Wild king salmon season starts in May on the West Coast and goes all the way through the summer, from Alaska to San Diego. The first wild salmon in spring has brilliant red flesh, a mild sweet flavor and a velvetlike texture. Farmed salmon doesn’t compare. In this recipe, the salmon is cut on the diagonal into thin slices that cook quickly. They are topped with softly whipped cream thats seasoned with mustard, cayenne and lemon zest.
King salmon, also known as Chinook salmon, is one of the most delicious and coveted types of salmon. With its buttery texture and rich, omega-3 packed meat, king salmon makes for an incredible meal. However, cooking it just right can be tricky. Undercook it and the texture will be mushy and unsafe to eat. Overcook it and you’ll end up with dry, flaky salmon that has lost its flavor. So how long should you cook king salmon to achieve the perfect balance of texture and taste? Here’s a detailed guide to help you determine the ideal cook times for various cooking methods.
Oven Baked King Salmon
Baking king salmon in the oven is one of the easiest and most foolproof cooking methods The oven’s dry, ambient heat slowly cooks the salmon to flaky perfection
To bake king salmon fillets, preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the salmon on a baking sheet or pan, skin side down. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the thickest part of the fillet reaches an internal temperature of 125°F. When checked with a fork, the salmon should flake easily but still be moist and translucent in the center.
For extra flavor, try baking salmon on a cedar planked wrapped in foil or parchment paper. The plank infuses its aromatic scent into the salmon as it slowly cooks
Thicker king salmon steaks may need 12-18 minutes in the oven to cook through without drying out. You can also bake salmon en papillote by sealing the fish in parchment paper or foil packets with veggies and seasonings. This steaming method keeps the salmon extra tender.
Pan-Seared King Salmon
Pan searing is a quick high-heat method that yields caramelized crispy salmon skin.
To pan sear, heat a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add just enough oil or butter to lightly coat the bottom. Place the salmon fillets or steaks in skin side down. Sear for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the second side.
Use an instant-read thermometer to check for 125°F internal temperature. The total cooking time is just under 10 minutes for 1-inch thick pieces. Reduce time for thinner cuts.
Grilled King Salmon
The smoky flavors of the grill take king salmon to the next level. Grilling works best with salmon steaks that won’t flake apart on the grates.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Place the salmon steaks over direct heat and grill for 5-7 minutes per side. Use a spatula to carefully flip halfway through. Grill until nicely charred on the outside with an internal temperature of 125°F.
For a more hands-off method, try indirect grilling. Build a medium heat fire on one side of the grill. Place the salmon on the empty side and close the lid. The ambient heat will gently cook the fish in 15-20 minutes.
Poached King Salmon
Poaching is a simple way to cook delicate king salmon fillets. The fish gently simmers in hot liquid like wine, broth, or water.
To poach, bring 3-4 cups of poaching liquid to a bare simmer in a skillet. Season the liquid with herbs, citrus, or aromatics. Slide in the salmon fillets, skin side down. Poach for 8-10 minutes, until opaque and flaky.
The low heat of poaching keeps the salmon moist and tender. You can safely cook fillets a little longer to your desired doneness.
Sous Vide King Salmon
Sous vide utilizes precise temperature control for perfect salmon results. Vacuum seal the salmon and cook in a water bath at 115°F for 25-45 minutes depending on thickness. The salmon turns out velvety, evenly cooked edge to edge.
How to Tell When King Salmon is Done
Using a food thermometer is the most reliable way to determine doneness. Shoot for an internal temperature between 120-125°F for medium rare salmon with a tender, translucent center.
If you don’t have a thermometer, the poke test is another easy indicator of readiness. Carefully poke the thickest part of the salmon with a fork. If it flakes apart easily, it’s fully cooked through.
And remember, king salmon continues cooking after you remove it from the heat. So take it off the stove just shy of your ideal internal temp or level of doneness.
Cook Times for King Salmon Thickness
- 1/2 inch thick – 5-7 minutes
- 3/4 to 1 inch thick – 8-12 minutes
- 1.5 inches thick – 12-15 minutes
- 2 inches thick – 15-18 minutes
These times are based on common cooking methods like baking, grilling, pan searing, or poaching. Sous vide and grilling times can vary. The thickness of the cut is the main factor that determines how long it takes to cook king salmon properly.
Key Tips for Cooking King Salmon
- Let thicker cuts rest after cooking for 5-10 minutes. The temperature equalizes and juices redistribute.
- Sear or grill skin-on fillets skin-side down first for crispy skin.
- Season just before cooking so spices don’t burn.
- Salmon continues cooking off heat, so don’t overcook.
- Invest in an instant-read thermometer for perfect doneness.
Mastering the ideal cook times elevates your king salmon from good to great. Salmon burns quickly, so accurate cooking is key. For most methods, medium 1-inch thick king salmon cooks through in 8 to 12 minutes. Rely on thermometers, the poke test, and visual cues to determine when your salmon is perfectly done. Then serve it with some veggies and wine for a stellar meal packed with healthy fats and bold salmon flavor.
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If you have the filet laid out flat in front of you, don’t cut straight down from the long top edge to the long bottom edge. Instead, cut at an angle. When cut diagonally, the two “end” pieces are more triangular in shape than the “middle” portions. I’ve been a chef for years and have been cooking fresh salmon for decades (I live just outside of Portland, OR). This is more of a way to present the food than a way to cook it.
I think it means to cut the fillet into slices at a 45-degree angle or even a shallower angle for thinner slices that cook faster. I think the butter pan fry step takes away from the natural flavor of the salmon. Instead, I would broil the whole fillet for about 4 to 5 minutes.
However you cook your salmon, this sauce is incredible. And it is so adaptable to any other proteins, with a myriad of seasonings. Follow the recipe or be creative with this!.
I am trying to figure out what is “diagonal” about the slicing. The picture doesnt seem to help. Maybe Im just askew; can anyone help?.
This is an excellent recipe that features the incredible taste of wild Chinook salmon. The appearance of this salmon is what makes May one of my favorite months of the year. As David notes, its important not to overcook the salmon. I havent tried this particular sauce, but will give it a try tomorrow. If you want to change things up a bit, I also love putting Bearnaise sauce on the filets because the tarragon goes so well with salmon.
Place salmon with the long side of the filet closest to you. Starting on the right side, twist your wrist to the left and turn your knife blade 45 degrees out to the right. Make sure the blade stays straight across the filet. Then cut through the filet into desired pieces, slicing away from you carefully through the flesh. Having a sharp knife is key, and making one continuous slice from the top to bottom is ideal. If youre left-handed, do the opposite.
Their are many recipes using mustard with fresh salmon, but adding cream is brilliant. The amounts of chives and mustard added to the cream should suit your personal taste. The tarragon would be nice in the cream sauce too.
Didnt have cream so I used plain Chobani yogurt. It worked very well.
I am always amazed how any sauce on fish can dynamically change the flavor of the entire dish. This is true in this wonderful dish by David Tanis. We fed this to our family of 4 – and it was scrumptious. This meal takes 30 minutes to prep and cook. I used an iron skillet which gave the salmon a brown crust and sealed in the flavor. The whipped cream sauce is a delightful accompaniment – and blends in flavorfully to the fish. Make sure to keep those whipped cream peaks low.
The savoury whipped cream is incredible, packed with flavour and easy. A keeper to use on other dishes. Add a slice of smoked salmon for added flavour.
This is a delicious way to serve salmon. It was leaner than king salmon and had a thinner fillet. I changed the recipe and grilled it with a little olive oil and a spice rub. It was great! I made the cream sauce with fresh tarragon and thinly sliced spring onions instead of chives. That sauce is a keeper, and looked so nice against the red fish.
Second week of salmon season and the price here in Seattle is down by $10 a pound. We always grill our salmon on the Big Green Egg. We love the sauce, which went very well with the fresh asparagus as well.
It tastes great! David must be watching Jacques Pepin too, because Pepin also serves this sauce with halibut and it works really well.
Fabulously delicious with greek yogurt subbed for the cream.
If the wild violet flowers don’t have any pesticides or other chemicals on them from yard work, you can eat them. If you have an herb garden and the recipe calls for chives, you might also find chives flowers. Just cut off the base to get to the many small flowers.
I used non-fat Greek yogurt instead of cream at the very, very end. Worked like a charm. I could see how what I did would make it more acidic, but I’d normally want lemon juice with that. Didnt need that here!.
It was crazy cheap to buy a 2-pound piece of King Salmon, and I have enough for two meals. This was the first one. Slicing easy because of thickness of fish. Cooking also easy, 2min, one minute worked if slices are thick enough. Whipped cream side was good, not great. A little too much Dijon for me, will cut back next time. My husband put it directly on salmon and it melted into a cream sauce. I put mine on side and dipped fish into it which was more successful. Used minced shallot.
This dish tastes as good as food from fancy restaurants! I seared the fish in a pan and then turned down the heat. The sauce was much better than anticipated and among the best fish dishes I have ever eaten. I added additional cayenne and Dijon mustard, which amped up the flavors. I did not have fresh tarragon, water cress, or edible flowers so they were omitted. I will make sure to have these ingredients next time to get the full experience of this recipe.
Made this with wild king salmon, cooked in a cast iron skillet in my pizza oven last night. Great! I really think that anyone with a portable gas or wood-fired pizza oven should try this method. I first put the fish in a bowl with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic. I let it sit for about 20 minutes. Pre-heated the pan, then cooked it skin up at 400 degrees for 4 minutes, flipping once. Sauce was a delicious finishing touch!.
Fantastic recipe. I used a little more of everything in the whipped cream. Tarragon was a great addition
I didn’t have chives, so I used finely chopped onion. My son doesn’t like tarragon, so I used dill. I didn’t have lemon, so I skipped it. I didn’t have fancy salmon, just regular grocery store stuff. And STILL this was amazing. Sooo good. It was all I could do to not eat the sauce plain.
Fantastic dish! Followers most of the recipe, but I smoked the salmon. Beautiful! My gets told me my dinner was better than Canlis!.
Amazing! I used cilantro micro greens and loved the brightness they added. This will be a new staple for me. Easy enough for weekdays after work but lovely enough for a special meal.
I used evaporated milk rather than the cream. Worked well.
My guests raved about this. Went with a little more dijon in the sauce. The soft peaks of the whipped cream kept in the fridge for 12 hours after I made them ahead of time.
This was excellent! The savory whipped cream put a different spin on this, and was a big hit. I did what it said below and broiled the salmon because it’s easier to handle and doesn’t get too done.
This year, chervil is the star of my herb pots, so I added that to the tarragon. This is a tremendous recipe for the savory cream. Last night for dinner, I gave my husband two thirds of the fish and kept one third for myself. Regretted that when I put the first bite in my mouth.
The only thing I didn’t have was cream, so I used full-fat Greek yogurt and a little lemon juice to thin out the sauce. It also had tarragon in it, which I added and used a bit more of than I would normally. Since it was so tasty, I might stick to using yogurt instead of cream from now on. It saves me time and is probably at least a little better for me.
Wow! Simple and delicious!
I used mascarpone (because I had some) thinned with a little milk instead of heavy cream. Also grilled the wild king salmon. Outstanding combo ofsalmon and sauce. Private notes are only visible to you.
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Gordon Ramsay Demonstrates How To Cook The Perfect Alaskan King Salmon | Season 1 Ep. 1 | THE F WORD
FAQ
Is it better to bake salmon at 350 or 400?
What temperature do you cook king salmon at?
How long does it take for salmon to be cooked?
How do you know when King salmon is done?
How long does salmon take to cook?
Bake the Salmon. Transfer to the oven. Bake for approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at the thickest part of the fillet. For example, a 1-inch fillet at 400°F typically takes 12-15 minutes. (see notes*) The best way to tell if your salmon is done is the flake test!
What are the benefits of eating cooked salmon for dinner daily?
The daily consumption of salmon can provide proteins of high biological value, healthy fats, phosphorus, potassium, iodine, selenium, and vitamins of groups B, E, and D.
How long to cook salmon at 425?
At an oven temperature of 400°F, 1-inch thick salmon portions will take 12 to 14 minutes, while a whole fillet will take 15 to 20 minutes. Further, two-inch salmon portions will take 18 to 20 minutes, while a whole fillet will take 20 to 25 minutes. Always check doneness using an instant-read thermometer.
How long do you cook salmon fillets in the oven?
Place the salmon skin-side down in a roasting pan. Drizzle a small amount of oil over each salmon fillet. Use your fingers or a pastry brush to evenly coat the surface. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bake the Salmon. Transfer to the oven. Bake for approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at the thickest part of the fillet.