The next installment of kitchen basics features 3 easy salmon recipes to cook at home. I feel like a lot of people are not very confident with cooking salmon in the oven or in the pan. These 3 techniques for cooking salmon are very different, but they are all incredibly easy and bring the flavor.
Once you feel confident about these salmon cooking methods, make sure to try out these salmon meal prep recipes like my low calorie salmon patty and noodle stir fry and glazed salmon with cauliflower salad for work and school.
Here are my favorite ways to cook salmon:
- Salmon patties that are minced with fresh ginger and herbs and finished in the pan with a sweet and sticky chili sauce.
- Pan-seared salmon cooked until the skin is crispy like a potato chip and the fish is perfectly cooked through.
- Broiled salmon with a brown sugar and citrus glaze. Just season the fish and stick it under the broiler and your work is done.
How To Make Salmon Patties
Salmon is the perfect fish for making patties because it has a good amount of fat, and we can use that as the binder for the salmon patties instead of bread crumbs. You can toss the salmon and other ingredients in a food processor and blitz them up, but I prefer the old school way – with a knife. Make sure to have the fish guy remove the skin at the store. They will be happy to do this for you. Then chop the salmon into cubes and go to town and mince it up the best you can with a knife.
It’s really quite easy to do this with an 8 inch chefs knife. Just make sure to leave a little texture to the fish so the patties are not smooth and creamy. Once minced add the grated garlic, ginger, sliced green onions, salt, and pepper. Form the cakes by hand and get them in a hot non-stick pan. Since the salmon is fatty, you only need a 1/2 teaspoon of oil to cook them in – the salmon will render a good amount of fat.
During the last minute of cooking the salmon patties, squeeze some sweet chili sauce over them and allow them to get sticky and sweet.
Can I Make Salmon Patties With Canned Salmon?
To make salmon patties with canned salmon, just make sure to add 1 egg or 1.5 tablespoons of mayo to help bind the mixture together. You can even make the salmon patties with wild salmon which does not have as much fat, so just add mayo or eggs and you are good to go.
Pan Seared Salmon Recipe With Crispy Skin
The key to making pan seared salmon is to allow the fish to sit skin side up in the fridge for 30 minutes. This will dry out the skin and allow it to become crispy like a potato chip when cooked in a hot non-stick pan. Make sure to preheat the pan over medium-high heat with 2 teaspoons of oil and wait for it to get hot. Season the salmon skin with a generous pinch of salt and place it skin side down for 4-5 minutes. Don’t touch the salmon at this point. Let it pan sear and allow that skin to get crispy. Season the top of the salmon with another pinch of salt.
The cool thing about pan seared salmon is that you know it is ready to flip when the top edges turn white in color. Once flipped, turn the heat down just below medium and allow to cook for 3-4 more minutes. If you want to cook the salmon all the way through, flip it on each side for 30 seconds and then remove it from the pan.
Broiled Salmon With Brown Sugar Glaze
This could be the easiest way to make a salmon glaze. All you have to do is season the top of the salmon with salt, light brown sugar, lemon and orange zest, and allow to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. The salt brings moisture to the surface, melts the sugar, and that forms the glaze. Preheat the broiler to high and make sure the oven rack is 8-10 inches away from the broiling element.
Broil for 7-9 minutes or until the top of the salon has a really nice color and the fish is cooked to your liking. You can pinch the sides of the salmon and if it feels firm, it’s done.
How Long Do I Cook Salmon For?
Most recipes will say to cook salmon to 145 degrees F, but that is overcooked in my opinion. The easiest way to know if salmon is done to your liking to to pinch the sides of the fish. If it feel soft, the fish needs to cook more, but if it feels firm with a slight give, it’s ready. It’s easy to over-cook salmon, so when in doubt, you can always cut into the salmon and take a peak.
Make sure to check out my other salmon recipes:
- Salmon meal prep
- Cedar plank salmon
- Salmon cakes meal prep
