Seafood is a staple of billions of people’s diets worldwide, and salmon is one of the most popular cuisine options for delicious seafood. It offers a tasty meal with many health benefits, but it’s a delicate food to cook without overdoing it. You don’t want to spend a pretty penny on a beautiful pink salmon filet only to cook it too long.
Learning how to cook salmon is essential to show off your cooking skills to your family and friends during your dinner parties. Overcooked salmon is avoidable, but you must learn the optimal salmon cooking time and methods.
The good news is that you’ve found the perfect guide to learning how to cook salmon perfectly at home. Keep reading this article to serve a Michelin Star meal in your kitchen today!
Cook Salmon Skin-Down
It’s essential to cook your salmon with the skin down to maintain the vitamins and nutrients this tasty fish provides. The healthy oils in salmon reside in the skin, so cooking the salmon incorrectly will negate those benefits. A fully-cooked salmon should have a crispy skin similar to that of chicken.
Cook the salmon until it is lightly browned before flipping it, so the skin faces up. You can finish cooking the salmon in that fashion for a balanced and delicious dinner of wild caught salmon fillets.
Cook at the Optimal Temperature
The cooking temperature is an essential thing to monitor when you’re cooking salmon at home. Choose a salmon temperature that is hot enough to crisp the skin but not too hot to cause the white goo to come out of the salmon meat. That white liquid indicates the protein escaping from the filet because you’re creating an overcooked salmon.
A medium-low temperature is best if you want a savory salmon filet. You’ll enjoy a juicy and flavorful dinner when you choose the right temperature for a fully-cooked salmon.
Check the Internal Temperature
The internal temperature is a key indicator that presents overcooked salmon. It’s best when cooked between medium and medium-rare, and the internal salmon temperature is your cheat code to a perfect salmon filet. Your meat thermometer is the best tool to check the interior temperature and cook the perfect salmon filet.
Check for Pin Bones
Pin bones aren’t a massive concern with overcooked salmon, but they’ll put a damper on your efforts if your goal is the perfect salmon dinner. Check the filet for pin bones before you start the cooking process to prevent a choking hazard for your dinner guests. A fully-cooked salmon isn’t as enjoyable when you’re working around these tiny bones.
Avoid the Dreaded Overcooked Salmon at Your Next Dinner
Overcooked salmon is difficult to avoid if you don’t have the right knowledge and tools, but knowing the optimal salmon temperature will lead you in the correct direction. Remove any pin bones, and check the internal salmon temperature when cooking a perfect pink salmon filet. Remember to cook the salmon skin down to harness the health benefits.
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