Slow Roasted Lemon-Dill Salmon

All the food/health pundits agree: We should all be eating fish at least once a week, if not twice. Second only to shrimp, salmon is the most popular seafood in the country, and it’s easy to see why. Tender, rich, and full of flavor, a well-seasoned, perfectly cooked salmon fillet is one of the most satisfying meals you’ll ever eat. Whether serving dinner for a crowd or for two, this Slow Roasted Lemon-Dill Salmon is our favorite way to prepare Salmon.

Slow-roasting (or baking, really) at a lower temperature for a longer period of time allows the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids to melt and blend, and yields a moist, tender-yet-still- meaty texture. Slices of bright lemon and chopped fresh dill add the perfect flavor complements. This Slow Roasted Lemon-Dill Salmon comes together easily and in less than an hour. Serve on a pretty platter for company (we like this one from Juliska), and sit back and gather up the compliments. Or eat on a weeknight and save the rest for left-over salad lunches. Either way, you’re a winner!

If you’re not a fan of salmon, it’s probably because you ate a sub-par piece from an untrustworthy source. There’s a lot of room for error in the salmon-buying arena! I’ve been eating it for years and still have a lot to learn.

Big Salmon fan like us? Try our Grilled Salmon with Honey Dijon Glaze.

Should you buy wild-caught salmon or farmed salmon?

Wild Salmon

Wild-caught is considered the best by serious cooks, though plenty of people purchase and consume high-quality farmed (including moi). My advice is to go with whatever is freshest. If you’re not worried about price, wild-caught Chinook (or gold) salmon, Coho (silver), and sock-eye are probably the most popular types of wild-caught salmon, which is all caught in the Pacific Ocean.

Be warned that Sock-eye has the strongest (or should I say most intense?) flavor – some say it’s the most salmon-y, and love it. But if you’re looking for a milder flavor, stick with Chinook or Coho or farmed from a trustworthy source. There are multiple on-line sources available for flash-frozen wild-caught salmon frozen right on the boat where the fish is caught and these are probably your best options.

Farmed Salmon

Wild-caught Atlantic salmon are endangered, so the only Atlantic salmon commercially available is farmed. Farmed salmon has had a bad rap over the year, mostly because of the way in which it was farmed. Recently, more regulation and oversight has led to more sustainable farming with less toxins allowed into the process. I’ll say it over and over, buy your salmon from a trusted source, read the labels, and take a good look at it. You’ll know a healthy piece of salmon when you see it. Fresh salmon has a firm flesh and a very mild scent. It should never have a sharp, pungent, strong odor.

Can I buy salmon at the grocery store?

I’ll be honest, it’s probably best to buy salmon at a trusted fishmonger, but I don’t buy it that way. Who has the time for that? I buy salmon at my tiny local grocer (Langenstein’s) because I trust them. I don’t buy it at places like Winn-Dixie or Rouse’s. If anyone out there has, please chime in. I do buy 2-pound salmon fillets at Costco, which sources Atlantic farmed salmon from Norway in an environmentally sound environment.

Can you serve Salmon for a crowd?

Yes, absolutely! Having a dinner party? In charge of Christmas dinner? Salmon is a great, healthy option for a crowd. Instead of purchasing salmon sliced into individual portions, ask your local grocery store butcher to prepare you the whole fish. You’ll want to look for a cut somewhere around 2 pounds. Serve family style, and allow guests to grab as much as they’d like–and come back for seconds!

You’ll need a great serving platter to serve Salmon family style. Here are some of our favorites:

Traditional white serving platter
Fish-Shaped serving platter (so cute for serving fish)
Beautiful-Blue Vietri Serving Platter

Slow Roasted Lemon Dill Salmon

January 7, 2020

Servings: 6

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 25 min

Total: 40 min

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By: Marion

Ingredients

2 lemons
1 ½-2 lbs. salmon filet
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped dill
2-3 sprigs of dill

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Step 2 Pat dry the salmon filet. Sprinkle kosher salt liberally over the filet and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 3 With your hands, rub olive oil all over the filet. Sprinkle with chopped dill and freshly ground pepper.
Step 4 Thinly slice one lemon and lay the pieces over the salmon.
Step 5 Place the filet on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil skin side down.
Step 6 Bake in oven for 25 minutes. Test the salmon with a fork to see if it’s done to your liking. Ovens vary and the density/thickness of your fillet will affect cooking times, so you’ll need to taste test to see if it’s done to your liking.
Step 7 When done, remove from oven onto a platter and squeeze a fresh lemon over the salmon. Place a few sprigs of dill over the top and serve.