Lemon Salmon Recipe: Homemade Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon

Lemon salmon is a salmon dish that uses fresh lemon as a primary flavor component. Chefs do this by adding lemon juice and lemon zest to a salmon marinade, adding lemon zest to a breadcrumb topping, or poaching salmon in lemon water. A firm, flaky fish with a specific but mild taste, salmon takes on other flavors well. Lemon brightens the ingredient’s natural flavor without overpowering it.

It’s possible for salmon to dry out quickly with many cooking methods; however, there are techniques you can use to produce a juicy, flaky salmon fillet at home:

1. 1. Bake the salmon in parchment paper or foil packets. A popular way to cook salmon is en papillote, or “in paper.” This French cooking method involves placing a piece of salmon, lemon slices, salt, pepper, and other seasonings on parchment paper or aluminum foil. Simply fold the material around each piece of salmon to create a little packet. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake the salmon in the oven.
2. 2. Poach salmon in flavored water. Add lemon juice, smashed garlic, black peppercorns, and sea salt to a pot of water. Bring it to a rolling simmer on the stove and add the salmon filets. Poach the salmon until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve the poached salmon as is, or sear the salmon first, skin down, to achieve a crispy salmon skin.
3. 3. Sear the salmon in a pan. Start the salmon, skin down, in a pan with olive oil, then flip the salmon to cook the flesh side. For a richer flavor, marinade the salmon in olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, black pepper, garlic, and ginger for about one hour before cooking it.

Salmon can quickly go from moist and tender to dry and overly flaky while it cooks, especially if you inadvertently exceed the right cooking time or temperature. Keep these methods in mind to prevent the salmon from drying out:

1. 1. Baste the salmon with lemon butter. While the salmon cooks, brush it with melted lemon butter. The fat in the melted butter helps to keep the salmon moist and adds more lemon flavor.
2. 2. Make a sauce. If the salmon overcooks, serve it with a sauce to add moisture. Mix mustard, fresh lemon juice, honey, red wine vinegar, chopped fresh herbs, and mayonnaise for a creamy, spicy, and lemony sauce.
3. 3. Start with fresh salmon. When selecting ingredients for a baked salmon recipe, look for fresh salmon. The fish should have clear eyes and shiny, bright pink skin without a grayish hue. Cloudy eyes signify an older fish that might become dry even if you cook it to the proper temperature.