Salmon is one of the most beloved fish on dinner tables, but also one of the easiest to mess up. Just a minute or two too long in the oven, pan, or on the grill, and it can turn from tender and flaky to dry and chewy. But now, thanks to advice from The Kitchn, there’s a surprisingly simple technique that could end dry salmon for good.
The trick is to slow-cook your fish. Slow-roasting salmon at low temperatures, around 110°C to 120°C, is one of the gentlest and most reliable ways to preserve moisture and avoid overcooking. Described by The Kitchn as the “most foolproof method”, not getting impatient when it comes to cooking salmon guarantees consistently succulent salmon with a perfectly flaky texture.
The Kitchn also highlights a few other ways to keep salmon at its best. Brining salmon in a simple saltwater solution for just 15 minutes helps to keep it moist and flavourful. Not only it helps the fish retain its natural juices during cooking, the website said, but it also seasons it evenly and prevents that unsightly white film (known as albumin) from forming on the surface.
The result is tender, silky salmon with perfectly seasoned flesh, every single time.
Brining acts like an insurance policy against overcooking, a common mistake even seasoned home cooks make with salmon.
Choosing the right type of salmon matters; farmed salmon contains more fat than wild, making it naturally more forgiving and less likely to dry out. Wild salmon, on the other hand, is leaner and cooks faster, so it demands more attention to timing.
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of resting. Like red meat, salmon continues to cook even after it’s removed from heat.
Taking it off the stove or out of the oven a minute early allows it to finish gently and helps prevent it from drying out at the last moment.
