What are the Benefits of Cooking Salmon at a Low Temperature?

Low Temperature Salmon, crusty and moist!

Cooking meaty fish at very low temperatures ensures the fish has better flavor and nutrient retention, and much less moisture loss. Cooking food with the right amount of high heat brings out the flavor in food, but heat can also rob food of moisture. What’s the solution? Well, a quick sear in a little butter and olive oil to create a flavorful crust; then finishing the cooking using a low oven temperature is the best way to achieve the perfect balance of great flavor and moisture retention.

Is Low Temperature Cooking the Same as Sous-Vide Cooking?

Low-temperature and sous-vide cooking are similar in that both methods use gentle low temperatures to cook food. Foods cooked in the sous-vide method must be vacuum sealed and the cooking temperatures are much lower, making for a lengthier cooking time. In both cases, the food is seared either prior to the low-temperature cooking or after. Both methods achieve exceptional results.

Sous-Vide Salmon

What are the Steps for Cooking Salmon at a Low Temperature

The salmon will be prepared in two steps. First, the salmon will be seared on one side to develop a nice crust. This step adds a lot of flavor to the fish. Then the fish is carefully turned and the pan is placed in the oven set to Convection at 200 degrees to finish cooking the salmon.

What is the Timing for Cooking a Salmon Filet

Depending on the thickness of the fish the searing step will take approximately 4 minutes, and the cooking time in the oven will be between 12 - 15 minutes. You can test for doneness by touching the fish; if it feels firm to the touch it’s done, if it’s still a bit flabby, leave it in for a few minutes longer.

Which is the Best Cut of Salmon for Low-Temperature Cooking?

For best results, choose a meaty portion that is fairly even in thickness. Thicker cuts of fish work better for the high heat sear and gentle finish, if the fish is too thin it will almost be cooked through during the searing step.

Stay tuned for my next post on How to Roast Tri-Tip at Low Temperatures. In the post, I will explain the steps for cooking a tender and flavorful Tri-Tip and roasting vegetables at the same time. After all, if the oven is on we might as well give it another job!

In the meantime, I hope you will try this recipe, Low Temperature Roast Salmon and also browse the selection of recipes for Low-Temperature Cooking under Convection Recipes and Steam Recipes so you understand how remarkable this method of cooking is.