When it comes to cooking salmon, the best tip is to do anything you like but avoid overcooking the fish. Salmon can be enjoyed fried, baked, broiled or steamed, however, when cooking salmon, it is commonly suggested that the skin be left on the fish. This ensures that the meat stays together until it is time to serve it in individual portions. Regardless of the method used when cooking salmon, approximately 10 minutes per inch (2.54 cm) of thickness will ensure a fish that is not overdone and will flake apart exactly as it should. If steaming or poaching, cook the fish just until it turns pale and then it can be served with a favorite garnish; it will not be overcooked and will retain all of the fresh flavor that salmon is famous for.
Salmon is a large, freshwater fish that is popular in nearly all areas of the world. In the Midwestern United States, it is often referred to as Great Lakes tuna because it can be substituted in nearly every recipe calling for tuna fish. When cooking salmon, it is very easy to overcook the flesh, which can leave the salmon dry and tough. A good test for doneness when cooking salmon is to see if the fish will flake apart. Properly cooked salmon will flake apart nicely.
If possible, ask the fish vendor to cut your salmon from the center of the fish. This will ensure that the cut is evenly thick along its length. Thinner parts of a fillet or salmon steak will cook faster than the thicker areas and will be difficult to cook evenly. One tip to cooking salmon that is of uneven thickness is to fold the thin area over to make it as close as possible to the thickness of the rest of the fish. This will enable individuals to cook the entire fish to the same degree of doneness.
Salmon is a lean fish, so there is not much natural fat that will melt off during the cooking process. When cooking salmon by frying the fish, a pat of butter melted in the pan will provide enough fat to avoid sticking. The best tip here is to allow the butter to get very hot, but avoid heating the pan to smoking hot. When the butter is very hot, chefs can add the salmon, skin side down, and sear the fish. When cooking salmon with this method, cooks can turn the fish and continue cooking until the color changes approximately halfway through the fish, then turn and finish until the entire fish is of the same color and serve.
