Marinating the salmon meat will significantly enhance the taste without losing the original delicious taste of the fish. Unlike meat (red meat), fish is best marinated for no more than an hour, or less for a more tart marinade, making it easy to experiment with the flavors of different seasonings. Two marinades are described below, plus a traditional Nordic (Scandinavian) menta salmon recipe made with its own spice mix. Read more to find out how to marinate salmon fillets and the recipe for the marinade.
Ingredients
Lemon Seasoning:
Servings: 1 to 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Marinade time: 15-30 minutes.
- 450 g salmon fillet (boneless salmon fillet)
- 1 lemon or 2 limes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme, or three sprigs of fresh thyme
Soy Sauce:
Servings: about 2
Preparation time: 30 minutes.
Marinade time: 30-60 minutes.
- 450 g salmon fillet
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Ingredients for Glaze (sweetener for spread)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
- 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) or more Sriracha (Thai chili sauce)
Gravlax:
Servings: About 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Marinade time: 24-72 hours
- 750 g fresh salmon fillet (with skin)
- 85 g sugar
- 120 g salt
- 8 tbsp dill (a type of spice plant, similar to celery) chopped
- 1 tsp there is white powder
Sauce:
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) Swedish or German mustard
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sugar
- 11 tsp (5 ml) vinegar
- Salt to taste
- White pepper to taste
- 6 tbsp (90 ml) canola oil
Step
Method 1 of 3: Marinade in Lemon Water and Olive Oil
Step 1. Start this preparation process 30-60 minutes before you plan to eat this salmon meat
The salmon only needs to be soaked for about 15-30 minutes. Start preparing the marinade an hour before you plan to eat, or even less, depending on your cooking method.
The cooking method will be explained at the end of this section
Step 2. Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl
Place the lemon on a cutting board and slice it in half. Squeeze both halves of lemon over a bowl.
Step 3. Mix other ingredients
Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil into a bowl of lemon juice. Add 1/2 tsp of dried thyme leaves, and stir with a spoon until well combined.
Another popular version of this spice uses dill instead of thyme
Step 4. Pour the marinade into a wide plate
Choose a plate that is wide enough so that all of your salmon fillets can fit into it side by side. You may need to use multiple plates if you are doubling or tripling the recipe. You can also use a container other than a plate.
Another alternative is to use a large ziploc plastic bag
Step 5. Place the salmon in the marinade
Place the salmon strips on a plate filled with the marinade. Turn the sheet of meat a few times to make sure each side is coated with the seasoning.
- Food safety experts recommend not washing raw salmon or other raw meat before cooking. Cooking meat is more effective at killing bacteria than washing it, and washing meat tends to spread the bacteria to the sink or other places in your kitchen.
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water for twenty seconds after handling raw meat.
Step 6. Cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes, turning once
Unlike red meat and poultry, fish meat develops a bad texture during a long marinade process. For a sour marinade like this made from lemon juice, soak the salmon in the marinade for no more than 30 minutes. Flip the salmon once during this time to ensure that both sides of the fish are marinated.
Step 7. Remove the fish from the marinade
Transfer the salmon meat to another container. Discard any remaining marinade. If you want to use the leftover marinade as a sauce, bring the marinade to a boil first to kill any harmful bacteria from the raw meat.
Step 8. Cook the salmon
After marinating, salmon can be cooked in several ways. Two of the most popular are grilling salmon that has been wrapped in aluminum foil on an open grill rack or grilling it on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet in the oven. For both methods, cook the meat at 200 C for about 15 minutes. The salmon fillet is cooked through and ready when you can easily pick the flakes off the surface with a fork.
Flip the salmon halfway through the cooking time if you are grilling it
Method 2 of 3: Marinade in Soy Sauce and Ginger
Step 1. Prepare the flavored ingredients
Peel fresh ginger (about 1 tbsp) and two cloves of garlic, then finely chop them together with 3 scallions.
Feel free to add extra spices. Consider 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil and 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame seeds to match other East Asian ingredients
Step 2. Mix with other marinade ingredients
Mix the flavorful ingredients with 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil and 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce.
Step 3. Marinate the salmon
Pour the seasonings into a ziploc plastic bag or wide plate, then add the salmon. Chill the salmon in the marinade in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes, turning the meat occasionally. If you continue to soak beyond this time, you are risking the texture quality of the fish.
Since the marinade has come into contact with raw fish, it should be discarded after use, or brought to a boil before using it as a dip
Step 4. Prepare the glaze (optional)
If you like, you can make a glaze to apply to your salmon for added flavor as it cooks. A simple glaze that goes well with this marinade is a mixture of 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey, 1 tsp (5 ml) soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) Sriracha. Feel free to experiment with the amount of each ingredient until you find the right flavor, as glaze may be strong when tasted alone, but weaken in intensity when tasted with salmon.
Step 5. Cook your salmon
Consider grilling your salmon in a flat pan or skillet at 52-60ºC on each side. If you don't have a thermometer, avoid overcooking the meat by only cooking with the skin on the side down. Briefly cook the meat side for only 15-30 seconds after the salmon is opaque but still juicy.
- You can eat the salmon skin or remove it after cooking.
- You can also cook salmon in various ways after the marinade process such as boiling or grilling it using various methods such as grilling (grilling/grilling on an open flame pan/rack, broil (top grilling), or grilling in the oven.
Method 3 of 3: Making Gravlax
Step 1. Use this recipe to preserve salmon to eat raw
Gravlax, also known as gravad lax, is a traditional Nordic (Scandinavian) dish that uses salt and sugar to preserve salmon. Meat is usually sliced in thin sheets, and eaten raw as an appetizer or appetizer. A variety of spices are used to flavor Gravlax salmon, usually white pepper and dill, and the salmon will be eaten raw after the pickling process is complete.
Notes: Since the salmon is not cooked, it is recommended to keep every table surface and utensils clean during the salmon preparation process.
Step 2. Start with fresh farm-raised salmon
Use high-quality salmon whenever possible that is purchased from a reliable source. It is recommended to use salmon from farms, as it is less likely to cause health problems than wild salmon. While the chances of initial bacterial and parasitic counts are not high, you can further reduce your risk by freezing the salmon first and then thawing it.
Step 3. Remove the fish bones, spines and scales
Use tweezers or a small knife and fork to remove the scales, bones, and spines of the salmon. Leave the dark skin under the scales that adhere to the salmon flesh.
Step 4. Make some shallow scratch cuts on the skin using a knife
This scraping allows the herbs and spices to penetrate deeper into the salmon, resulting in increased flavor intensity and a better curing effect.
Step 5. Mix dry ingredients together
Chop a bunch of dill or about 8 tbsp, and grind 1 tsp white pepper. Then add to 85 g of sugar and 120 g of salt. Experienced gravlax cooks will vary the ratio of these ingredients to suit their tastes, but large amounts of sugar and salt are required to ensure a good salting and curing process.
Step 6. Coat the salmon with the spices
Spread the spice mixture onto the salmon strips, and flip the meat over to make sure each side is evenly coated with the spices.
Step 7. Press the salmon with the weights
Place the salmon in a glass or stainless steel container, and fold the salmon strips inward, joining the meat side instead of the skin side. After that, cover it completely with plastic wrap, then press the salmon down with a heavy object, such as a brick.
Step 8. Let stand at room temperature for six hours
During this time, the salt and sugar will melt into the salmon, adding a stronger flavor. If you're not comfortable preparing raw food, you may want to transfer the salmon straight to the refrigerator instead of letting it sit at room temperature to reduce the risk of bacterial growth.
Step 9. Chill the salmon in the refrigerator for one to three days
Transfer the salmon to the refrigerator, keeping the weight on it. The longer you keep it in there, the stronger the flavor and the drier the fish will be. Try the meat every 24 hours to see if you like the taste.
Step 10. Remove the salmon from the container
Once the salmon has achieved your desired taste and texture, remove the salmon from the bowl. Remove any remaining spices, and discard the resulting liquid.
Step 11. Serve with dill-mustard sauce
This common pair of gravlax can be purchased at Scandinavian food stores. Or you can make your own using the "sauce" ingredients listed under the gravlax recipe. Mix the mustard, sugar, and vinegar together first, then slowly pour the oil into the mixture, stirring frequently. Once it reaches a mayonnaise-like consistency, add the chopped dill and season with white pepper and salt to taste.
