Baked Salmon in Foil
“Baked Salmon in Foil” is a very simple yet classic dish that is quick to prepare. You can even enjoy this delicious meal in a short amount of time on busy workdays. The orangish-red color of the fish adds a warm feeling to the whole dish. It can be described as perfect in terms of its appearance, aroma, taste, and beauty.
“Baked Salmon in Foil” is also great for outdoor picnics. Simply wrap all the ingredients in foil and bring them to your outdoor venue. Place them on the grill for a few minutes, and the piping hot “Baked Salmon in Foil” will be ready to serve.
About Salmon
This dish is incredibly simple, yet its taste is in no way inferior to dishes that take hours to prepare. I suspect it’s due to the strong and distinctive flavor of the salmon. Salmon has high levels of both fat and protein, which are crucial for enhancing texture and flavor. Additionally, being higher in the food chain, salmon feeds on smaller fish and shrimp, which have their own unique flavors. This multi-level transfer of flavors through the food chain contributes to the complexity of the salmon’s taste.
Salmon is one of Norway’s main seafood offerings, and you can easily find them in any supermarket or fish market. By experimenting with different cooking methods, you can uncover delightful surprises. Without further ado, let’s now introduce the ingredients and preparation for “Baked Salmon in Foil”.
Ingredients for Baked Salmon in Foil
- 25g butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tbsp fresh mixed herbs (parsley, rosemary, and dill)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Lemon slices (for garnish)
- 500g boneless salmon (preferably wild-caught)
Note:
* Honey can be substituted with regular white sugar, but since white sugar is sweeter than honey, you may need to reduce the amount of sugar used.
* Although most store-bought or market-sourced salmon is already deboned, there may occasionally be some small bones remaining. To ensure food safety, it’s advisable to check for any remaining bones before cooking. A simple way to do this is by lightly running your hand over the surface of the salmon, ensuring there are no hard structures.
Cooking Steps for Baked Salmon In Foil
1, Place a layer of aluminum foil on a baking tray, ensuring that the size of the foil is large enough to wrap the entire salmon and seasoning.
2, Mix butter, honey, lemon juice, minced garlic, mixed herbs, salt, and black pepper.
3, Place the salmon in the center of the aluminum foil, then adjust the foil to create a shallow container shape.
4, Pour the mixed seasoning from step 2 evenly over the salmon, being careful not to let the liquid spill out of the foil. Adjust the foil as you pour and avoid exerting excessive force that could cause the bottom to tear.
5, Fold the foil to wrap the salmon and the seasoned sauce, allowing it to marinate for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to penetrate the salmon.
6, Place the baking tray with the salmon on a rack inside the preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit).
7, After preheating, place the salmon, still wrapped in foil, into the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness, until the thickest part of the salmon is fully cooked. The fully cooked salmon should easily flake when tested with a fork.
8, Remove the salmon from the oven. When opening the foil, be cautious of the hot steam that may escape to avoid getting burned.
9, If you prefer a slightly charred flavor, you can use a culinary torch to briefly flame the surface of the salmon, creating some blackened lines. Then garnish with fresh lemon slices and herbs to enhance the aroma.
* If you want to add a side dish or more vegetables to this dish, such as potatoes, carrots, or peas, feel free to do so. However, if you add additional ingredients, remember to adjust the amount of seasoning accordingly. Since salmon itself has a rich and layered flavor, we recommend adding light and refreshing vegetables to avoid overwhelming the taste with too many complex flavors.
Sauce for Baked Salmon in Foil
The Baked Salmon in Foil prepared using the above steps already has a delicious flavor. The addition of garlic and various herbs during the marinating process releases enticing and well-complemented aromas when cooked in the oven.
However, if you want to enhance the flavor profile of Baked Salmon in Foil and further tantalize your taste buds, you can consider preparing a sour cream sauce to accompany it. It’s very simple to make by mixing the following ingredients:
- 90ml sour cream/Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1/2 tbsp fresh dill
- 1/2 tbsp fresh chives
- Salt and pepper
Combine these ingredients and mix well to create the sauce.
Sustainable Tips and Tricks When Baking Salmon in Foil
Zero Waste
* If you buy a whole salmon, you can save the salmon head and bones to make soup or use them in other delicious recipes.
* If you have leftover salmon that you can’t finish, whether it’s cooked or uncooked, you can store it properly for future use.
Veggie Infused
If you want to add vegetables to this dish, choose seasonal vegetables as they require the least energy and resources during cultivation. Opting for local vegetables is also important to reduce the energy consumed in long-distance transportation.
Cooking Method
If your salmon fillets are not too thick, you can consider using an air fryer instead of an oven. Air fryers consume much less energy compared to ovens. However, if the salmon fillets are thick, an air fryer may not be the best choice. Air fryers use intense internal hot air to cook food, and their heating space is smaller than ovens. Therefore, during the heating process, the surface of the salmon will quickly heat up, but if the salmon is thick, it can lead to uneven heating, with the outside being cooked while the inside remains raw.
In future blogs, I will also cover how to store leftover and uncooked salmon to prevent food waste, as well as share more recipes. Stay tuned to my blog post for updates or subscribe to my blog for free using the form below. You will receive notifications when I publish new blog posts.
