Perfect Salmon:
Five Foolproof Ways

WILD CAUGHT SALMON IS THE HOME COOK’S SECRET WEAPON:

a friend to all flavors, tender but sturdy, ready in minutes. From pan seared salmon for one to grilled whole salmon for a crowd, these instructions, videos and tips will help you master how to cook salmon. This guide is brought to you by the fishermen of Bristol Bay, the world’s most abundant source of wild sustainable sockeye salmon. We gathered some of our favorite fish friends to show you how to cook salmon fast, wild and easy.

How to Cook Salmon

Learn how to cook salmon with these 5 foolproof techniques, plus helpful tips from salmon experts.

Two bright red uncooked sockeye salmon fillets on a patinated baking sheet with unpeeled garlic cloves, fresh dill and a lemon slice on the right side on a rustic wooden tabletop. Sketched fresh cilantro sprig illustration Uncooked sockeye salmon fillet on a bed of citrus slices. Foil-lined baking pan with a bright orange sockeye salmon fillet sprinkled with fresh cilantro.

BAKING

If you've got an oven and a baking dish or sheet pan, then you're all set to create this basic baked salmon recipe and master how to roast salmon!

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. Line a baking dish with foil. Coat salmon with cooking oil on both sides and season to your liking.
  3. Place salmon, skin-side down, in baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes or until done.
  4. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Sketched oven mitt illustration
Thumbnail video still of Chef Maya Wilson's hands over a table with a wooden cutting board and a sockeye salmon fillet. She's holding a small white bowl of oil in her right hand.
Thumbnail video still of Barton Seaver in a blue t-shirt standing in his kitchen displaying a plate of slow roasted sockeye salmon.
Thumbnail video still of Chef Kim Sunée in a kitchen holding a foil-lined baking sheet with a sockeye salmon fillet in the center, a vase of white, yellow and orange ranunculus off to the right.
Salmon brunch board is a perfect sockeye salmon recipe for breakfast, lunch or brunch! | wooden platter with thin toasts topped with cream cheese, salmon, capers and fresh dill with cucumbers and a hard boiled egg in the background.
  • Sketched Maya Wilson headshot
    HOW TO ROAST SALMON

    Roasted or baked salmon has never been easier thanks to “Alaska from Scratch” cookbook author and chef Maya Wilson.

  • Sketched Barton Seaver headshot
    HOW TO SLOW ROAST SALMON

    Award-winning chef Barton Seaver teaches a simple method for baked salmon. The secret is low and slow.

  • Sketched Kim Sunée headshot
    HOW TO BAKE SALMON AT HIGH HEAT

    Fast and flavorful! Cookbook author and chef Kim Sunée teaches us the simple technique of high heat baking.

  • Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon icon with a gray sketch circle background and white outline
    HOW TO MAKE A SALMON BRUNCH SPREAD

    This snacking plate is great for guests, a date with your special someone, or Sunday brunch with friends!

BAKING Recipes

Foil-lined baking pan with a bright orange sockeye salmon fillet sprinkled with fresh cilantro.
HOT HONEY BROILED SOCKEYE SALMON
 A rimmed baking sheet with three uncooked sockeye salmon fillets lined up on the left and chopped root vegetables evenly spaced on the right.
MUSTARD MAPLE SOCKEYE SALMON WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES
 A gray plate with a potato chip-crusted sockeye salmon fillet and a slice of lemon in the background.
POTATO CHIP CRUSTED SALMON
SEE MORE RECIPES

PAN SEARING

Pan seared salmon is a good technique for beginners. We recommend using a seasoned cast iron skillet, but any non-stick pan will do.

  1. Coat salmon on both sides with cooking oil.
  2. Add enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan and heat over medium-high heat.
  3. Place salmon, skin-side up, into pan and cook until browned, about 4 minutes.
  4. Carefully flip salmon and cook for another 3 minutes or until done.
Sketched garlic bulb illustration
A pan-seared sockeye salmon portion in the center of a cast iron pan. Chunks of Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon in a cast iron pan with avocado crema and pickled onions off to the side. A pan-seared sockeye salmon portion on a white plate with a sprig of parsley and two lemon slices. Sketched fresh spinach illustration
Video still of a hand placing a skin-on sockeye salmon fillet into a stainless steel frying pan.
  • Sketched Adam Ragusea headshot
    PAN SEARING SALMON 101

    Learn an easy method for pan-seared wild Alaska sockeye salmon with YouTube chef Adam Ragusea. Pan seared salmon is quick, healthy, and delicious!

PAN SEARING Recipes

Grilled flour tortilla filled with chunks of sockeye salmon, pickled onions, yellow bell peppers, scallions, cabbage and fresh cilantro, all drizzled with avocado crema.
BAY BOUNTY SALMON TACOS
 Three seasoned sockeye salmon portions in a frying pan with a lime wedge, couscous and mango salsa in bowls above.
Sockeye Salmon Quinoa Taco Bowls
 White plate with a spinach salad topped with a sockeye salmon fillet and sliced strawberries, all drizzled with a vinaigrette
Salmon Strawberry Balsamic Salad
SEE MORE RECIPES
A white enameled cast iron Dutch Oven filled with water, three bright uncooked sockeye salmon fillets floating with chive blossoms, citrus slices and fresh dill. Sketched sliced lemon illustration A bright red uncooked sockeye salmon portion on a white plate with sprigs of fresh thyme and lemon slices on the side. An uncooked sockeye salmon fillet cut into four portions on a white marble tabletop with fresh dill, unpeeled garlic cloves and a lemon wedge placed at the top of the table.

POACHING

Poaching salmon is similar to steaming, but doesn't require any special tools. Add ingredients to the poaching water such as white wine, lemon, dill and garlic so the salmon gets a flavor boost during cooking.

  1. Season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. Fill a straight-sided pan one-third of the way with poaching liquid and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  3. Carefully place the salmon in the pan. Cover, reduce heat and gently simmer the salmon for 7-9 minutes.
Sketched fresh dill flower illustration
A video still of Susie Jenkins-Brito and Apay’uq Moore standing in a kitchen over a stainless steel work table with four sockeye salmon fillets. Susie is holding a red Dutch oven.
Video still of Chef Kaylah Thomas in her kitchen pouring oil on a salmon fillet.
  • Sketched Susie Jenkins-Brito and Apay’uq Moore headshots
    HOW TO POACH SALMON

    Alaskans know how to cook salmon. Bristol Bay locals Susie Jenkins-Brito and Apay’uq Moore share tips for poaching salmon.

  • Sketched Kaylah Thomas headshot
    HOW TO POACH SALMON IN PARCHMENT PAPER

    Check out this delicious recipe for oven poached salmon in parchment paper with Alaska-based chef Kaylah Thomas.

POACHING Recipes

A white bowl filled with udon noodle soup topped with a cooked sockeye salmon fillet.
Salmon miso soup
 A parchment paper packet cut open with a cooked sockeye salmon portion inside atop scallions and garnished with lemon and garlic | Just one of many simple sockeye salmon recipes from bristolbaysockeye.org!
Oven Poached Salmon
 A square white plate with a pan-seared sockeye salmon fillet, white rice and a green salad with cherry tomatoes | One of dozens of delicious sockeye salmon recipes from bristolbaysockeye.org!
Pan Seared and Poached Sake Salmon
SEE MORE RECIPES

GRILLING

Learn how to grill salmon- a simple technique that adds great flavor to your fish.

  1. Preheat grill to very hot.
  2. Pat the salmon dry and brush with oil on both sides. Season salmon with your favorite flavors, or keep it simple with salt and pepper.
  3. Place salmon, skin-side down. Cook for 5-6 minutes, and flip. Cook 2-7 more minutes or until done.
Sketched spatula illustration
A cast iron grilling pan with a grilled sockeye salmon fillet in the center surrounded by charred scallions A long bamboo platter with three grilled sockeye salmon fillets garnished with rosemary and charred lemon halves. Wooden tongs sit to the side atop a blue cloth napkin. Large uncooked herb-stuffed salmon fillet on a charcoal grill Sketched kebab illustration
Video still of a hand placing uncooked sockeye salmon fillets on a gas grill, smoke rising up between the fillets.
  • Sketched Kevin Benner headshot
    HOW TO GRILL SALMON

    Learn these fast, easy steps to a perfect piece of grilled salmon from Chef Kevin Benner, formerly of Aqua by El Gaucho.

GRILLING Recipes

Three kebabs skewered with bright chunks of sockeye salmon, lemon slices and ribbons of zucchini on a black platter.
Citrus Veggie Sockeye Salmon Skewers
 Grilled Salmon with Elote Style Vegetables - one of our easy HealthFULL sockeye salmon recipes developed by The Real Food Dietitians.
Grilled Salmon with Elote Style Veggies
 A charcoal grill with a large herb-stuffed sockeye salmon fillet in the center, beside a picnic table with a plate of sliced baguette.
Herb Threaded Grilled Salmon
SEE MORE RECIPES
Bamboo steaming basket filled with sockeye salmon fillets sprinkled with black sesame seeds and surrounded by star anise pods and garlic scapes Sketched star anise pods illustration Stack of bright uncooked sockeye salmon fillets. Bamboo steaming basket filled with sockeye salmon fillets sprinkled with black sesame seeds.

STEAMING

Making steamed salmon can help lock in flavors you wouldn't be able to achieve with other methods of cooking.

  1. Find a pot that your steamer basket fits snugly on top of and fill halfway with water. Bring water to a boil.
  2. Line steamer basket with parchment paper and place salmon in steamer. Salt and pepper the salmon and add your favorite herbs and spices.
  3. Cover and place on top of the pot of boiling water. Steam salmon for 7-10 minutes or until done.
Sketched salt shaker illustration
Video still of Chef Tom Douglas in a kitchen preparing steamed salmon.
Video still of Chef Kim Sunée in a kitchen wearing a red blouse and a striped apron.
  • Sketched Tom Douglas headshot
    HOW TO STEAM SALMON

    Renowned chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas teaches us all how tasty and simple steamed salmon can be!

  • Sketched Kim Sunée headshot
    STEAMED SALMON WITH GINGER AND SIZZLING SESAME OIL

    Chef Kim Sunée steams sockeye salmon for an easy, nutrient-rich dish that delivers maximum “wow” factor.

STEAMING Recipes

A white square plate with brown rice topped with a salmon fillet and surrounded by broccoli florets.
Steamed Maple Ginger Glazed Salmon
 Bamboo steaming basked lined with banana leaves with a sockeye salmon fillet in the center topped with greens.
STEAMED SALMON WITH GINGER AND SIZZLING SESAME OIL recipe
 Two halves of a sockeye salmon grilled cheese sandwich stacked on top of one another.
Salmon Grilled Cheese
SEE MORE RECIPES

HOW TO TELL WHEN SALMON IS DONE

Flesh should be pale orange and flaky on the outside with a bright orange opaque center.

The center of the salmon should be slightly translucent – the fish will continue to cook after you’ve removed it from the heat.

Put a fork in it! Insert a fork or knife into the thickest part of the salmon to test the color and flakiness.

Sockeye salmon is best served medium rare or with internal temperature between 110-120 F.

Video still of Chef Maya Wilson standing at a table with a cutting board and sockeye salmon fillet at waist level.
Sketched Maya Wilson headshot
HOW TO TELL WHEN
SALMON IS DONE

How do you tell when salmon is done? What does opaque salmon look like? Learn these expert tips from “Alaska from Scratch” cookbook author and chef Maya Wilson.

Expert Tips

HOW TO THAW SALMON
Video still of two hands holding a white enameled baking sheet with a bright red uncooked sockeye salmon fillet in the center sitting on a round metal rack.
Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon icon with a gray sketch circle background and white outline
HOW TO THAW SALMON

Master the thawing process! Safely thaw your salmon in an hour with the water method, or cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for eight hours.

HOW TO FILLET A WHOLE SALMON
Video still of two hands holding a headless whole salmon over two white industrial cutting boards.
Sketched Alaska Seafood Logo
HOW TO FILLET A WHOLE SALMON

Learning how to fillet salmon is totally doable and even fun. The pros at Alaska Seafood outline the steps to transform a whole salmon into two beautiful salmon Fillets with ease.

HOW TO REMOVE SALMON SKIN
A video still of Susie Jenkins-Brito and Apay’uq Moore standing in a kitchen over a stainless steel work table, Susie in the process of removing skin from a salmon fillet.
Sketched Susie Jenkins-Brito and Apay’uq Moore headshots
HOW TO REMOVE SALMON SKIN

Prepare your salmon with confidence. Bristol Bay locals Apay’uq Moore and Susie Jenkins-Brito teach you how to remove salmon skin.

HOW TO COOK A WHOLE SALMON
Video still of Lael Paul Johnson standing on a deck with a plate of salmon, salad and pasta, holding a fork. He's wearing a black and red checkered flannel and a navy beanie.
Sketched Lael Paul Johnson headshot
HOW TO COOK A WHOLE SALMON

No one better to show us how to cook a whole salmon than Alaska fly fishing guide Lael Paul Johnson.

HOW TO SMOKE SALMON
Video still of a sockeye salmon fillet that's been smoked, half of it flaked apart and surrounded by crackers, red onion slices and lemon slices.
Sketched Jess Pryles headshot
HOW TO SMOKE SALMON

BBQ pitmaster and “Hardcore Carnivore” author Jess Pryles shares a simple, easy method for hot smoking salmon.

HOW TO GET CRISPY SKIN
Video still of Chef Kaylah Tomas in her kitchen preparing crispy skin salmon.
Sketched Kaylah Thomas headshot
HOW TO GET CRISPY SKIN

Learn how to get perfect crispy skin on salmon with Alaska-based Chef Kaylah Thomas.

HOW TO DISTINGUISH FARMED VS. WILD SALMON
Video still of two farmed salmon fillets and two wild sockeye salmon fillets on a white cutting board.
Sketched Adam Ragusea headshot
HOW TO DISTINGUISH FARMED VS. WILD SALMON

Wild salmon vs farmed salmon – what’s the difference? YouTube chef Adam Ragusea teaches you how to distinguish between farmed and wild salmon by sight, and why you should choose wild sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay, Alaska.

  • HOW TO THAW SALMON
  • FILLET A WHOLE SALMON
  • REMOVE SALMON SKIN
  • COOK A WHOLE SALMON
  • SMOKE SALMON
  • GET CRISPY SKIN
  • DISTINGUISH FARMED VS WILD SALMON
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