What Does 8 Ounces of Salmon Look Like? A Visual Guide to Serving Sizes

Salmon is one of the most popular and nutritious fish on the market. Rich in protein, omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals, salmon makes for a satisfying and healthy meal. However, it can be tricky to visualize serving sizes, especially when a recipe calls for a specific weight like 8 ounces.

That being said, what does 8 ounces of salmon look like? Here is a helpful picture of salmon serving sizes to take the guesswork out of this healthy fish.

Typical Serving Sizes for Salmon

Salmon filets are sold in a range of portion sizes, typically

• 4 ounces: A petite individual portion, or about the size of a deck of cards
• 6 ounces: A standard restaurant entrée portion
• 8 ounces: A generous portion, equivalent to two decks of cards side by side
• 10-12 ounces: Extra-large portion, a full fish filet

For a main course, plan for 6-8 ounces of salmon per person Appetizer portions are usually 4 ounces. If serving salmon as part of a multi-course meal, lean towards the smaller 4-6 ounce sizes

What Does 8 Ounces of Salmon Look Like?

Wondering what an 8-ounce piece of salmon looks like in real life? Here are some visual comparisons

• Palm of your hand: An 8-ounce salmon filet is roughly the size of your palm, not including fingers or wrist. The width fits comfortably in your hand.

• Computer mouse: About the same length and width as a standard computer mouse.

• Large smartphone: About the same length and width as today’s big smartphones, like the iPhone Pro Max

• Closed fist: If you make a fist, an 8-ounce filet is approximately the size of the top of your clenched hand.

• Medium ziplock bag: Will fit nicely when placed in a quart or gallon ziplock freezer bag.

• Index card: Close to the dimensions of a 3×5 inch index card.

Other Ways to Estimate 8 Ounces of Salmon

If you don’t have a scale, here are a few more ways to guesstimate 8 ounces of salmon:

• It’s the equivalent of 1/2 pound or 16 tablespoons.
• Visualize four decks of playing cards or two billfolds stacked.
• Picture a serving that would fill an adult hand palm’s width and length.
• For a whole salmon side, 8 ounces would be around one-fourth of the total fillet.

While visualizing can help, a digital kitchen scale is the best way to accurately portion fish fillets. But in a pinch, these comparisons help give a sense of the size and thickness of an 8-ounce salmon portion.

How Thickness Impacts Weight

It’s important to note that a salmon filet’s thickness, shape, and density can alter its visual size at 8 ounces. A long, thin tail end piece may appear bigger than a shorter, fatter belly chunk at the same weight. Portioning by weight accounts for these variations better than judging by appearance alone.

As a rule of thumb:

• Thicker fillets look smaller for their weight
• Thinner fillets of the same weight appear bigger

This is why a kitchen scale is so indispensable for precision cooking and portioning. But the visualizations above should get you in the ballpark for 8 ounces if you don’t have a scale handy.

Buying 8-Ounce Portions of Salmon

Many grocers now sell individually portioned fresh salmon filets in 8-ounce vacuum packs or styrofoam trays. This takes the work out of weighing portions yourself.

Popular pre-cut options include:

• 8-ounce Norwegian Salmon Fillets – skinless, ready to cook
• 8-ounce wild-caught salmon fillets – convenient indivual portions
• 8-ounce salmon steak cuts – containing bones and skin
• 8-ounce center-cut filets – belly or tail sections

Buying pre-portioned cuts helps reduce waste and takes the guesswork out of planning salmon dinners.

How Much Salmon to Buy

When shopping, keep in mind that salmon loses moisture during cooking so the cooked weight will be lower than the raw. For example, an 8-ounce raw filet may yield only 5-6 ounces cooked.

To serve four 8-ounce cooked portions, purchase at least 1.5 pounds (24 ounces) of raw salmon fillets to allow for moisture loss. For appetizers, figure approximately 2 ounces of uncooked salmon per person.

Buying a large salmon side and cutting it yourself leaves you more flexibility. You can portion to the exact filet sizes needed for your recipes or number of guests.

Cooking an 8-Ounce Salmon Fillet

The optimal method for cooking an 8-ounce salmon fillet is to pan sear or grill 3-4 minutes per side. Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes.

For pan searing, get the skillet very hot before adding oil. Use a meat thermometer and cook until the salmon reaches 145°F for medium doneness. Baste with butter or oil during cooking to prevent sticking.

On the grill, place the fillet over direct high heat, skin-side up first. Flip only once during cooking. Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

An 8-ounce piece of salmon cooks quickly, so watch it closely to avoid overcooking. Done right, it will be moist, flaky, and tender.

Get Creative with 8 Ounces of Salmon

However you choose to cook it, an 8-ounce salmon fillet offers endless possibilities for quick, nourishing meals:

• Salmon tacos – Top with avocado, cotija cheese, pickled onions, cilantro.

• Mediterranean salmon salad – Combine with cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, lemon juice, olive oil.

• Asian glazed salmon – Brush with hoisin, soy, sesame oil, top with sesame seeds.

• Lemon herb salmon – Broil with lemon slices and fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano.

So next time a recipe calls for 8 ounces of salmon, use this handy guide to visualize the perfect portion size for flawless results!