Slow Roasted Miso Salmon

Slow roasted miso salmon is hands down my very favorite way to prepare salmon…and I think it will make it’s way onto your favorites list, too! It’s simple, foolproof and so, so tasty 🙂

I’ve been loving simpler, more hands-off recipes lately. When you start with fresh, quality ingredients their flavors speak for themselves, leaving you with time to relax and relish in the anticipation of a delicious meal with minimal effort. This salmon is a perfect example. Active prep time is maybe 15 minutes. The ingredient list is short. And the slow, gentle cooking method promises perfectly cooked, silky-soft salmon that comes apart in big, luscious flakes.

It’s gorgeous and it’s excellent hot, cold or inbetween!

And Harper and Levi Agree!

When warm weather comes to Ohio I want to be outside every moment I can. And this means we end up grilling A LOT. Our menus revolve around grilled meat and vegetables and cold salads…mostly recipes that don’t require heating up the kitchen. By the time August rolls around , and the humidity rises, standing by a hot grill loses a bit of it’s luster but heating up the kitchen doesn’t sound good either!

So when Hannah and I were planning our weekly dinner menu last week this salmon sounded like the perfect solution. My grandkids love salmon and they both gave it a thumbs up ❤️

Choosing Salmon

There are two main categories of salmon: wild salmon and farmed salmon. Wild salmon is darker in color (almost red) and less fatty than farmed salmon. Farmed salmon is lighter in color (more pink) and fattier. I used to dislike wild salmon. The flavor is stronger and I struggled to cook it without drying it out. I’ve since learned that the cooking method makes all the difference and I take back all of my wild salmon bias. Changing your mind is growth, right?

But for this recipe? I recommend farmed Atlantic salmon. The fat in the fish (it’s good fat!) is needed for the moisture during the long, low roast. If you use wild salmon I can’t guarantee the results. However, if you do try this with wild salmon I would love to hear from you and I’ll update this post to include your findings (good or bad)!

On Farmed Salmon

Quality really matters here.

There’s a lot of controversy and opinions swimming around farmed salmon. And there’s good reason for that. When anything is farmed the animals welfare, the quality of it’s food and it’s environment, the use of antibiotics all contribute to what you’re ultimately eating as a consumer. It matters for your health as well as for your ethics. When I first started questioning whether or not farmed salmon was good for me or sustainable I found all of the information kind of confusing.

I believe we all need to make our own informed decisions about the quality of the food we eat and what we, as consumers, want to support. The key to that sentence is “informed decisions”. If it matters to you, do your research and be open to what you find. This is a really good article where Andrew Zimmern talks about salmon farming practices. This sustainable salmon seafood guide is a great resource if you want to learn more about how to make the best choice for you.

You do you!

So What Should You Buy?

If I’m making farmed salmon I feel good about Verlasso and Sixty South salmon so that’s what I usually buy. They’re both delicious! No matter where your salmon comes from you want to buy a large, skin on center cut piece of fish. I’ve personally used this method for pieces ranging from 1 pound up to 2 1/2 pounds. I think cooking as one large piece rather than as individual pieces contributes to the buttery texture of the finished dish. It won’t cut neatly after it’s cooked but I actually prefer the casual, rustic look of breaking the fish apart on the platter and serving that way.

What Ingredients Do You Need?

Not very many!

• Miso is a fermented soybean paste that keeps for a long time in the fridge and has so many uses. It adds a salty sweet umami flavor to marinades, glazes, dressings, soups, sauces and more. Miso comes in different colors that correspond to how long they were fermented and the depth of their flavor. I use white miso here, it’s mild and sweet and a wonderful compliment to the fish.
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 each lemon, lime and small orange or tangerine

How To Make Slow Roasted Miso Salmon

I’m kind of giddy to share this because it’s so easy! Here you go…

1- Preheat oven to 275°f. Slice the lemon and lime into thin rounds. Cut the orange in half and slice just one half. Place slices in a casserole or rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Toss, and then spread fruit out so that they create a bed just a little bigger than your piece of salmon. Lay the salmon on top.

2-Juice the other half of the orange. Combine 2 Tbsp orange juice with 2 Tbsp miso and 1/2 Tbsp olive oil. Spread salmon evenly with miso mixture. Sprinkle everything with a little kosher salt and some cracked pepper. Slip into the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes. Start checking temperature in thickest part of salmon at 25 minutes. Take fish out when it reaches 128-130°f, the temp will rise a few degrees as it rests.

Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before pulling apart into large pieces. You can serve this hot, cold or at room temperature. When roasted slow like this the center will still have a slightly translucent look but trust me, it’s cooked and it’s delicious.

Salmon Temperature

The USDA recommends cooking salmon to 145°f. But if you follow their guidelines you’ll end up with dry, tough fish that isn’t very appealing. Most chefs agree that wild salmon is best cooked to 125°f and farmed salmon between 130-135°f. I totally agree.

If you have concerns about undercooked salmon you ultimately need to make those decisions for yourself. You can read more about the topic here ☺️

What To Do With Leftovers

I’m a big fan of making more than we need because I love having leftovers!

Leftovers make for fabulous breakfasts and lunches. My sister was over for lunch yesterday and I added some cold leftover salmon to beautiful, thickly sliced heirloom tomatoes from Hannah’s farm, fresh mozzarella, basil, flaky salt, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic… salmon caprese may now be a “thing” for me!

Other ideas? Fold flakes of salmon into soft scrambled eggs just before they’re done, top any salad, make a salmon flatbread or shape into salmon cakes. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination!

What To Serve To Complete Your Meal

You may have noticed the small dish of sauce next to the salmon in the photo? It’s Spicy Fish-Sauce Sauce from Joshua Mcfadden’s cookbook, Six Seasons, which I’m sure I’ve referenced several times on my blog. This stuff is SO GOOD and I’ve been using it on all kinds of things…drizzling it over this salmon being one of my favorite uses so far! I know that as soon as this batch is used up I’ll be making another. I didn’t have as many chili peppers as the recipe called for when I made it, so mine will look a little different from yours if you follow his recipe.

The salmon doesn’t “need” it….but if you have the time and ingredients and want to give it a whirl? You’ll be glad you did!

Some more fresh side ideas:

• Garden Bean Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
• Julienned Zucchini Tomato Salad
• Crispy Herb Smashed Redskins
• Simple Blanched Green Beans

I hope you love this slow roasted miso salmon as much as we do!

And, as always, I love to hear how my recipes turn out for you, and I especially love to see your food photos so tag me on Instagram and facebook @breathingandcooking with your creations!

And don’t forget to breath, trust yourself and enjoy the process ❤️