Common sense and intuition may lead you to believe covering your salmon in the oven would cause it to cook faster — trapping the heat and speeding things up. And while that may be true with certain dishes such as casseroles and lasagna, it does not pertain to salmon.
Bake Fish Covered or Uncovered: The Bottom Line
The basic rule of thumb is that breaded and coated fish should be cooked on an open tray, while fillets and whole fish should be covered for moist and tender results.
It is recommended to bake salmon uncovered at a high temperature (around 400-425°F/ 205-218°C) for a shorter period of time to ensure the fish is cooked through but still moist and flavorful.
The rule 10-Minute Rule or Canadian Cooking Method is simple: cook fish for 10-minutes per inch of thickness. Then, flip the fish only once, halfway through the cooking time. Whether you plan to follow a recipe or not, start by measure the thickest part of the fish with a clean ruler.
It creates a buttery, fresh, evenly cooked fish without having to be as precise. Moisture is preserved while flavor is exploded! Your fish won't have any char marks either! The foil helps cook the fish faster and just all around better.
These include Aluminium foil and butcher paper. Wrapping your brisket in aluminum foil speeds up cooking time and keeps in the meat's fat and juices, leaving it tender. It also helps keep the temperature constant, allowing it to cook evenly.
No, the foil actually slows the cooking process, by reflecting rather than absorbing infrared light. The usual purpose for cooking food in foil, such as baked potatoes, is to limit the escape of moisture and to slow the cooling of the food after it is cooked.
A good rule of thumb is to cook the fish to an internal temperature of 140-145 degrees. Try the 10-minute rule, which says you should measure the fish at its thickest point, and cook it for 10 minutes per inch, turning halfway through the cooking time.
Therefore, be sure to account for this and remove the fish from the heat when the temperature is slightly below 145°F, so that it's internal temperature will rise to the perfect level after resting away from the heat for a few minutes. This will ensure you do not overcook fish accidentally.
In fish, muscle fibers are much shorter than they are in beef, and collagen dissolves easily during cooking. So fish cooks quickly and there's no tenderizing to do. In fact, the biggest challenge in preparing fish filets is to keep them from falling apart after cooking.
Once the pan is hot, add olive oil to the pan. Place salmon SKIN SIDE UP and set timer for 3 minutes. You always start skin side up because dry spices on the flesh can burn if cooked longer than 3 minutes. Flip, reduce heat slightly (to about medium) and cover pan with a lid.
Is it better to bake salmon covered or uncovered? Salmon can be cooked either covered or uncovered, but we have found that the salmon will come out extremely tender and perfectly cooked if you cook the salmon in foil.
At 350°F (175°C), a salmon fillet takes about 25 minutes to bake, and when it's done, the thickest part should flake easily. At 400°F (C), a piece of salmon takes about 10-15 minutes to bake, or until the temperature reaches 135 degrees at its thickest, most internal part.
What does wrapping in foil do? There are a few good reasons to cook fish in foil. The fish comes out very moist and flaky, almost steamed-like. This method also helps prevent from oil/ grease spills and the packets make for a fun individualized serving.
Beware the temptation to overcook… that lovely fillet of halibut can become tough and dry faster than you think. Always err on the side of undercooking your fish; as a matter of fact most people enjoy fish that is still a little translucent in the center.
It provides a crispy mouth feel and soaks up flavors from the fat when frying. Coating can also make it easier to fry fish meat that has a tendency to fall apart. The batter turns into a shell that keeps the sensitive protein in place and stops it from sticking to the hot surface of the pan.
Pan frying fish over high heat often leads to oil-splattered stoves and lingering fish odors. Avoid the splattery mess and give yourself more wiggle room with cooking time by cooking fish low and slow in the oven.
Liquid is your friend
Overcooked salmon on its own is perfectly safe and edible (in fact, it's much safer than undercooked salmon), but the texture may leave one wanting ... a glass of water. In addition to the chalky mouthfeel, oftentimes overcooked salmon will also develop bits of opaque white goop on top.
Seafood. Seafood, especially shellfish, gets tough when overcooked. Shrimp, scallops and the like are revived a little if you simmer them in a mixture of butter and lemon juice. Salmon and hearty fish like that will be alright if you add a creamy sauce or brush with butter.
Excess moisture will cause the fish to steam rather than sear. Steaming causes that squishiness. Cook it at a higher temp. Stainless steel or cast iron cookware is best for cooking fish on the stovetop.
Foil is not airtight, meaning no matter how tightly you wrap it, some air will get in. This allows bacteria to grow faster. Instead, store leftovers in airtight storage containers or food storage bags.
Foil conducts and distributes heat, making it able to withstand high temperatures from baking, broiling, roasting, or grilling. For anything above 400 degrees, use foil.
Covering dishes with aluminum foil during a bake helps lock in moisture. Loosely placing or tenting a sheet of foil over a dish can prevent the top from browning while the rest of your dish continues to bake.