It’s easy enough to make for a quick weeknight meal, but the salmon tastes so good that you’ll want to serve it at your next fancy dinner! It cooks in just an hour and is perfectly tender and moist. This simple salmon recipe is sure to be a new family favorite. Serve it with some delicious lemon butter sauce for a real treat!.
I love cooking salmon — it’s light, healthy, and doesn’t require much seasoning. It’s also super delicious and easy to cook, especially when using a sous vide.
Sous vide cooking allows you to precisely control the temperature of salmon to achieve your ideal texture and doneness. But with salmon, there’s some debate around the best temperature for sous vide. Should you cook it at 125°F for rare salmon that’s almost sashimi-like? Or go higher to 135°F for a more mainstream medium texture? Let’s break down the pros and cons of different sous vide salmon temperatures.
Salmon Sous Vide Temperature Guide
Here’s a look at the range of temperatures you can use to cook sous vide salmon, along with descriptions of texture and visual doneness at each temp:
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110°F (43°C) – Mostly translucent and raw looking, with a very soft, gelatinous texture.
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115°F (46°C) – Raw and translucent in the center, with soft, silky texture.
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120°F (49°C) – Center is lightly cooked but still mostly raw and translucent Silky smooth texture
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125°F (52°C) – Medium rare center that’s lightly opaque pink Buttery smooth texture
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130°F (54°C) – Medium doneness with flaky opaque center. Moist texture.
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135°F (57°C) – Cooked through with flaky opaque pink center Firmer texture
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140°F (60°C) – Well done with lighter pink flaky center. Can get dry if cooked too long.
Deciding on Salmon Sous Vide Temp Based on Preference
How do you pick the right temperature for your sous vide salmon when there are so many to choose from? Here are some things to think about:
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Rare vs. well done preference – Lower temps like 120-125°F will be rare to medium rare. Go higher from 130-135°F if you prefer well done salmon.
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Texture – Lower temps have a smooth, exceptionally tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Higher temps become increasingly flaky and firm.
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Safety – Temperatures below 130°F are considered unsafe for extended cooking according to USDA. However, the vacuum sealing makes it reasonably safe.
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Use after cooking – If salmon will be served cold in salads or rice bowls, go lower temp for very tender texture. For warm serving, go higher temp.
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Portion thickness – Thicker cuts can handle slightly higher temp better without drying out. Thinner cuts are best medium rare.
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Freezer pre-searing – Pre-searing before freezing helps prevent mushy texture with low temp cooks.
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Guest preferences – When cooking for a crowd, stick to the 130-135°F range to satisfy most people.
Popular Temps for Sous Vide Salmon (and Why)
Now let’s look at a few of the most commonly recommended temperatures for sous vide salmon and the rationales behind them:
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125°F (52°C) for medium rare – This is a very popular temp that produces a beautiful rare to medium rare salmon that is rosy pink inside with a smooth, ultra tender texture. For many, it’s the ideal balance of texture and mild doneness.
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130°F (54°C) for medium – This temp yields salmon that is mostly opaque and flaky in the center while remaining incredibly moist and tender. It satisfies people who prefer their salmon cooked through without becoming too firm.
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135°F (57°C) for medium well – Reaching this temp cooks the salmon thoroughly for those who want no sign of raw center while still retaining enough moisture thanks to the vacuum sealing.
Time Needed to Cook Sous Vide Salmon
In addition to temperature, the other key factor is duration. Here are general guidelines:
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1-inch thick salmon fillet – Cook for 30 minutes
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1.5-inch thick salmon fillet – Cook for 45 minutes
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2-inch thick salmon steak – Cook for 1 hour
Thinner salmon portions can be done as quickly as 15-20 minutes. It’s hard to overcook the salmon with sous vide, so don’t worry about going over the time a bit.
Finishing With a Sear for Flavor and Texture
After cooking the salmon sous vide, you can optionally sear it briefly on the skin side only to add flavor and improve the texture. Use high heat on a skillet for just 1-2 minutes per side.
For Foolproof Salmon, Sous Vide Is Ideal
With all these temperature options to choose from, sous vide cooking makes it much easier to nail your perfect salmon texture and doneness every time. While salmon preferences vary wildly, you really can’t go wrong picking anywhere in the 125-135°F range and tweaking time as needed. Sous vide salmon is rewarding and delicious at any temp within this window!
Cooking frozen salmon sous vide
You can still use the 120-degree sous vide salmon temperature if you want to cook salmon that has been frozen. Also, keep in mind that cooking sous vide salmon that has been frozen will take a little longer. I would add 30 minutes to the total cooking time, for a total of 1 hour and fifteen minutes.
What type of salmon?
Pacific and Atlantic salmon are the more common types you’ll find at the market or grocery store. When I’m shopping for salmon, I only look for pieces that look very moist and don’t have any brown spots on them. You should also look at the skin around the edges of the salmon filet. It shouldn’t be brown or curl up around the edges.
Note: This recipe also works with trout. Learn about the differences between trout and salmon here.
Sous vide salmon at different temperatures
FAQ
What is the best sous vide temperature for salmon?
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Sous Vide Salmon Cooking Temperatures
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Like firm sashimi
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105°F (41°C)
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Soft and buttery
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110°F (43°C)
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Translucent and starting to flake
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115°F (46°C)
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Very moist, tender, and flaky
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120°F (49°C)
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What temperature should salmon suvie be?
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Temperature
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Time
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Result
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120°F
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30-60 minutes
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Rare, tender, moist, and flaky
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125°F
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30-60 minutes
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Medium, firm, moist, and flaky
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130°F
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30-60 minutes
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Well done but still moist
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Can I eat salmon at 140 degrees?
What is the best temperature to sous vide fish?
What temperature do you cook salmon in a sous vide cooker?
The salmon is cooked at the precise temperature you set, and it’s so moist with a flaky texture. This sous vide salmon recipe is healthy, flavorful, and easy to customize with your favorite seasonings Add water to the sous vide container or a large pot; set the Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 131°F (55°C).
How long to cook salmon sous vide?
Cooking salmon sous vide at 52C/125F for 45 minutes is our favorite time and temperature. Cooking the fish for 45 minutes is the sweet spot for a tender, very moist salmon. Also, cooking at a temperature of 125F results in a firm, slightly flaky fish with unbelievable texture.
Can You sous vide salmon?
A step-by-step guide to perfectly cooked sous vide salmon, every time. Sous vide takes the guesswork out of cooking salmon perfectly and allows you to easily add fat and aromatics. Picking the right temperature range gives you great control over the finished texture of the fish. You think chicken breasts are delicate? Salmon has it beat by a mile.
How do you cook salmon in a sous Vid machine?
Preheat the water bath using the Sous vide machine to 49C/120F. Season the salmon with salt and pepper on all sides. Place the salmon in a vacuum bag with lemon slices and dill. Seal the bag with a vacuum sealer. Place the bag with salmon in the water bath, totally submerged in water, and cook for 45 minutes.