How To Sous Vide Tender And Flaky Salmon Like A Professional Chef

There are many ways to cook perfect salmon, but sous vide is an excellent method for getting restaurant-quality results at home. John Warr, the executive chef at Radisson Blu Mall of America and FireLake Cocktail Bar & Grill (check out FireLake's Instagram page for drool-worthy visual inspo), shared some exclusive tips on how to sous vide salmon like a professional chef.

Warr suggests cooking salmon sous vide at 122 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 45 minutes. "This lower temperature ensures the salmon is moist and flakes beautifully without being overly firm," Warr explains. Exactly how long you sous vide salmon will depend on the thickness of the fish, but 30 to 45 minutes is typically ideal for filets around 1 inch thick.

While cooking sous vide was once limited to professional kitchens with expensive setups, it's much more accessible now. All you need is a pot, plastic bags (like these Syntus vacuum sealer bags), and an immersion circulator. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can use zip-top freezer bags. Just make sure to get all the air out. So, if you're wondering if you should really try sous vide, the answer is a resounding yes, especially if you're looking to make steakhouse-level salmon in your home kitchen.

John Warr also suggests adding flavoring to the salmon before it cooks in the sous vide bath. "Add lemon slices, dill, and a little butter to enhance the delicate flavors of the salmon," Warr advises. "Adding a BBQ sauce is also a fan favorite, too." You can get creative here; Any of your favorite salmon seasonings should work, including those in our brown sugar glazed salmon recipe, and you won't have to worry about the sauce burning up in a hot pan before the fish is done cooking.

You can also brine the salmon before cooking so that it retains moisture and flavor and doesn't lose its albumen (a white protein in the fish). This will keep it nice and pink during the cooking process.

If you are a fan of crispy skin, carefully remove the salmon from the sous vide pouch and sear it in a hot pan or under a broiler before serving. This finishing step offers the best of both worlds: a crispy exterior with a melt-in-your-mouth flaky tenderness. If you don't want to eat the skin, it will easily peel off once you remove the fish from the sous vide bath.