Tender, flakey salmon with a sweet and bright citrus glaze. Using seasonal lemon, orange, and grapefruit - this citrus glazed salmon is delicious year round. Cook this meal up in minutes for a gourmet meal without breaking a sweat.
What Is Citrus Salmon
Citrus salmon is a way of preparing salmon filets so that there is a sweet and tangy glaze on top. The method is fast, easy, and has delicious results. We will show you how to make this dish in the air fryer, on the grill, or in your oven.
What Do I Need To Make Citrus Salmon?
The ingredient list is simple for this meal. You'll need:
- 1 lb salmon filets (about 4 filets)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 lemons
- 1 orange
- 4 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper
Fresh Fish Is Always Best
Many years ago my husband and I took a weekend trip to Seattle. One of the first places we visited was Pike Place Market downtown. We loved wandering thru the beautiful flowers and fresh produce. And we were so amazed by the Famous Pike Place Fish Co. This fish company is famous for throwing their fish from one worker to the other when they get a sale. There are motivational videos and documentaries about the culture of this company that are used by businesses across the country. Needless to say - we bought some fish. We packed it in a cooler and carried it on the plane back to California. That night we cooked up this citrus glazed salmon. A few year later my family moved to Seattle, so we often took an afternoon trip to the market to pick up some more of their delicious salmon for this recipe. It is always a show when the workers start throwing those fish around! Pike Place is a must for anyone visiting the Seattle area.
How Do I Make Citrus Salmon?
Let me give you the rundown on making this delicious salmon!
1. First prep your citrus. Zest two lemons, and one orange.
2. Transfer the zest to a bowl along with brown sugar, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Slice your zested citrus with your favorite Chef's Knife.
4. Place salmon on a sheet of foil that has been prepped with non stick spray. Fold up the sides of the salmon to create a mini tray.
5. Top salmon with ¼ of your brown sugar mixture. Add a few tabs of butter to the tops.
6. Layer citrus slices on top of the salmon.
7. Cook on the grill for about 15 minutes until flesh is opaque and flakey. You can alternately cook in your air fryer at 400 degrees for 18 minus. You can also opt to cook on broil in your oven for about 10-15 minutes.
Citrus Salmon Q&A
How Do I Know When My Fish Is Done Cooking?
- Cooked salmon will flake easily with a fork at the thickest part when fully cooked. The inside of the meat will turn from a translucent orange/pink/red to a paler opaque orange/pink/red when fully cooked.
- You can also test with a thermometer. The thickest part should be 145 degrees when fully cooked.
How Do I Select the Right Salmon?
- Avoid Salmon with brown spots. This is an indicator that it is not fresh.
- Look for fish that is moist rather than dried out.
- When in doubt - frozen is always great! It is usually frozen right away and the result is a nice, fresh, fish once it is thawed.
How long does this dish last.
Fish doesn't last very long, but you can enjoy leftovers for about 3 days. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
What is the white stuff that comes out of salmon when cooked?
Before you go trashing that salmon, read this. That white slimy stuff is called albumin, and it’s protein that solidifies as salmon cooks. It is completely safe to eat that albumin. Albumin tastes completely fine, it’s good for you, it’s just another protein that comes from the salmon.
Is salmon healthy?
Eating wild caught salmon is beneficial to your diet. Salmon is packed with Omega 3s. Eating fish twice per week is a healthy habit to make.
I Love Salmon! Do You have Other recipes?
We love fish too! Check our our:
MAKE THIS RECIPE? HAVE QUESTIONS?
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Citrus Glazed Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon fillets about 4
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 orange
- 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoon butter sliced into 5-6 tabs
Instructions
- Zest the entire lemon, entire orange, and entire grapefruit. Combine zest and brown sugar in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Place fillet on a large sheet of foil that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
- Season filets with salt and pepper
- Rub the mixture on top of the filets. Distribute evenly between each filet.
- Place the butter tabs evenly on top of the filets.
- Slice the lemon, orange, and grapefruit into ¼ inch slices. Cover the surface of the filet with the slices.
- Seal the foil pack and marinate at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- Preheat grill to hot. Before cooking salmon, reduce heat to warm except for one burner.
- Place salmon opposite the hot burner and cook for 10-15 minutes until opaque and flakes easily.
Notes
- Cooked salmon will flake easily with a fork at the thickest part when fully cooked. The inside of the meat will turn from a translucent orange/pink/red to a paler opaque orange/pink/red when fully cooked.
- You can also test with a thermometer. The thickest part should be 145 degrees when fully cooked.
- Avoid Salmon with brown spots. This is an indicator that it is not fresh.
- Look for fish that is moist rather than dried out.
- When in doubt - frozen is always great! It is usually frozen right away and the result is a nice, fresh, fish once it is thawed.
Erin V says
lemony zest absolutely smelled amazing just like the recipe said, suuuch a yummy dish