Recipe Instructions:
Ingredients
1 kg salmon 4 filets; best to use fresh wild salmon (like wild sockeye, coho, or king salmon), skin-on, and bones removed, all a similar size between 6-8 oz; you can use frozen (thawed) salmon, too.
22.5 ml olive oil
20 g butter 1.5 Tbsp; unsalted
1/2 tsp salt kosher
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika powder smoked, optional
Honey Glazed Sauce
120 ml honey
34 g garlic 5 large cloves
8 g ginger 1/2 tablespoon minced, optional
30 ml lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon; OR lime juice
45 ml light soy sauce use coconut aminos/tamari if gluten-free
1 Tbsp sriracha sauce or hot sauce, optional
60 ml water
Instructions
Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season the fillets with salt, pepper, and paprika. Then mince/grate the ginger and garlic.
Ensure your oven rack is adjusted to the middle position and preheat your broiler to medium-high.
Add the butter and oil to a large oven-safe skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, place the salmon skin-side-down and pan-sear for 2-3 minutes per side (depending on thickness), then set aside.
When flipping the salmon, it's best to gently lift one corner first. If it releases easily, it's ready to flip. Otherwise, leave it for a little longer.
Add all the sauce ingredients to the pan and heat it for 30 seconds before adding the salmon back to the pan.
Cook the fish for further 2-3 minutes, regularly spooning the sauce over the salmon to thoroughly glaze it.
Simmer it for longer if you want the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly into a glaze.
Transfer the pan to the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, basting the sauce over the salmon often until it caramelizes and is lightly charred. Enjoy!
Optionally garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and/or sliced lemons.
Notes
Use the best salmon: Wild salmon is leaner (meaning lower fat & calories), contains more minerals and long-chain omega-3s, has lower contaminants, and tastes better than farmed salmon. I prefer fresh as frozen fillets can be very thin/vary in size.
Use room temperature salmon: Remove it from the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking so they cook evenly.
Season just before cooking: Otherwise, salt can draw out moisture from the fish.
Cook salmon with the skin on: This is especially important when pan-frying to hold the fillets together. It also acts as a barrier to keep the glazed salmon from drying.
Use a HOT pan: Ensure it's thoroughly pre-heated before adding the salmon. Otherwise, it won't properly sear. Also, leave the fillets untouched while searing.
Be careful not to overcook the fish: The salmon becomes dry when overcooked. I recommend cooking it to an internal temperature of 140ºF/60ºC for "medium-well" cooked salmon. When ready, a finger (or fork) pressed gently into a fillet should cause it to separate into flakes easily.
For a thicker sauce: Either use less water, simmer it for longer before adding the same, OR after removing the salmon from the pan, return it to the stove with a teaspoon of cornstarch slurry. Increase the heat and stir constantly until it thickens.
Make ahead and storage instructions:
Make ahead: You can combine all the sauce ingredients up to 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge until ready to use.
