Baked Salmon
Salmon fillets brushed with garlic butter, Dijon mustard and a touch of brown sugar, baked at moderate heat until the center is just barely opaque. Done in 25 minutes and nearly impossible to get wrong if you watch the temperature.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets
- 30 gbutter
- 1 lemon
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbspDijon mustard
- 1 tspbrown sugar
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
- 1 tspsalt
- ½ tspblack pepper
- 2 tbspfresh dill or parsley
Method
- Take the salmon out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking. Pat the fillets completely dry with paper towels — surface moisture prevents browning. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Melt the butter and stir in the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, juice of half the lemon, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt and pepper. This is your glaze.
- Place the fillets skin-side down on a lined baking sheet or in a baking dish. Brush the glaze generously over the top and sides of each fillet. Slice the remaining half of the lemon and lay a slice on each piece.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes depending on thickness. A 2.5 cm thick fillet takes about 13 minutes. The salmon is ready when the flesh turns matte-pink and the thickest part flakes easily when pressed with a fork — the very center can still look slightly translucent. Internal temperature at the thickest point: 57–60°C (135–140°F) for moist; 63°C (145°F) for fully cooked.
- Remove from the oven and rest for 2 minutes — the salmon continues cooking from residual heat. Scatter fresh dill or parsley over the top and serve immediately with the pan juices spooned over.
FAQ
190°C (375°F) for 12–15 minutes for a 2.5 cm thick fillet. Higher temperatures (220°C+) cook the exterior fast but leave almost no margin before the fish dries out. At 190°C the salmon stays moist even if you leave it 1–2 minutes longer. The most reliable guide is a thermometer: 57–60°C (135–140°F) at the thickest part is perfectly moist with a slightly translucent center. 63°C (145°F) is fully cooked through. Above 65°C it starts drying. Without a thermometer: press the center with a fork — the layers should separate easily and look matte-pink, not transparent.
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Comments (2)
Не знаю как блюдо, но фотки можно жрать!
The residual heat continues cooking the salmon fillets for 2-3 minutes after you remove it from the pan. I pull my baked salmon when it looks slightly underdone in the center — it finishes perfectly on the plate.