Thanks for straightening that out! Now, I can try it!

Lilight said...

I LOVE grilled salmon. That baked recipe sounds great also. I can't believe how much I've heard of Kosher salt in recipes lately!