Easy Oven-Baked Salmon with Herbs
Baking salmon at a low temperature makes it is as tender as a perfect filet mignon. The low heat melts the fat, slowly enhancing the richness of the salmon. When you cut into it, it’ll be as soft and smooth as butter. Slow-baked salmon doesn’t change color as much when it cooks. Instead of turning pale pink, it will have a more vibrant hue. You’ll know that it is done when it flakes.
This slow-cooked salmon, with lemon and thyme, takes only 5 minutes to prepare. You’ll have it on the table in under an hour! Cleanup couldn’t be simpler because it only calls for two dishes. It’s perfect for a dinner with guests since you can serve it right out of the oven on the platter you baked it on.
Tips for Preparing Salmon
To prepare the salmon fillets, first, pat them down with a paper towel to soak up any water from the ice it was stored on. This will help the oil and seasoning to stick. Then, run your hand over each filet to feel for bones. Even though salmon isn’t a bony fish, it is still smart to check for bones. A simple trick for finding and removing bones is to lay the fillet over an upside-down bowl. This will make any bones in the fillet jut out so that you can easily see and remove them.
It’s best to cook salmon with the skin on one side. If you would like to remove the skin before serving, wait until after it’s finished cooking. The skin will easily slide off after the salmon is cooked.
Easy Oven-Baked Salmon with Herbs
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 6-to 8-ounces boneless salmon fillets, skin on
Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 F.
Mix the thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
Drizzle the olive oil on an oven-safe serving dish.
Place the salmon fillets on the platter, skin side up, and move them around so each gets a nice coating of oil. Then, flip the fillets over so that the skin side is down. Move them around again until evenly coated.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over each of the fish fillets.
Place the serving dish in the oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the salmon flakes.
Serve with slices of lemon on the side or a simple tartar sauce made with mayonnaise, lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice and freshly chopped dill.
You can substitute the thyme in this recipe with dill, tarragon, parsley or cilantro. Any of these herbs will pair wonderfully with this delicious, slow-cooked salmon.
If you’re looking for great side dishes for slow-cooked salmon, green beans and mashed potatoes are popular options. Another delicious side dish for salmon is this wild rice pilaf with squash, pecans, and cranberries from the Kitchn. https://www.thekitchn.com/wild-rice-pilaf-263080
You can find the freshest Red Sockeye Salmon and Norwegian Salmon at City Fish Market! Seafood lovers throughout Connecticut rely on our fish market when they’re craving the sea’s bounty.