Salt Baked Salmon
Experience incredibly moist and tender salmon infused with herbs by encasing it in a seasoned salt crust that locks in all the natural juices.
Ingredients
- •2 lb whole salmon (about 900g), scaled, gutted, and cleaned
- •4 cups coarse sea salt (about 1.2kg)
- •2 cups kosher salt (about 500g)
- •3 large egg whites
- •1/4 cup water (60ml)
- •1 bunch fresh dill
- •1 bunch fresh parsley
- •1 lemon, thinly sliced
- •3 cloves garlic, smashed
- •2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- •1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a large bowl, mix together the coarse sea salt, kosher salt, egg whites, and water until the mixture has the texture of wet sand.
- 3
Spread about one-third of the salt mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an oval shape roughly the size and shape of the salmon.
- 4
Rinse the salmon inside and out, then pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- 5
Rub the inside cavity with olive oil and stuff it with the fresh dill, parsley, lemon slices, smashed garlic, and black pepper.
- 6
Place the stuffed salmon on top of the salt layer on the baking sheet.
- 7
Pack the remaining salt mixture evenly over and around the salmon, pressing firmly to completely seal the fish so no parts are exposed.
- 8
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish registers 135°F (57°C).
- 9
Remove from the oven and let the salmon rest undisturbed for 10 minutes.
- 10
Use the back of a spoon or a knife to gently crack and remove the hardened salt crust, then peel away the skin and gently flake the moist meat away from the bones to serve.
💡 Chef tips
- Ask your fishmonger to scale and gut the salmon for you to save prep time at home.
- You can customize the cavity aromatics by adding sliced fennel or fresh tarragon alongside the dill and lemon.
- Leftover cooked salmon can be flaked and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished salmon will be remarkably flaky, fragrant with fresh herbs and citrus, and perfectly succulent without tasting overly salty.