Cooking salmon perfectly can be a real challenge, whether it’s the star of your meal or a subtle ingredient in a dish. Overcooking and peeling off the skin too soon are common mistakes that can ruin its texture and flavor. Given the premium price of salmon in stores, mastering the art of its preparation is well worth the effort.
We asked five professional chefs to reveal their best methods for keeping salmon juicy and tender — here’s what they shared.
Andrew Green, executive head chef at The Municipal Hotel & Spa Liverpool, stresses the importance of gentle cooking. He explains, “Salmon is often overcooked because chefs choose the fastest method. When overcooked, you can see white albumin oozing out—that’s the muscle fibers contracting and losing moisture.” Andrew recommends slow cooking sous vide at 50°C in quality olive oil or fat for 30 to 45 minutes. This yields a delicate, buttery fillet. To finish, he suggests blow-torching the surface to crisp and add a subtle char.
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Will Hickton, head chef at The Club House in West Bexington, shares his approach centered on the skin. His tip? “Score the skin and cook the salmon mostly skin-side down in good olive oil. About 90% of the cooking happens there, which crisps the skin beautifully while keeping the flesh tender and pink. A quick flip at the end is all it needs.”
Chef director at Rockwater, James Golding, prefers poaching for softness and flavor. “Poaching keeps the salmon soft and lets you infuse flavors into the cooking water. A touch of acidity, like lemon, is key,” he advises. Mark McShane, founder of the Food Hygiene Certificate, echoes this: “Poaching is one of the gentlest techniques to highlight salmon’s natural flavor. Simmering fillets in a broth of white wine, fennel, and herbs keeps them moist and tender.” He suggests light accompaniments such as herb sauce or fresh lemon to complement the fish without overpowering it.
Dean Harper, chef at Harper Fine Dining, favors searing to add texture contrast. “Start by searing skin-side down in a hot pan to crisp the skin and render the fat beneath. Once golden, finish in the oven so the flesh cooks evenly without overcooking,” he says. This method results in crispy skin and tender flesh, perfect for pairing with sauces like beurre blanc or a citrus glaze that balance richness and freshness.
Each technique showcases a different, delicious side of salmon, elevating a simple fillet to restaurant-quality perfection.