Tournament Gear

How long DO you bake salmon?

I never enjoyed the taste of salmon—that is until I spent some time in Ucluelet, British Columbia. Ucluelet happens to boast some of the world’s best salmon fishing, and it didn’t take long to win me over. A few well-cooked fillets and I was hooked. With my newfound taste for salmon, I needed the answer to a very important question. How long do you bake salmon?

Since my time in the Mecca of Salmon Fishing, I’ve done a few interviews on ways to cook salmon. I thought you might like a sneak peek at the tips from the salmon fishing experts, and here they are.

1. Never overcook your salmon. Salmon isn’t like beef or chicken; you won’t get salmonella if you undercook it. If you overcook it, though, you will get that “fishy” taste. Keep a watchful eye on it, and when the salmon starts to flake with a fork, it’s done. Depending on your oven and your altitude, you should usually cook a nice sized, fully thawed fillet for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. If you want to know how to cook salmon so that it has the freshest flavor, make sure to get it out of the oven before it starts to dry out.

2. Marinades make it moist. The simplest way to bake salmon is by letting it marinate for half an hour, tossing it in a dish, cracking some fresh pepper over top, and putting it in the oven with some foil over top. It’s quick, easy, and—with the right marinade—fabulous. Whether you want ginger, lemon, basil, or thyme, salad dressings or ready-made marinades can spice up your salmon experience!

3. Fresher is better. Nothing will make or break the quality of your salmon-baking experience like the quality of the fish. The ideal situation? Eat it when you catch it. Hop on the boat, and reel it in yourself. You should catch more than you can down in one night, so make sure to get it vacuum packed and frozen immediately. This will preserve the fresh taste best. If you have to buy it, look for…

4. If you’re feeling saucy… Don’t be afraid to experiment with a glaze or sauce to pour over your freshly-baked salmon. There are endless possibilities! Here are two of my favorites:

Tangy Maple Glaze:

To make the glaze, simmer the following ingredients together:

• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced and peeled

Cover the salmon in the glaze while baking.

Tarragon Cream Sauce

• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons double cream or heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Sprigs of fresh tarragon as a garnish

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the shallots and cook gently for 2-3 minutes to soften. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually blend the milk.

Place the pan back over the heat and bring quickly to the boil, stirring continually, until the sauce is thickened and smooth.  

Stir in the cream, wine and tarragon, and add seasoning to taste. Pour sauce over salmon fillets and garnish with sprigs of fresh tarragon.

(Note: The salmon tastes best if you let it sit in the cream sauce for 20 minutes before serving. After allowing the sauce to flavor the fish, heat again for 2 minutes in a saucepan.)

If you want some more tips from the experts, there are plenty of ways to learn more about how to bake salmon. If you’re ready to reel in your own fresh fish, find out more about Salmon Fishing in BC. Salmon Eye Charters guarantees that you will catch salmon or your money back.

About the Author

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