How To Know When Salmon Is Cooked

Salmon is a delicious fish that can be sautéed, grilled or broiled for a healthy dinner. However, making this fish dish at home can be difficult as you can easily overcook it. By checking the color and texture of the fish, you’ll know when the fish is done, but using a thermometer is the easiest way to tell if the salmon is cooked to your desired degree. You can avoid overcooking by preparing the salmon properly, so your salmon never dries out again.

Table of Contents

Check the color and texture of the surface

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Press the tip of the knife into the thickest part of the salmon. You need to look inside the fish to see if they are cooked. To see inside, you just need to use the sharp tip of a knife to push halfway into the fish’s thickness. ^{[1] X Research Source}

You can use forks, but they often break pieces of fish, affecting your presentation.

Learn the color of salmon. Although the outside of the fish is opaque white, light yellow, or brown depending on how it is processed, the middle must still be pink and still slightly clear. If the center of the salmon is cloudy, you’ve probably overcooked it. If the fish meat in the center is completely transparent, you need to continue cooking. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Check to see if the salmon will fall apart easily. The fish should not be crumbled, as this will overcook it and dry it out. Instead, the salmon should not fall apart right away but should soften and split into pieces when you push the knife in. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Remove the salmon from the heat and let the fish cook on its own for a few minutes. If the fish is opaque on the outside and slightly transparent on the inside and is easy to split when you poke it, it’s probably cooked. It will continue to cook for a few more minutes once removed from the stove, so remove the fish from the stove, oven, or grill and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Since salmon continues to cook after being removed from the stove, it’s okay to take it out when it’s not fully cooked. If you wait until the center of the fish is light pink and transparent and the fish separates easily with a fork, the fish will be perfectly cooked after being removed and left for a while before serving.

Check temperature

Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the salmon. The quick measuring thermometer is best suited for checking the temperature of salmon. Make sure to insert the temperature probe into the thickest part of the fish as this is where it takes the longest to cook. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

You can buy a quick-measure thermometer at most home and kitchen supply stores.

Properly prepare salmon

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Do not remove the skin unless you are blanching the fish. Removing the skin from the fish removes the barrier that protects the fish from the heat of the pan and increases the risk of overcooking. Unless blanching salmon fillets, don’t discard the skin. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Marinate salmon just before cooking. Seasoning with salt and pepper is obviously the key to a delicious piece of fish, but salting too soon before cooking will drain the moisture out of the fish, leaving it vulnerable to overcooking. Instead, salt and pepper the salmon just before you cook it. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Face down with skin down. Even if you don’t remove the skin, you still run the risk of overcooking if you don’t place the fish correctly in the pan, grill, or baking tray. Avoid putting the fish meat on the bottom, as this will overcook the fish very quickly. ^{[10] X Research Source}

To make sure the fish cooks evenly, place a heavy object like a plate or bowl on top of the pan when frying.

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Complete.

Advice

When preparing salmon, choose pieces of even thickness, as all parts of the fish will cook at the same time. It is best to choose the piece in the middle of the fish body to ensure an even thickness.

Things you need

Sharp knife
Quick measurement thermometer

Steps

Check the color and texture of the surface

Check temperature

Properly prepare salmon

Advice

Things you need

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