Oh, baked salmon. It’s the healthy dinner that can — and does — do it all. It’s my busier-than-ever-weeknight dinner. It’s my I-have-guests-over dinner. It’s my I-want-something-light dinner. It’s my I-don’t-feel-like-cooking dinner. Sometimes it’s even my holiday dinner. This oven baked salmon recipe is the every possible occasion staple that I make over and over. Make it with me!.
Baking salmon at high altitude locations can seem daunting, but it’s definitely achievable with the right techniques When you live in a mountain town or just love vacationing in high elevation cabins, you don’t have to give up your favorite fish recipes. With some simple adjustments, you can enjoy moist, flaky baked salmon even above 10,000 feet
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share everything I’ve learned through years of trial and error about how to perfectly bake salmon at altitude. From adjusting oven temperature to preventing dryness, you’ll have all the tips and tricks to nail high elevation salmon cooking every time. Let’s get started!
How Altitude Affects Baking Salmon
High altitude affects baking salmon in a few key ways:
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Lower air pressure – The air pressure decreases as you climb in elevation This causes water to boil at a lower temperature, impacting cooking times
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Lower humidity – Higher elevations have less moisture in the air. This leads to food drying out more quickly.
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Faster cooking – The combination of lower boiling point and drier air makes food cook faster than at sea level.
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Increased flavor penetration – Spices and seasonings permeate into food more intensely in the thin dry mountain air.
Understanding these effects is the first step to perfecting high altitude salmon techniques.
Adjusting Time and Temperature
To compensate for the changes at elevation, you need to adjust the cooking time and temperature. Here are the general guidelines I follow:
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Reduce oven temperature by 25°F compared to sea level recipes.
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Increase cooking time by 5-8 minutes over what’s called for at sea level.
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Check for doneness earlier than directed since carryover cooking happens faster.
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Use a meat thermometer; salmon is done at 145°F.
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Watch closely at the end to prevent overcooking.
The exact tweaks needed depend on your specific altitude and thickness of the fillets. Be prepared to experiment to dial in your ideal methods.
Preventing Dryness
The lower humidity at elevation can quickly dry out salmon. Here are my best tips for keeping it tender and moist:
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Coat in oil – Brush with olive oil or melted butter to prevent moisture loss. Reapply midway through baking.
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Use flavorful liquids – Bake in broth, wine, or citrus instead of plain water.
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Tent with foil – Covering the salmon holds in steam and moisture as it cooks.
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Marinate – Soaking in an acidic marinade tenderizes and adds flavor.
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Glaze – Brush with a sweet glaze in the last 5 minutes to keep the surface moist.
Retaining Delicious Flavor
High altitude adaptations can sometimes dilute flavors. To keep salmon tasting great:
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Splash lemon or lime juice before serving – the acid enhances richness.
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Use fresh herbs and spices like dill, parsley, garlic and pepper.
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Increase salt slightly over sea level recipes if needed.
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Avoid heavy sauces that will hide the delicate flavor.
Step-By-Step Method
Follow these simple steps for foolproof high altitude baked salmon:
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Preheat oven 25°F lower than the recipe states.
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Pat salmon dry and brush with oil. Season with spices.
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Place skin-side down on a foil-lined pan.
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Bake 5-8 minutes less than original time, checking sooner for doneness.
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If underdone, tent foil over salmon and continue baking, checking often.
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Salmon is done when opaque and flakes easily at 145°F.
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Rest 3-5 minutes before serving with lemon juice or glaze.
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Adjust next attempt based on results.
With practice, you’ll nail the ideal time and temp for your elevation.
Additional Helpful Tips
Here are a few more pointers for high altitude salmon success:
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Choose thicker fillets that hold moisture better than thin cuts.
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Bake in shallow pans instead of deep pots to prevent uneven cooking.
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Limit opening the oven to maximize heat retention.
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Let the baking sheet preheat while prepping the fish.
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Verify oven temp with a thermometer for accuracy.
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Broil 1-2 minutes at the end for a crispy top.
Satisfying Meals Made Simple
Baked salmon pairs deliciously with sides like roasted potatoes, quinoa, or sautéed greens for complete meals. Some of my favorite seasoning ideas include:
- Lemon-Herb Salmon with Rice Pilaf
- Honey-Mustard Glazed Salmon with Asparagus
- Cajun Blackened Salmon Tacos
- Foil-Baked Salmon with Potatoes and Carrots
With the proper strategies, you can savor moist, flavorful baked salmon even at 10,000 feet elevation. Just remember to make small adjustments to time, temperature and moisture. Before you know it, you’ll be serving up those tasty seafood dinners from your mountain kitchen.
So next time you’re vacationing or living at altitude, give high elevation baked salmon a try using this guide. You don’t have to surrender your love of fish just because you’re far above sea level. With a few simple tweaks, you can still enjoy tender, flaky salmon fillets high in the mountains.
How Long To Bake Salmon?
Salmon bake time will depend on thickness, but a good estimate for individual fillets is 10-15 minutes. I always start checking at 10 minutes just in case. The best oven temperature for salmon for me is 400 degrees F. This is high enough to cook the fish quickly without drying it out, but low enough not to burn it.
You can check to see if the fish is done by flaking it with a fork, but to make my baked salmon recipe perfectly, check the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer (I use this one) inserted into the thickest part of the salmon.
Below is my temperature guide to know when it’s done to your liking. I highly recommend 135-140 degrees F for moist, flaky fish, as higher than that turns out dry. Feel free to go lower if you like yours less done.
| Doneness | Internal Temperature |
|---|---|
| Medium rare | 120-125 degrees F (48-52 degrees C) |
| Medium | 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) |
| Medium well (my recommendation) | 135 degrees F (57 degrees C) |
| Well done | 140-145 degrees F (60-63 degrees C) |
- Store: Any extra food should be kept in the fridge for three to four days in an airtight container. I still like them for lunch, even though they’re not as good as when they were fresh.
- For meal prep, you can mix the olive oil mixture ahead of time and brush it on right before baking, or you can bake the salmon all the way through and then put it in separate containers to reheat later.
- Reheat: To keep the salmon from drying out, I like to reheat it in the air fryer for about three minutes at 325 degrees F. You can also wrap it in foil and put it in the oven at the same temperature. It’s also delicious chilled or at room temperature. It’s not something I like to do because fish gets dry quickly, but you can if you have to.
- Freeze: Put the fish in a zip lock bag and wrap it in plastic wrap. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before you reheat.
Leftover ideas:
Add a baked salmon fillet to any of my salad recipes for protein. You can also make my salmon bowl for a quick lunch. I don’t reheat the fish if it already seems dry after being stored. Instead, I use it to make my creamy salmon salad.
That’s one reason why my easy baked salmon recipe is my go-to dinner for any event: it goes with almost anything! But because it’s so simple, the best sides are also very simple:
Baked Salmon Recipe (Easy & Flaky!)
This salmon recipe is simple and flaky. It’s also juicy and tasty. You can make it in 15 minutes with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs.
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
- Mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and parsley in a small bowl with a whisk.
- Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet or in a baking dish, leaving space between them. Use paper towels to pat them dry.
- Use the olive oil mix to coat both sides of the salmon fillets. Season both sides with sea salt and black pepper. Put a thin slice of lemon on top of each piece of fish if you want to.
- Bake the salmon for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it’s cooked to your liking: 120 to 125 degrees F (48 to 52 degrees C) for medium rare, 130 to 145 degrees F (60 to 63 degrees C) for medium, and 135 to 145 degrees F (57 to 57 degrees C) for well done. (I recommend 135-140 degrees F for perfectly moist, flaky salmon!) .
High Altitude Baking Pat 3 | Adjusting Recipes And Ingredients
FAQ
Is it better to bake salmon at 350 or 400?
Do you cook salmon at 425 or 450?
How much longer do you bake at high altitude?
How long to cook salmon in an oven of 400?