Usually, during my recipe developing, testing phase of the day, I want the easiest, quickest dinner possible… enter the sheet pan dinner (SPD). I tend to lean towards an SPD … one pan, minimal clean up, and not too much brain power involved.
The first step this recipe does that I love is "minimalism" to the nth degree — the teriyaki sauce in this recipe is jarred. It's actually really easy to make your own, just like in this teriyaki steak recipe.
Getting the Teriyaki Saucy
Teriyaki is made with sugar so there should be a gloss, and sauce should glaze the salmon. To thicken your sauce, put the remaining the teriyaki sauce in a non stick saucepan over medium high while the salmon is cooking. Cook until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes then bring to a boil.
Salmon That's Sheet Pan Ready
When you are buying salmon, buy the pieces of the fillet that are 6 to 7 ounces each and center cut. The pieces aren't huge due to how the Tassles are cut, so they cook nicely. Also, the center-cut pieces are fairly even in thickness, so they'll also cook evenly. It doesn't serve a purpose in asking to have the skin removed because that is just a little extra insulation from the heat of the pan while cooking the salmon.
Say Goodbye to Dry Salmon
The leading mistake when cooking salmon is making it too dry. Your fish is already over cooked if you cook it till it's opaque in the centre!
To check for doneness, however, the ideal method is by using a thermometer — you want it to read between 130°F and 135°F when you insert it into the fish's center. If you don't have a thermometer, then stick part of a paring knife into the thickest part of your fish and see what color you get. The outside should be opaque and the center should looks pale pink and translucent. While the fillets rest, they cook.
After the salmon is cooked out of the oven let it rest. The exterior may even be hotter than the interior, which may be slightly under cooked. A few minutes later, the inside and outside temperatures reach a balance, and homeostasis occurs so the fish is cooked evenly right through. It will be silky, delicious texture!
