How Long to Sous Vide Salmon for Perfect Results Every Time

Cooking salmon sous vide is a game-changer for getting perfectly cooked fish every single time But exactly how long should you cook salmon in the sous vide machine? The answer depends on a few factors. In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know about timing for sous vide salmon to turn out moist, tender and delicious

Why Cook Salmon Sous Vide?

First let’s quickly go over why you should try sous vide cooking for salmon in the first place.

Sous vide allows you to cook the salmon to an exact temperature, eliminating the risk of over or undercooking. The vacuum-sealed bags lock in moisture and ensure even cooking edge to edge. Salmon cooked sous vide has an incredibly tender texture and retains all its natural juices.

Plus, sous vide lends itself well to seasoning and marinating the fish before cooking. The sealed bags create a flavor incubator, allowing the salmon to soak up all that delicious flavor.

Sous Vide Salmon Cooking Times

When it comes to timing, the two main factors that determine how long to cook sous vide salmon are thickness and your desired doneness.

Salmon Thickness

Thinner salmon fillets will cook faster than thick pieces. As a general guideline:

• 1-inch thick fillets: 30 minutes
• 1.5-inch thick fillets: 45 minutes
• 2-inch thick fillets: 1 hour

For frozen salmon, simply add an extra 30 minutes to those cook times since frozen fish takes longer to come up to temperature.

Desired Doneness

Cooking sous vide allows you to dial in different textures by adjusting the temperature. Here are common sous vide salmon temperatures and what the final result will be:

• 105°F (41°C): Soft, translucent, like high-quality sashimi
• 115°F (46°C): Buttery, smooth, starting to flake
• 120°F (49°C): Flaky, moist and tender
• 125°F (52°C): Firmer, flaky, very moist
• 130°F (54°C): Traditionally firm, fully cooked texture

I recommend targeting 115-125°F (46-52°C) for the best balance of tenderness and moisture without getting too soft.

Putting It Together

A good all-around starting point is 45-60 minutes at 125°F (52°C) for average 1-1.5 inch thick salmon fillets.

That will produce flaky, tender salmon with some bite to it. Adjust the time based on thickness, and the temperature based on your texture preference.

Step-By-Step Guide for Sous Vide Salmon

Now that you know how long to cook sous vide salmon, let’s walk through the full process:

1. Season the salmon fillets with salt, pepper, herbs, spices, etc. Getting flavor into the meat up front is key.

2. Sear (optional). Some recipes call for quickly searing the salmon before sous vide. This adds nice browning.

3. Bag the salmon. Use vacuum sealer bags or zip-top bags. With zip-top, use the displacement method.

4. Cook sous vide at your desired temp and time based on thickness and doneness preferences discussed above.

5. When timer goes off, remove the bag and take the salmon out. Pat dry with paper towels.

6. At this point you can sear again to get crispy skin or serve as-is.

And that’s it! Perfectly cooked sous vide salmon made easy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about cooking times for sous vide salmon:

Should I brine the salmon first?

Brining in a saltwater solution before cooking can help season the fish and improve moisture retention. It’s optional but can help. 30 minutes in a 5% brine (5 grams salt per 100ml water) is sufficient.

Is it bad to cook too long?

Yes, overcooking can lead to dry, chalky salmon. Stick within the recommended time ranges based on thickness. An extra 10-15 minutes won’t ruin it though.

Can I leave it in the sous vide machine after hitting the target time?

It’s best to remove it once the timer goes off. The texture will start to suffer if left continuing cooking at temperature for hours.

Should I cook skin-on or skinless?

Cooking skin-on helps keep the fish moist but you can remove the skin easily after sous vide by simply peeling it off with your fingers.

Can I cook from frozen?

Yes! Just add 30 minutes to the cook time if starting with frozen salmon.

Sample Sous Vide Salmon Recipes

To wrap up, here are a couple of tasty sous vide salmon recipes to try out:

• Lemon Garlic Sous Vide Salmon – Salmon fillets topped with sliced lemon, garlic, and herbs, then cooked at 125°F for 45-60 minutes based on thickness.

• Maple Soy Salmon – Marinate salmon in maple syrup, soy sauce, chili flakes, and ginger, then cook at 120°F for 30-45 minutes.

• Salmon with Avocado Salsa – Plain salmon cooked sous vide, then served with a fresh chunky salsa of avocado, tomato, onion, lime, and cilantro.

• Salmon Burgers – Flake chilled leftover sous vide salmon and mix with breadcrumbs, egg, and seasonings to make awesome salmon burgers.