Depending on how it's cooked, salmon can be dull and dry, or have such amazing, moist flavor that it's a carnivore treat without any seasonings or sauce.
Here's your foolproof method for making perfect salmon every time- flaky and moist on the inside with a crust on the outside. You can use this method for salmon with or without skin and of any thickness.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Heat an oven-safe pan to medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add some oil to the pan and place the salmon in the pan to sear.
- Sear on each side for about 1-2 minutes. If your salmon has skin, only sear the side without skin.
- Immediately transfer the whole pan to the pre-heated oven.
- Cook in the oven for about 6-10 minutes depending on the thickness. A piece about 1/2 inch thick will only need a few minutes, while a piece over an inch thick will need closer to 10 minutes.
This method is essentially a traditional steak searing method applied to fish. I prefer a reverse sear for steak, baking in the oven and then searing right before searing, but this allows you to quickly cook your fish by transferring the already hot pan to the oven.
If your salmon is particularly thin, simply skin the oven. Just the searing step will cook the fish through.
To dress up your salmon, see my recipe for ridiculously easy, tangy cream cheese sauce here.