The Easiest Way to Cook Salmon
Baking is the most forgiving way to cook salmon. There’s no flipping, no spitting pan, and almost no way to dry it out if you keep an eye on the clock. A whole side looks generous enough for a dinner table; individual fillets are the midweek standby. Either works with this recipe.
The one rule: don’t overcook it. Salmon keeps cooking after it leaves the oven, so pull it while the centre is just turning opaque and still glossy. That’s the difference between silky and chalky.
We sell Loch Duart salmon: sustainably farmed in the clean, fast-flowing waters off north-west Scotland, with a deep colour and a clean flavour that’s a cut above the standard. Ask us to scale it, pin-bone it, or cut it into portions however you like.
Method
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Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a baking tray with foil or baking paper and brush lightly with the olive oil.
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Make the herb butter. Mash the softened butter with the garlic, dill, parsley, lemon zest, a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper.
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Season the salmon. Sit the salmon skin-side down on the tray. Pat the top dry, season, then spread the herb butter evenly over the flesh. Lay the lemon slices on top.
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Bake. For a whole side, bake for 18-22 minutes. For individual fillets, 12-15 minutes. The salmon is ready when it flakes gently at the thickest point but is still moist and just opaque in the middle.
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Finish. Squeeze over the lemon juice and let it rest for 3 minutes before serving. Spoon the buttery pan juices back over the top.
Tips from the Counter
- Cook skin-side down and the skin protects the flesh from the hot tray. It also lifts away easily once cooked if you don’t want it.
- Judge by flakes, not time. Ovens vary. Press the thickest part: it should just separate into flakes. If it’s still firm and translucent, give it 2 more minutes.
- Going posh? Bake a whole side on a bed of lemon and dill, then slide it onto a platter for a centrepiece that feeds a crowd.
- Leftovers flake beautifully through pasta, salads, or fishcakes the next day.
Ready to Make It?
Order fresh Loch Duart salmon from Parkstone Fisheries: fillets, portions, or a whole side, prepared to order. Free delivery across all BH postcodes, £40 minimum order, or collect from our Poole counter.