How to Perfectly Roast Salmon

Salmon.  It’s what’s for dinner.

 

Really though, there is nothing quite like a perfectly roasted piece of perfectly wild Alaskan salmon.  It’s the difference between dry fish and tender flaky morsels.

 

Between fishy rubber and buttery goodness.

 

Between a meh dinner and a melt-in-your-mouth extravaganza.

 

I’ll take the tender-flaky-morsel-buttery-goodness-melt-in-your-mouth-extravaganza please and thank you.

 

Let’s do this.

First things first you’ll want to obtain a quality piece of fish – check out where you can get wild Copper River salmon near you.  You want the good stuff, trust me!

 

If you’re like me and you just like to use whatever you have on hand, you’ll grab a pair of (clean!) needle-nose pliers and pull out the pin bones in the filet.  Nothing ruins a fabulous salmon dinner like biting into a pin bone and then having to fish (so punny) it out of your mouth.  It’s also not super attractive.

 

Next you’ll want to grab a sheet pan, line it with foil (easy clean up!) and spray with nonstick or rub it with olive oil.  This allows the skin to crisp AND it makes removal of the fish super easy.  Lay the salmon skin side down on the foil surface.

 

Sprinkle and rub your favorite spices on the fish; I really like simple sea salt and fresh black pepper, but Cajun seasoning is especially delicious as well.  So go ahead, get some flavor all up on there.  And maybe cover with lemon slices if you’re feeling particularly fancy.

 

Roast at 400 for 20 minutes for the entire filet; if you’ve cut it into portions it will need to roast for less time until it flakes easily with a fork.  Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes.

 

DIG IN!