I receive many requests asking me how to know when my salmon is done. Let’s keep this one simple. Season your salmon the way you want it. No matter how you spice it up, make sure to add a light coat of oil.
Oven/Grill Temperature
There are fast and slow ways of making salmon. Personally, I like the fast way because I like leaving the skin on. Leaving the skin on is a buffer for burns and also makes a nice crispy salmon skin. For the fast say, I would go with a temperature of 425°F and you can be eating in 20 minutes. If slower, around 325°F, you’re looking at a cook time of about 45 minutes.
Flip or not flip?
I think flipping fish over hurts feelings because it will never be done right. If oven or grill cooking, I recommend leaving the skin on and never turning it.
Is it done?
There’s a visual way of making sure it’s done. Essentially, you want to cook the fish until the juices come out as a solid. Take a look at the following picture. See the white juices? They are solid. This is an indicator that the fish is fully cooked.
If you’re not comfortable with visually checking, take out a thermometer and make sure the fish temps at least 145°F.
