Last weekend I ran an experiment to test my hypothesis that you can actually cook salmon fillets in the oven.I found it to be both a proof statement (yes, the salmon was cooked all the way) and something magical.Oven salmon was surprisingly good.Two days after making salmon, I’ve been sneaking back into the fridge to eat cold fish in between meals.My roommate even noticed and said, “You must love that salmon!” And I did.It was Stephen King’s fault.
My quest began when the well-known horror author tweeted his method for cooking salmon quickly in six easy steps:
Kim’s salmon cooking instructions horrified most people on the internet, with many Twitter users responding with “this is the shortest horror story he’s ever written”.While I totally agree, I do understand the purpose of his recipes.Microwave salmon is quick, easy, and a great source of protein—the trinity of weeknight dinners.This technique is also useful for people like me who don’t have an air conditioner and are therefore reluctant to turn on the oven in the summer.So I set out to develop a method of cooking salmon that doesn’t require any preheating, active attention, or turning my apartment into a stove.
The first step in my salmon experiment was identifying where I could improve Stephen King’s recipe; what would I not want to do?While cooking salmon in the microwave can be fast, I’m fairly confident that super high heat will result in a rubbery or oddly textured fish.Wrapping salmon in wet paper towels may make it worse; when they release steam in the microwave, the sheets will most likely stick to the salmon and end up with a paper towel texture on the outside of the fillets.But in reality, the biggest misstep in King’s recipe is the lack of salt.No salt!Everything needs salt.So if all I did was add salt to this microwaved salmon, I’d be miles ahead of my favorite horror writer (green).
Let’s start with my seasoning.After I patted the two salmon fillets dry and sprinkled with salt, I put a tablespoon each of soy sauce, vegetable oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.Why did I choose these ingredients?Well, based on his tweets and the career paths we’ve chosen, I think I’m better at cooking than Stephen King.No disrespect for olive oil and lemon juice, these are a classic combo, but I wanted something a little more exciting.I brushed the three-ingredient marinade on the salmon fillets (brushing means rubbing the marinade by hand since I don’t have a pastry brush) and transferred them to a piece of foil.The salmon and foil went into the oven and I set the temperature dial to 400°F.
At this point, let me assure you that if my oven can cook salmon, so will yours.My shabby but beloved oven came with my tiny Brooklyn apartment, and when I told it, I didn’t really know if it actually hit 400°F.My roommate says our oven is “incredible” but she’s never had one before, so how does she know?All I know is that it dries my toast too much and I can’t remove the oil stains on the bottom.I checked my salmon after 20 minutes at (allegedly) 400°F.The easiest way to tell if salmon is done is to press with a fork or your fingers; if the meat flakes easily, it’s ready.But for the purposes of this research, I also measured the internal temperature with a thermometer.At 147°F, my oven salmon was two degrees above the FDA recommended safe cooking temperature.
It’s worth pointing out that the oven method doesn’t produce a crispy crust.You also probably won’t get this from just baking or grilling salmon.For a really crispy skin, you’ll want to sear the fish skin-side down on the stove top or finish under the broiler.This is the result I accept.Surprisingly, the salmon seemed to be fairly mildly cooked.Albumin—the kind of white protein you see around cooked salmon—is very low, which means it’s not being beaten with too much heat too quickly.
I served salmon on sushi rice with some cucumber slices, kewpie mayo and chili crisps (because I’d make any excuse to feel like TikTok star and salmon lover Emily Mariko).The quick marinade adds just enough flavor to the fish, really, the moistest, most tender salmon I’ve ever made at home.I consulted with my roommate as an impartial taste tester, and we came to a consensus: Toaster Salmon is the unexpected off-the-recipe recipe we need in our lives.So if you find yourself facing a wave of hangers that rivals the strength of a Cujo, I recommend turning to the oven to ease your despair.
Post time: May-24-2022