How To Cook Salmon Perfectly?

Cooking salmon might seem difficult, but as this video shows, it’s much easier than you think! Watch these easy step-by-step instructions and learn how to prepare and cook salmon in under 10 minutes.

Prepare to cook Salmon

Feel for bones. Remove any bones with fish tweezers.

#1 PAN-SEARED

While pan searing may seem like the simplest method of cooking fish, it is alarmingly easy for the fish to get overcooked. People tend to walk away from the stove and allow the fish to go unmonitored for too long. Make sure you pay close attention to the cooking process, or you’ll end up with a dry, cracked fillet of fish.

1. Pat the skin side of the fish dry with a paper towel.
2. Season the skin with sea salt to add crispiness.
3. Place a fry pan on medium-high heat and add olive oil for cooking.
4. Place the fish onto the heated pan, skin side down. For crispy skin, hold down on the pan for 30 seconds.
5. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
6. Turn over and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
7. Once cooked, rest for 3 minutes.

#2 MARINATED + PAN-SEARED

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, brown sugar, dijon mustard, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper until well combined.
2. Cut the salmon fillet into portions and place them in one layer inside a freezer bag.
3. Pour the marinade into the bag and seal while keeping out most of the air.
4. Massage the marinade around until it coats all the salmon pieces.
5. Place the bag in the fridge with all the pieces still flat and in one layer.
6. Marinate for one our. Don’t leave the fish in the marinade much longer, as the citrus will start to slowly cook the fish.
7. Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy stainless (see notes below) or non-stick pan and heat on medium high.
8. Once the oil looks like it’s about to start smoking, carefully place the salmon portions in the pan, skin side facing up. Note: make sure to place the pieces down and away from you to avoid burning yourself.
9. Let the fish cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the fish side is nicely seared and caramelized. Use a spatula to lift the fish a little to see the colour.
10. With a spatula, turn the pieces over gently to avoid breaking the fish.
11. Let the fish cook on the skin side for another 5 minutes or until the fish starts to flake.
12. Plate the salmon pieces and top with the chopped green onion (scallions).
13. Serve the fish hot with a favourite side. Enjoy!

#3 GRILLED

1. Prepare your grill and marinate a salmon fillet using salt, pepper, and olive oil.
2. Score the skin of the fish with a knife so that it can be cooked evenly and become crispy. 
3. Place the fillet on the grill, skin-side down, and cook it for 2-3 minutes until the skin is crispy. Then, flip the salmon over and cook it for another 2-3 minutes, until completely cooked through.
4. Remove the salmon from the grill, transfer it to a plate, and serve it after letting it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes.

#4 OVEN-BAKED

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C (390˚F) set to fan. Marinate the salmon fillet using salt, pepper, and olive oil, and put it in a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Bake it for 10-12 minutes, until your fillet is cooked through.
3. Remove the fillet from the oven, transfer it to a plate, and serve it after letting it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes.

#5 GRILL PAN-SEARED

1. Place a grill pan over medium heat until it gets very hot.
2. Marinate a salmon fillet using salt, pepper, and olive oil.
3. Transfer the fillet to the grill pan and cook it for 2-3 minutes, until nicely golden. Then, flip the salmon over and cook it for another 2-3 minutes, until completely cooked through.
4. Remove the fillet from the grill pan, transfer it to a plate, and serve it after letting it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes.

#6 STEAMED

1. Place a pot with a little water (or a steamer) over medium heat.
2. Marinate a salmon fillet using salt, pepper, and olive oil.
3. Put a rack inside the pot and place the fillet onto the rack (making sure that it does not touch the water).
4. Cover the pot with the lid and let your fillet cook for 8-10 minutes. If you have a steamer, just transfer the fish to the steamer and let it cook for 8-10 minutes.
5. Remove the fillet from the pot or the steamer, transfer it to a plate, and serve it after letting it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes.

#7 SOUS VIDE

1. Fill a pot with water, add the sous vide machine, and set it to 58^οC (136^οF).
2. Marinate your fillet using salt, pepper, and olive oil.
3. Transfer it to a sous vide bag and close it with the vacuum sealer, so that it sucks out all the air. Place the bag with the salmon fillet into the pot with the sous vide machine and leave it for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the fillet from the pot and the bag, transfer it to a plate, and serve it after letting it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes.

#8 GRAVADLAX

1. In a bowl add 200 g sugar, 200 g coarse salt, the juice and zest of 2 limes, and mix.
2. Cut the salmon into thin slices, each 1 cm thick. Take a baking pan and spread half of the bowl’s mixture on the bottom.
3. Place the slices of your fillet on top and the other half of the bowl’s mixture over them.
4. Let your fillet marinate for 2-3 hours. Then, rinse the salmon slices very well under running water and serve.

#9 PAN-SEARED + BAKED

1. Preheat the oven to 200^οC (390^οF) set to fan. Take a frying pan and place it over medium heat.
2. Marinate your fillet using salt, pepper, and olive oil.
3. Score the skin of the fish with a knife so that it can be cooked evenly and become crispy.
4. Place the fillet in the pan, skin-side down, and press it for a few seconds, so that it stays flat and does not shrink during cooking.
5. Cook it for 2-3 minutes.
6. Flip the salmon over and put the pan in the oven.
7. Bake it for 5-6 minutes, until your fillet is completely cooked through. Remove the fillet from the oven, transfer it to a plate, and serve it after letting it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes.