Methods for Cooking Salmon Now, it must be said that there are many solid, weeknight-friendly ways of cooking salmon that we rely upon. The two easiest and most common ways of cooking salmon are in the oven on a sheet tray at 425°F and on the stovetop with a little oil.
Stovetop Sear
No preheating or special equipment needed. Internal Texture: Pretty good—if you're looking for a quick salmon fix, the stovetop sear produced a fillet much juicier and more tender than the broil method. Skin Crispness: Top of class, A++.
Cooking salmon on the stovetop is the ultimate in ease: if you don't want to heat up your oven or spend too much time in front of it, sautéing a fillet is the way to go. Or if you're looking for a low-fat option, poaching salmon produces tender, clean-tasting fish.
But, do you know which is the best oil to use for frying fish and its health benefits. While some may beg to differ, going by traditions and different types of cuisines, experts say fish fried in Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the healthiest option. The study was published in the journal Food Research International.
Tips to make the perfect pan seared salmon:
Skin on salmon works better that skinless salmon. Use a good pan, that heats up evenly. Make sure the pan and oil are hot. You can use Olive oil, but if you are concerned about the lower smoking point of olive oil, use vegetable oil.
Butter makes everything better, and the oil is key for helping create the crispy exterior. Make sure to use an oil with a high smoke point like canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil. Olive oil has a relatively low smoke point. The butter and oil are how you pan sear salmon without burning it.
Place the salmon fillets skin-side down in a large clean roasting tray – cut each in half if they don't fit. Lay the rosemary on top and drizzle with olive oil. Gently rub the oil and rosemary all over the fish, and season. Bake for 20 minutes or until just cooked.
Rub salt, pepper and oil onto salmon skin just before cooking. Place frypan over a medium heat. Place salmon portions skin side down on frypan for 5 mins. Turn salmon portions and cook for 5 mins, or to your liking.
Put the salmon parcel in the roasting tin and cook in the centre of the oven for 25 - 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. Remove from the oven and without unwrapping the foil parcel, rest the fish for 5 - 10 minutes. Unwrap the salmon and peel off the skin with a palette knife.
Salmon Method: Slow-Roasted in the Oven
It certainly was moist! I almost didn't think it was cooked, it was so juicy. The low oven temp also meant that there wasn't a lot of carryover cooking happening once it was out of the oven either, making it next to impossible to dry the salmon out using this method.
Use a cooking oil with a high smoke point, like canola oil, sunflower oil, or avocado oil. Using an oil with a low smoke point, such as extra virgin olive oil, will cause that oil to burn in the pan & will not allow you to get a proper sear on your salmon. Be sure that you allow your oil to get hot enough.
Olive oil: A heart-healthy oil that I almost always use when cooking in the kitchen. Kosher salt: The larger, flat flakes make the salt stick easier to the salmon and also helps to enhance the fishes natural flavor. Black pepper: Freshly ground is my favorite, it's spicy, woody, and warm.
Cook until golden brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook until it feels firm to the touch and the skin is crisp if desired, about 3 minutes more. The skin can be served or removed easily with a knife or spoon. Transfer to a plate and serve as desired.
Use a salad fork or the tip of a paring knife to test whether the top of the fish flakes apart easily. It's done cooking if it's flakey. If salmon is hard to the touch and doesn't flake when testing it with a utensil or finger, it needs to cook a little longer.
However, contrary to popular belief, frying foods with olive oil isn't any healthier. According to EatingWell, this is due to the fact that frying is done at a high temperature. When oil reaches its smoke point, its compounds, including the ones considered beneficial to your health, begin to break down.
You rinse the salmon.
The USDA cautions: “do not rinse raw fish, seafood, meat, and poultry. Bacteria in these raw juices can splash and spread to other foods and surfaces. Cooking foods thoroughly will kill harmful bacteria.”
It's called albumin. And it lives in your salmon whether it's cooked or not, no matter where it's from, how it's raised, or how much you paid for it. Albumin is a liquid protein that solidifies when the fish is cooked, seeping out as the muscle fibers contract under heat, becoming thick and a bright white.