Are you looking for healthy meal this week? If you have frozen salmon in the freezer, you will love this quick microwave cooking method.
Cook frozen salmon in the microwave is quick and easy compared to oven or stovetop methods. If you only have a few minutes to fire up the microwave, then microwaving frozen salmon is your best bet.
How do you cook frozen salmon in the microwave? Place frozen salmon in a microwave-safe dish and sprinkle with lemon, salt, pepper and a pad of butter to season.
Cover with lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat. Repeat the process until the salmon reaches and internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit temperature.
Whether it is fresh or frozen, salmon is a powerhouse of Omega-3, selenium, Vitamin B12, B6, and protein. However, cooking it right will save the essential nutrients, prevents dried salmon, retains texture, taste, quality, and health.
Fish comes in frozen packs for convenience of storage, if you have frozen fish, it is recommended to defrost salmon in the microwave before cooking. By doing so, it will help to reduce cooking time and also prevent from uneven heating.
In addition, microwave is great option to reheat salmon dish to consume leftover the next day. Ensure to store leftovers in an airtight container right away to prevent harmful bacteria growth.
With a proper microwave tips and techniques, you can make several salmon recipes in no time at all.
In this article, you will learn safe and easy ways to cook frozen salmon in microwave to prevent explosion or drying it. Let’s focus our attention on answering frequently asked questions about microwave cooking frozen salmon so that it turns out perfect every time.
Is it OK to microwave salmon?
Yes, it is safe to microwave salmon. Ensure your salmon is cooked all way through by using a meat thermometer tp check the thickest part of the salmons reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
At this internal temperature, the salmon is cooked through and safe to be removed from a microwave and consumed.
Remember there is no guesswork with a microwave to know the salmon is cooked inside out by just looking at the surface. For safe and even cooking, a meat thermometer is essential to verify to correct internal temperature.
Salmon can be perfectly cooked in a microwave. Just wrap the salmon using microwave-safe plastic with little seasoning over the fish. Microwave it to start for 3 mins on high power to get crispy edges with juicy fillet on the inside.
Can you cook salmon from frozen?
Cooking salmon from frozen is safe and doable, it would be as tasty as a defrosted cooked salmon. The trick is to keep the power on high and run it for a slightly longer time.
When the thickest part of the salmon reaches 145 degree Fahrenheit, it is cooked right and ready to eat.
Skip defrosting part of the salmon and go right ahead with cooking the salmon from frozen. However, it is essential to remember that cooking from frozen will take a bit longer time to cook all the way through.
Also, to get even heated fish might be challenging. Since it is frozen, the outside will be overcooked while the inside flesh may be slightly undercooked.
Just by adding in some more time, you will get a delicious salmon recipe without any issues. With frozen salmon, there are no limitation, you can steam, poach, grill, broil, or bake of your choice.
However, it is always recommended to defrost the fish for a minute or two on low heat, and then start the high heat cooking.
Why does salmon explode in the microwave?
Salmon may explode in the microwave due to being a fatty fish. When the fat content within the salmon gets hot and contacts the moisture droplets within the salmon, it converts to steam, causing the expanding pressure to result in an explosion.
This explosion can be minimized by patting dry the salmon with a paper towel before placing it in the microwave. Otherwise, you can leave the salmon in the fridge uncovered for one hour just before cooking it to eliminate additional water.
Upon heating, the fat liquefies and the water heats up resulting in steam. This pops the smaller portions of the salmon.
Another trick is to lay a sheet of parchment paper or paper towel over the salmon for the steam to be absorbed on the surface. A microwave cover would also help to control the splatter and prevent a messy microwave.
Check out How to Reheat Scallops as well.
How do you cook frozen salmon in the microwave?
For best results, always cook frozen salmon in the microwave by thawing before cooking. Skipping this step requires to cook longer from frozen in the microwave.
In order to quickly cook frozen salmon in the microwave, follow these steps below:
- Remove any ice crystals or pat the fish with paper towel to get rid of moisture to avoid explosion.
- Place the salmon in a microwave-safe casserole dish.
- Sprinkle some lemon, pepper seasoning, margarine or butter over the salmon before running the microwave.
- Cover the salmon or the dish with a microwave-safe lid or a microwavable plastic wrap.
- Run the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat. Check-in between and flip the salmon for even heating.
- Use meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit for proper doneness.
How long to cook frozen salmon in a microwave?
It takes about 3 to 4 minutes to cook an 8 oz fillet of frozen salmon in the microwave. The cooking time depends on your microwave wattage and size of the salmon fillet.
It can take more for thicker salmon while lesser for thinner salmon. If you are cooking more than one fillet, it could take twice as long to microwave both.
Run your microwave on high power for about 90 seconds initially by placing parchment paper over your salmon. Let it sit for about 30 seconds to built-up heat.
Nuke again for 90 seconds on high power setting. Let it rest for another minute to cook within, then the salmon may be cooked and ready.
How long to cook frozen salmon fillet in a microwave?
For frozen salmon fillet, it takes about 3-4 minutes to cook in a microwave. If you have defrosted, it can take lesser time and produce a more consistent result.
Even though microwave settings and wattage decide the time of cooking due to thickness of fillet, it may take less than the whole. Keep a watchful eye to stop the cycle before the fish completely overcooks.
Take frozen salmon fillets and pat dry using a paper towel. By doing so, you are eliminating the potential of it to explode.
Gently spread the fillets apart on a microwave-safe dish in a single layer, then microwave for around 3 minutes. For even doneness inside-out, run a microwave for 30 secs to 45 secs more if needed.
Add any seasoning before microwaving the fish. This will help the salmon to soak and enhance the flavor as it get heated.
When cooking fillet, also check the temperature before consuming to avoid food poisoning from uncooked fish. A thermometer is the best way to check the doneness of cooked salmon.
Tips to cook frozen salmon in the microwave
Cooking frozen salmon in the microwave instead of oven or stovetop is easy and not messy at all. But salmon contains more fat than other fish, so follow precautions to prevent it from exploding in the microwave.
Use these microwave tips to cook frozen salmon and help you prepare a meal in a jiffy.
- Remove the frozen salmon from its packaging, microwaving styrofoam or plastic is not recommended.
- Separate the frozen salmon fillets if nuking more than one piece at a time.
- Use a microwave-safe plate and cover with lid, wax paper, parchment paper or a paper towel.
- If salmon is in pieces, separate them and place them in a single layer. Do not overcrowd or pile them up on each other.
- Ensure even cooking inside and out by using a meat thermometer.
- Use a loose paper towel or parchment paper over the salmon instead of plastic wrap for moisture or steam absorption while heating.
- If you are using cling wrap, poke one or two places with fork for the trapped steam to escape and prevent steam pressure from building up underneath.
Follow these tips while cooking salmon from frozen in a microwave, check frequently in between and rotate or flip the salmon to get all sides evenly cooked. It will help the edges crisp and retain the moist inside of fish to prevent from drying out.
Best way to cook frozen salmon in the microwave
Microwave is best way to cook frozen salmon. Get even doneness and prevent from explosion by thawing frozen fish before cooking. Not only that, but it helps to reduce the cooking time in half.
Other than defrosting the fish before cooking, here are other ways to safely cook frozen salmon:
- Do not use original package to microwave, instead transfer to a microwave-safe dish to defrost first.
- Defrost the salmon for a minute or two on defrost setting or low power level.
- If your salmon feels warm, then let it cool down to fully thaw before cooking.
- Repeat the low heat cycle until the salmon defrosts completely.
- Cut the salmon into equal pieces and season them.
- Cook the salmon on high for 3-4 minutes.
- The internal temperature of the salmon should reach 145 degree Fahrenheit which means the salmon is cooked throughout.
Microwave Cooking Frozen Salmon: Conclusion
Frozen seafood have long shelf-life and is great meal to prepare when you have a craving for the delicacy. From salad to pairing with veggies and rice, salmon provides loads of healthy fat and minerals.
To prepare frozen salmon into a delicious dish, it is highly recommend to thaw the fish fillet before cooking.
Microwave method is quick and fast way to defrost, reheat, or even cook frozen salmon in the microwave.
Simply remove the frozen salmon from its original package and place it on microwave-safe plate.
If you are cooking more than one piece, avoid putting on top of each other and lay them next each other with a slight gap in between.
Pat the salmon with dry paper towel to remove any ice crystals or moisture from the surface to prevent from explosion. Then, season with lemon, salt or any other specific flavorings of your choice.
Cover the dish with lid or wrap to keep the moisture intact and prevent from drying it out. You may place a parchment paper inside so the steam is absorbed and does not contact to the fish.
Defrost for 2 minutes on low heat or using the defrost setting on the microwave. Doing so makes it easier to transition the fillet from frozen to fully cooked without overcooking the exterior edges.
Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat in one minute increments until the salmon reach an internal temperature of 145 degree Fahrenheit. Once fully cooked, it is ready to serve with your favorite steamed vegetables or rice.
Avoid cleaning greasy pots or pans when cooking salmon on stove top or oven by using a microwave instead. It is easy and convenient to cook frozen salmon in the microwave.
By following these microwave tips, this process is easy and effective. When done right, you will prevent explosion, dried out texture and overcooking.