I've cooked salmon every which way -- baked, broiled, grilled, and air-fried. Recently Champ and I had salmon at a wedding reception that was deliciously different. It had been slow roasted at a low temperature, and it was moist, flaky and extremely tender. Truth be known, I'm not a salmon aficionado, but this salmon converted me. Totally.
I vowed to replicate it at home. I talked with seafood expert, Chef Paul, at our local supermarket. Paul agrees that slow cooking is the key. He smokes the store’s popular smoked salmon at 225 degrees F and says it tastes “like budda.” After a bit of searching I came upon a non-smoked recipe from Food 52 that delivers the same melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Salt and pepper your salmon as the recipe suggests, or use salmon seasoning. A favorite of many WW members is Magic Salmon Seasoning, which you can find at major supermarkets. This is my new favorite way to cook salmon. It might become yours as well!
1 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lb. thick salmon filet
2 pinches kosher salt
Chopped fresh herbs, like dill, thyme or chives (optional)
1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt, for serving (optional)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Brush a baking dish with half of the olive oil. Arrange the salmon filet skin-side down in the pan. Rub the top with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Roast for 15 to 35 minutes, until a kitchen fork inserted in the thickest part of the fish meets with no resistance and the flesh separates easily from the skin. An instant-read thermometer should read 120 degrees F. (Don't worry if the top of the fish has a slightly transparent look; this is the result of the low roasting temperature. It will be cooked inside.)
Serve warm, room temperature or cold. Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving. If desired, serve with Greek yogurt mixed with more herbs. Don't forget the lemon wedges.
Serves 4