Roasted Spicy Sweet Salmon

How do you cook salmon? Hopefully this post will help! And provide you with a simple great recipe!

This is an updated post from 2015.

How do you cook salmon? Let’s explore a few simple ways as a good salmon recipe is something everyone should have in their repertoire. We usually eat salmon once a week and right now I happen to have a lot of salmon in my freezer.

I was supposed to be giving a cooking class about entertaining and salmon was on my menu. Unfortunately this pandemic changed things so I am left with a lot of salmon. That’s OK. 

How to Cook Salmon in the oven:

Roasted Salmon, such as this recipe, cooks low and slow in the oven at 250. This recipe with jam could stick to a grill so I prepare it inside. An amazing texture is also created cooking it this way. 

HOWEVER! You could still grill or bake it with the other techniques I’ve mentioned. Just watch that the glaze doesn’t drip too much!

Salmon is good for you and it is  easy to prepare. In the winter I merely preheat the oven to 400 on bake. I then season my salmon and  place it in the oven for 8 – 12 minutes. Fish will continue to cook after it is removed from the oven. Take it out when it is flaky and still looking rare inside. Then tent it with foil and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

Grilling salmon is also easy. Preheat the grill to medium high and let it get hot before placing the salmon on. BUT FIRST! Always spray the grill grates with cooking spray or brush with oil so the fish does not stick.

Place skin side down on the grates. There is no need for flipping. Grill approximately 8 minutes for each inch of thickness. The skin may still stick to the grill but you will have a perfect fillet. And FYI. Many folks love the skin and so do my dogs!

What kind of salmon should you buy?

Truthfully it is up to you. I think most salmon is pretty good. I tend to buy fillets and then slice it into pieces.

Varieties of salmon?

Atlantic salmon is generally farmed salmon. I love the Norwegian farmed salmon which is virtually free of antibiotics and raised in uncrowded conditions.

Pacific salmon is generally wild caught salmon. There are 6 types of salmon in the Pacific, five of which may sound familiar to you. King, sockeye, silver, pink and chum. To make it even harder each is known by another name.

King salmon is a chinook salmon, the largest of all Pacific salmon. Well, king fits this guy to the T; this is one spectacular piece of fish. Very rich and luscious and a great way to spoil yourself.

Coho salmon is a silver salmon with a very red flesh and a more tender texture but still tastes great!

Pink salmon is the humpbacked salmon and is usually canned.

Sockeye salmon is red and oily and also good, but a bit oiler than other salmon.

And that Copper River Salmon that only shows up once a year? Well, Copper River salmon is King, sockeye or Coho!

I love quick and easy dinners on the weekend. Salmon checks both those boxes. The slow roasting means you have time to throw a salad together, make some rice and bingo, the salmon is ready and it is time to eat!

There isn’t a way to overcook this fish, unless you forget about it and leave it in the oven too long. Slow roasting means this salmon is moist, with a soft, not dry texture. 

The spicy sweet flavors of this salmon match well with rice. I fried mine, but steamed is also OK.

To create a spicy flavor I used a Gochujang garlic sauce to make this, but a chili garlic Chinese sauce would be a good substitute. I used apricot jam for the glaze but other jams taste great, too. Because it wasn’t the sweetest of jams, I added a touch of honey. You may or may not want too. Peach or raspberry jam would also be superb.

So there you have it. Several ways to cook salmon and a really great way to eat it!

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Other great fish recipes:

Moroccan Fish with Saffron Lime Aioli
White Fish with Mushrooms and Browned Butter
Orange Cacao Rub Roasted Paiche
Roasted Salmon with Roasted Fennel
Cajun Fish with Browned Butter and Pecans