If you’re new to cooking seafood, getting started can feel intimidating. Or maybe you’ve already made several attempts, but your fillets never taste restaurant-quality. Fortunately, there’s a one-ingredient hack that keeps salmon moist while giving you perfectly crispy skin. Here’s how it works.
Seal the Salmon With Mayonnaise
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat it lightly with cooking spray. Season the salmon with salt, pepper, and any other spices you wish to add. Place the salmon skin side down on the parchment-lined baking sheet and spread a thin layer of full-fat, traditional mayonnaise over the top of the fillet and down the sides. Leave the bottom bare to ensure crispy — not soggy — fish skin.
If you want to kick it up a notch, press seasoned, oil-tossed panko or finely chopped walnuts directly into the mayonnaise to make a crunchy crust. (Note that the crunchy topping can brown quickly, so check on it periodically to make sure it doesn’t burn.)
Finally, roast the salmon in the oven according to your recipe, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit. (Using an instant-read digital meat thermometer is the best way to check for doneness.)
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Why Does This Work?
The mayonnaise creates a fat barrier that prevents the salmon from drying out too quickly, even if you overbake it by a minute or two. Its thick consistency clings to the fish better than olive oil or butter and keeps seasonings locked in place. As heat reacts with the egg yolk proteins and fats, it browns the surface to give the fish that restaurant-quality finish. It also slows the release of albumin — the white goo that often oozes out of fish — by slowing the speed at which the muscle fibers contract.
