Easy Salmon Baked in Foil

UPDATED: 7/6/2015

Since originally blogging about this salmon two years ago, it has continually been one of the most popular posts on my blog.  Given this, and the serious deliciousness of the dish, I felt like it deserved a face lift.  So, herein you’ll find updated photos and a little updated text.  I hope you enjoy this fish as much as my husband and I do (we usually have it once a week!).

Without further ado…

I am generally inept when it comes to cooking fish. Don’t ask me why, because I couldn’t tell you.

It’s stupid, I know.  But I’ve found a cooking method for fish that even I can’t screw up. This is it: baking in foil.

You’ll need:

• cooking spray
• salmon fillets
• 2 tbs olive oil
• salt, pepper, and other desired seasonings (I’m having a serious love affair with this shallot salt), to taste
• lemon, scrubbed and sliced into thin rounds

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Set another sheet(s) of foil on top that’s big enough to fully enclose your salmon fillet(s).  Spray this/them with cooking spray.  Set aside momentarily.

Pat the salmon dry and set each fillet atop it’s own sheet of cooking sprayed foil.

Drizzle or brush a bit of olive oil on each piece of fish.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and whatever other seasonings you’re using.  Set a lemon slice or two on top.  Now roll the foil up to enclose the fish.

Put each foil packet on the lined baking sheet and bake.  If you’re using the individual fillets, you will need to bake for approximately 20 minutes.  If it’s a big, thick, honkin’ fillet like the one in the pictures, you’ll probably need closer to 30 minutes.  Regardless, you want to cook it until the fish is just done.  It should flake easily in the middle (using a fork) when it’s done.  Ain’t no body got time for overcooked salmon.

One of the great things about this is that you can change things up to suit your tastes.  You should use different seasonings and herbs depending on your mood and preferences.  I’ve also done this with orange slices instead of lemon, and it comes out tasty.  Enjoy!