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Baked Salted Salmon with Dill

Baked Salted Salmon with Dill

"Always gets rave reviews even from people that say that they don’t like salmon," one reader shares. OR In Norway, we learned to cook salmon like a rare steak—succulent, pink, and tender on the inside, with a surprising meatiness

By Diane UngerDecember 18, 2019

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    1¾ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    15 minutes active
  • Rating

We learned how to make this salmon from chef Nikolas Paulsson of the Lanternen restaurant on the Oslo fjord in Norway. For our take, we use a 2-pound skin-on center-cut side of salmon and salt it for about an hour before baking in a moderate oven. When shopping, look for a salmon side about 1 inch thick at its thickest part; pieces that are thicker or thinner will require timing adjustments when baking. The salmon will be slightly underdone when removed from the oven; a tented 5- to 10-minute rest will finish the cooking and bring the internal temperature up to 120°F at the thickest part. At this temperature, the fish should be just opaque, not translucent.

Tip

Don't delay tenting the salmon with foil after removing it from the oven. The foil traps residual heat that gently finishes cooking the fish.

Ingredients
  • 3

    tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus more to serve

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    pound skin-on center-cut side of salmon (see note), pin bones removed, trimmed

  • 2

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • Lemon wedges, to serve

  • Quick-pickled cucumbers, to serve

Step 1

Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a small bowl, combine the dill and 1 tablespoons salt, then rub the mixture with your fingers to break down the dill.

Place the salmon flesh side up on the prepared baking sheet. Rub the dill-salt mixture into the surface and sides. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes.

Step 2

Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a second rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment, then mist with cooking spray.

Rinse the salmon under cold water, rubbing to remove the salt. Pat completely dry with paper towels, then place flesh side up on the second baking sheet.

Coat the surface of the fish with the oil and season with pepper. Bake until the edges are opaque and firm to the touch and the center of the thickest part reaches 112°F to 115°F, 12 to 15 minutes.

Step 3

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and tent the salmon with foil; let rest 5 to 10 minutes (the temperature of the fish will climb to about 120°F).

Using 2 large spatulas, carefully transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with chopped dill and serve with lemon wedges and pickled cucumbers.

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