Salmon is a healthy and flavorful fish. It is rich in omega 3s, which are good for the heart and it, can be used in many different recipes. If you are looking for cooking tips for cooking salmon in the oven, read on for some handy hints about how to bake this tasty fish.
First of all, you should preheat the oven to somewhere between 350 and 450 degrees F, depending on what the recipe recommends. If you are not following a recipe, keep the temperature near to 350 degrees F because it is easier to accidentally overcook the fish if you choose a higher temperature.
Preparing the Salmon for Baking
You might like to use a store-bought salmon rub or make your own. Try a mixture of salt, chili powder, and paprika for a spicy flavor or mixed herbs for an herby flavor.
Perhaps you prefer to use an herb butter, like basil butter or dill butter. If you want to keep the flavors simple, you can use a little olive oil and some lemon or lime juice with the fish. You can prepare the fish a few hours before you cook it in the oven if you want.
Glazes are also popular with salmon and you can make a glaze for salmon by baking a sweet fruit like pineapple or peach on top of the fish. The juices will run over the fish as it cooks.
What about making your own salmon marinade recipe? Try a mixture of white wine, ginger, olive oil, lime juice, and brown sugar and marinate the salmon in this for half an hour before baking it.
How to Bake the Fish
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. This is optional but it does make cleanup easier afterwards. Put the fish on the baking sheet and bake it for ten to twelve minutes, or until it is opaque all the way through. The exact timing depends how thick your salmon fillet is. Salmon usually needs ten minutes cooking time for every inch of thickness.
Salmon should be tender inside and cooked to medium rare, for the best results. Overcooking is one of the worst things you can do to fish, so keep an eye on the salmon as it cooks. Remember that it keeps cooking on the baking sheet once you have taken it out of the oven. When the fish is barely pink right the way through, it is cooked perfectly.
Another way of baking salmon is to make a foil parcel. This helps to seal the juices in and ensure the fish comes out succulent and tender. Simply add the fish to a square of foil, add some lemon or lime slices and maybe some dill, cumin, chili powder or another flavor, and then loosely twist the foil at the top to make a foil package. This cooking method is known as "en papillote."