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Baked Salted Salmon with Dill

4 to 6 Servings

1¾ hours 15 minutes active

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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.

4 to 6

Servings

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.

1¾ hours

15 minutes active

Ingredients

  • 3

    tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus more to serve

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions

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Reviews
Jillian H.
February 5, 2023
Winner!
My husband and I have never liked baked salmon, but saw this on the show and thought we’d give it a try. This method really transformed the salmon. Leftovers are delicious cold!
Pragya C.
September 11, 2022
It is always a hit!
Its sooo east, quick and foolproof. Always get rave reviews even from people that say that they don’t like salmon.
Pragya C.
July 2, 2022
Best Salmon Recipe
I’ve made this multiple times, either just for us or also for company and I always get rave reviews. It’s easy and though looks humble- knocks it out of the park every time
Ramona W.
February 17, 2023
Made this delicious, however...
I may have left it sit too long with the salt as it had a bit of a mushy texture. But I'll own that...the taste was great and we made the quick pickles along with lemon rice and sliced tomatoes. Good combination.
Tiffany H.
May 30, 2022
Easy and Delicious Salmon
As long as you have the time to salt the salmon ahead of time this is an easy way to turn out a great tasting salmon. It is very tender and not overcooked! I have tried playing with the spices and herbs and it always turns out delicious.
Richard B.

Cut down on salting time and rinse very well before drying and roasting.

Megan S S.

I made this and it is now my favorite way to make salmon.

Rosella N.

Would dried ill weed work ??

Janelle C.

Hi Rosella,

Our Recipe Developer, Julia Rackow says you can make the substitution, but it won't be as pungent as using fresh dill.

Best,
The Milk Street Team

Diana L.

I make this recipe every week. I LOVE it. This recipe taught me how to properly cook salmon so its not overcooked.

Amanda D.

In Step 1, are both sides of the salmon salted or just the flesh-side? Thanks!

Janelle C.

Hi Amanda,

Rub the dill-salt mixture into the surface and sides.

Best,
The Milk Street Team

Sean K.

While this is a great recipe for baking (roasting) salmon, I really don't see how the dill/salt rub can impart any dill flavor. We know that marinades don't penetrate flesh except at the most minuscule depth, so leaving a bunch of crushed dill on the fish for an hour isn't going to do much. For confirmation, I made two salmons side-by-side, one rubbed with a dill/salt mixture and one with just salt. I rinsed off both and baked both as instructed. Then, before garnishing with dill and lemon, invited my family to try each. Both salmons were absolutely delicious with a firm-but-yielding texture and well-seasoned flavor. But we couldn't figure out which one had a more "dill-y" taste. Our takeaway: save the dill for topping afterward—and heap it on! That's a great herb for salmon. (Also, the pickles: YUM.)

Diana L.

I did the same thing. We cant taste dill. I put dill afterwards.

Mary S.

This method yields perfectly cooked salmon! I think next time I will skip the second salting, since it was a tad too salty for some of my family.

Natalia S.

Wow!!! My favorite way to make salmon now!!! If you want less salty decrease brine time 30min or 45min and rinse will under running water. This is my new way to cook salmon!!!!!

Jonathan K.

While We love the original full version of the recipe, I have also subbed zest of a lime, lemon, and orange (about 3 Tbsp total) mixed with the salt.

Ann H.

I would love to make this dish, however, that's a very expensive piece of fish. Is there a dinner for two offering? The piece of salmon shown on tv must have cost $30-40. That's out of control!! (Probably more since I'm on the west coast and you East Coast TV show producers don't take into account that your prices are lower!! Western Washington is being price gouged!! Alternative options would be greatly appreciated! Btw, love the show.