How to Prepare Salmon Fillet

Salmon fillet is an ingredient that can be used in a variety of delicious dishes. However, salmon cooks quickly and needs to be prepared properly. Salmon fillets are commonly cooked by grilling from below, grilling from above, barbecuing, pan-frying, or blanching. Before cooking, the fish is often marinated to enhance its flavor. Whether you're an experienced chef or a beginner, you can create a tasty salmon fillet following the instructions below:

Mix the garlic salt, lemon juice, and olive oil together. Place all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix thoroughly, and transfer into a 4-liter resealable plastic bag.

• You can also use a glass dish covered with aluminum foil as an alternative to the plastic bag.

Marinate the salmon. Place the salmon fillets in the marinade and seal the bag. Gently shake the bag a few times to ensure the marinade coats the fish evenly.

• If using a glass dish, turn the salmon fillets several times to ensure the marinade is distributed evenly, then cover with a lid or aluminum foil.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place the bag of salmon fillets and marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

• Unlike other fish, salmon does not have dense flesh like red meat or poultry, so it doesn't require marinating for long periods to absorb the flavors.
• Take the salmon out of the fridge at least 10 minutes before cooking. This step helps to bring the temperature up, ensuring the fish cooks more evenly.

Preheat the oven to 200℃. Line a baking tray with low sides with non-stick aluminum foil.

• If you don't have aluminum foil, spray the baking tray with a non-stick spray.

Place the salmon fillets on the baking tray. If the fillets have skin, place them skin-side down.

• Arrange the fillets in a single layer, ensuring they are evenly spaced.

Bake for 15 minutes. Place the tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through.

• The fish is done when you can easily flake the outer layer with a fork. The flesh in the center should be opaque.

Enjoy the salmon to your liking. The salmon fillets can be enjoyed immediately after removing from the oven, or left to cool down first.

Preheat the oven. Set the top heat mode for about 5-10 minutes.

• Most ovens only have an "on" button for top heat, but if your oven has separate settings for "High" and "Low" heat, select the High setting.

Place the salmon on the baking tray. Put the salmon on the rack that comes with the tray, skin side down.

• Arrange the salmon slices in a single layer, ensuring they are evenly spaced.
• If desired, you can spray a non-stick solution on the rack before placing the salmon. This step is not necessary for fatty meats, but since salmon has less fat, the non-stick solution will significantly reduce the amount of fish sticking to the tray.

Grill with top heat for 10-12 minutes. Position the tray about 15 cm away from the top heat source in the oven and grill until the fish is fully cooked.

• The fish is done when you can easily flake the outer layer with a fork. The flesh in the center should be opaque.
• You can flip the salmon once during grilling to achieve an even brown color on the outside. This step is optional, and since salmon is delicate, flipping it could cause the fish to break apart.

Enjoy. The grilled salmon can be enjoyed immediately while hot or allowed to cool down.

Prepare the grill. You can use either a gas grill or a charcoal grill to cook the salmon fillets.

• If using a gas grill, preheat it to 230°C.
• If using a charcoal grill, arrange the charcoal in a layer at the bottom of the grill and light it. Let it burn for about 30 minutes, allowing the coals to reach a low, steady heat.

Wrap the salmon fillets in aluminum foil. Place each salmon fillet in the center of a sheet of aluminum foil. Fold the sides over the fish and roll it up tightly. Press the edges of the foil to seal it.

• If using non-stick foil, place the salmon fillet on the non-stick side of the foil.

Place the foil-wrapped salmon on the grill and cook for 14-16 minutes. Use tongs or heat-resistant spatula to flip the fish halfway through the cooking time, around 7-8 minutes.

• Because the foil is very hot, it may be hard to check the salmon’s doneness. Wait until you remove the fish from the grill. If you have difficulty flaking the fish with a fork or the flesh hasn’t turned opaque, close the foil again and continue grilling until done.

Let it cool before serving. Remove the salmon from the grill and leave it in the foil at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving.

Heat the pan over high heat. The pan should be hot, but not smoking.

• If desired, you can spray a non-stick solution or add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan before heating. However, this step is not necessary if the fish has already been marinated or coated with olive oil.

Place the fish in the pan. Sear the fish for 3 minutes, then flip it and sear for another 3-4 minutes.

• Use a spatula to flip the fish. Avoid using tongs as this can cause the fish to break apart.
• The fish is done when you can easily flake the outer layer with a fork. The center should be opaque.

Let the fish cool slightly before eating. After removing the fish, let it rest at room temperature for about 5 minutes before enjoying.

Simmer water on the stove. Pour water into a deep pot. Heat over medium heat until it simmers.

• If desired, you can add salt once the water begins to simmer. You may also add chopped green onions, a few sprigs of dill, rosemary, or other herbs to the water. Compared to marinating, this is a more common method to enhance the flavor of poached salmon.

Place the salmon fillet in the pot. Put the skin-side of the fish facing down. Cover with a lid and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

• If you can easily flake the outer layer with a fork and the flesh in the center turns opaque, the fish is done.

Serve the fish while it's still warm. Remove the fish from the pot and let it cool for 3-5 minutes before eating.

• If you are cooking salmon by grilling with the flame below or pan-searing, you can skip the marinade and simply sprinkle fresh herbs like celery, basil, and dill on the fish.
• If you prefer, you can prepare a marinade to use as a dipping sauce or a topping. When used as a topping, you can brush the sauce onto the fish while grilling on the rack, pan-searing, or grilling with the flame above. For dipping sauce, simmer the marinade over heat until it reduces and thickens.
• Experiment with marinade ingredients according to your taste by combining different oils, acidic ingredients, and spices. Acidic ingredients include vinegar and lemon juice, while spices can be either dry or wet. For example, you can make a marinade from soy sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil, and brown sugar. Alternatively, you can use Vinaigrette sauce made from vinegar, oil, and spices.

• Plastic bags that can be sealed, with a capacity of 4 liters or glass plates
• Non-stick aluminum foil
• Non-stick spray
• Baking tray
• Top flame baking tray
• Grilling tray
• Whisk
• Frying pan
• Plate