We Asked 9 Chefs the Secret to Perfectly Cooked Salmon—They All Said the Same Thing

Perfectly cooked salmon is one of those dishes that feel both luxurious and effortless—when you know what you’re doing. The white stuff seeping out of a once-beautiful fillet? That chalky texture? These are the hallmarks of a little too much heat for a little too long. 

To uncover the best way to make salmon shine, we turned to nine award-winning chefs from across the country. Whether you’re roasting, pan-searing or poaching, they all agree on one thing: don’t overcook it. But how to get it just right? Their answers will level up your salmon game, no matter your skill level. Here are their tips to avoid overcooking salmon.

Start with Great Fish 

Regardless of what cooking method you choose, one key is to begin with fresh, high-quality fish. As Chef Perry Hoffman of Boonville Hotel and Offspring in California’s Anderson Valley puts it, “You can’t make a good apple pie with bad apples.” The same goes for salmon. The chefs I consulted generally pick wild-caught over farmed, though they prefer different types of salmon. Executive Chef Piero Premoli of Pricci in Atlanta tailors his cooking approach based on the fish. For wild-caught salmon, he prefers low-temperature roasting; for farmed, searing. Executive Chef Jack Strong of Jory Restaurant in Newberg, Oregon, explains this idea: “Wild salmon from the end of a salmon run … can be leaner, which affects the flavor. Multiple runs produce different results.”  

Take Time to Temper (or Not) 

Want restaurant-quality results at home? “Tempering is key,” says Executive Chef Patrick Prager of Silverado Resort in Napa Valley. Chefs swear by the practice of letting the fish, especially thicker fillets, warm up slightly from fridge temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking. For thinner fillets, Hoffman skips this step to buy more time in the pan so the skin can crisp without the flesh overcooking. 

Brine First; Cook Second

Some chefs recommend brining as a way to add flavor and protect against dryness, no matter how you plan to cook the fish. Chef Hoffman’s brine includes water, salt, a touch of sugar and aromatics like lemon thyme and bay leaves. Chef Strong uses a dry brine of brown sugar and salt, applied to the fish and then rinsed off. You can achieve similar results with our go-to Salmon Marinade. 

Use the 80/20 Rule for Pan-Seared Salmon

Chef Adam Ritter of Minneapolis’ Bûcheron recommends the 80/20 rule when searing salmon. Cook the salmon skin-side down for 80% of the time, then flip it for the last 20%. “This gives the skin time to get ultra-crispy and keeps the flesh from drying out,” Ritter says. He also preps his salmon the night before by letting it rest uncovered on a rack in the fridge to dry the skin, a tip that he says makes a world of difference for crispiness. When cooking, Ritter recommends listening for when the oil in the pan stops bubbling—a subtle cue that the moisture in the skin has cooked away and the skin has crisped to perfection.

Low and Slow for Roasted Salmon

Chef Pano Karatassos of Atlanta’s Kyma and Chef Michael Schlow of Seamark in Boston both recommend slow, low-temperature roasting as a beginner-friendly method for cooking salmon. They advise baking salmon at 300°F with simple seasoning for between 8 and 10 minutes. Though this method doesn’t yield crispy skin, it’s a foolproof method for salmon that’s juicy and never overdone, ”a great way to get everyone to enjoy salmon,” says Chef Schlow. 

For Crispy Skin, Start on the Stove

Executive Chef Denali Whaley of Oregon’s Alloro Vineyard focuses on crispy skin perfection. She recommends taking the time to pat the fish dry, seasoning it generously and searing it skin-side down in high smoke-point oil like grapeseed in a nonstick pan.

“Let the skin sizzle in the pan until a very gentle shake of the pan handle releases the fish and it can move freely. If you have to shake the pan aggressively or force the fish free with the spatula, the skin will get destroyed.” She transfers it to a hot oven to finish cooking to avoid overcooking the outside of the fillet before the inside is done. 

Try Poaching

Poached salmon, gently cooked in broth, might not be as much of a headliner as crispy-skinned fillets, but chefs swear by poaching as an easy technique that allows the flavor and texture of the fish to shine. And it’s a win for home cooks without kitchen ventilation! Chef Jason Hall of Cathedrale and Sake No Hana says, “Poaching salmon in gently simmering vegetable broth with extra-virgin olive oil … preserves flavor, resulting in moist, healthy and versatile fish with minimal kitchen odor.”

Let It Finish Cooking off the Heat

It’s no wonder so many of us are overshooting salmon. The USDA recommends cooking salmon and other fish to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F, but the chefs I spoke with consider salmon well done, or basically overcooked, by the time it reaches that point. The chef consensus is that salmon is best between medium-rare and medium, or mostly opaque, with a slightly pink center. For some, that means the gold standard is 135°F, while others prefer a touch cooler at 125°F for that mid-rare perfection. 

No matter how you cook salmon, says Hoffman, “It keeps cooking even after you pull it from the heat, so take it off just before it’s done.” He and the other chefs I consulted recommend letting salmon rest for at least five minutes for the juiciest results. 

Use Tools to Determine Doneness

How do you know when salmon is done? “Touch is key,” says Chef Strong. “It should feel firm but still have some give to it. When you see white proteins emerging, it’s already medium-well to well done.”

Professional chefs insert a cake tester into the middle of the fillet and then touch it to the sensitive skin of their lip. “If it feels warm on the skin just under your bottom lip, the salmon’s ready,” says Chef Karatassos. An instant-read thermometer is also your friend. “There’s no shame in using one,” says Prager. “Temperature-checking with a thermometer will ensure a moist, flaky salmon; no matter the size of the fillet.”  

The Bottom Line

Remember that the secret to perfectly cooked salmon is to not overcook it. Be sure to start with high-quality fish and brine or marinate it before cooking to help prevent it from drying out. Choose the right cooking method for your goals, such as pan-searing for crispy skin or poaching for moisture (and avoiding kitchen odors). Keep a thermometer on hand and remove the salmon from the heat source before it reaches the target temperature to account for carryover cooking while it rests. With these tips from chefs, you’ll have no trouble cooking salmon perfectly at home.