At the risk of sounding trite, this citrus glazed salmon recipe is truly out of this world. It's a slight adaptation of the beloved "Javanese Roasted Salmon" from the Saucebox restaurant, a fashionable former dining spot in Portland, OR. And fittingly, given the source, it is precisely the sauce that makes this dish so utterly magnificent. Infused with the vibrancy of fresh lime juice and a bit of spicy crushed red pepper, the flavor profile is sweet and sour, delivers just the right amount of heat, and...fair warning here...has occasionally been known to inspire the furtive licking of plates.
The salmon pictured here is fresh caught Coho, but Sockeye is equally fabulous in this recipe!
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Ingredients for Citrus Glazed Salmon
- salmon fillets (Coho or Sockeye)
- unsalted butter
- dried crushed red pepper
- garlic
- dark brown sugar
- fresh lime juice
- shoyu (or soy sauce)
- cornstarch
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Citrus Glazed Salmon
Prepare the Sauce
Begin by juicing the limes and grating the ginger (my grater of choice for this task is a microplane).
In a small heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the crushed red pepper and the grated garlic, stirring until fragrant, or about one minute.
Add the brown sugar, stirring until the mixture is smooth and just begins to bubble, or about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in the lime juice and the shoyu (or soy sauce).
Then increase the heat and boil until the mixture is reduced to about 1½ cups, or about 5 minutes.
Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of water, and then add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan.
Boil, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, or about 3 minutes. Set the sauce aside.
Prepare the Salmon
Heat the oven to 400℉ and place a skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add about a tablespoon of butter.
Working in batches, cook the salmon fillets until light golden brown on the first side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another minute on the second side. Then transfer to a baking sheet.
Spoon about a tablespoon of sauce over each fillet, and then brush over thoroughly to coat.
Roast the salmon in the oven about 5 minutes, or just until it is opaque in the center.
Serve over jasmine rice with an additional spoonful (or two) of the sauce drizzled on top.
Hint: I prefer to use shoyu (Japanese style soy sauce) in this recipe. It has a rich and balanced flavor, as well as a slightly thicker consistency than Chinese style soy sauce. That said, you can certainly use whichever you prefer!
Storage
Any leftover citrus glazed salmon can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Top tip
Don't overcook the salmon! When searing the fillets initially in the skillet, the goal is to cook them just long enough to achieve a light golden brown crust. They should not yet be cooked all the way through by the time they are transferred to the baking sheet.
Related
Looking for more irresistible fish recipes? Try these:
Pairing
Here are a few excellent cocktails to kick off a meal featuring Citrus Glazed Salmon:
📖 Recipe
Citrus Glazed Salmon
Equipment
- small heavy saucepan
- medium skillet (stainless steel or cast iron)
- large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 8 six ounce salmon fillets Coho or Sockeye
- ½ cup unsalted butter plus about a tablespoon more for searing the salmon fillets
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and grated
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- ½ cup shoyu (or soy sauce)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
Prepare the Sauce
- In a small heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the crushed red pepper and the grated garlic, stirring until fragrant, or about one minute. Then add the brown sugar, stirring until the mixture is smooth and just begins to bubble, or about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and the shoyu (or soy sauce). Then increase the heat and boil until reduced to about 1½ cups, or about 5 minutes.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of water, and then add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, or about 3 minutes. Set the sauce aside.
Prepare the Salmon
- Heat the oven to 400℉.
- Place a skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add about a tablespoon of butter. Working in batches, cook the salmon fillets until light golden brown on the first side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another minute on the second side. Then transfer to a baking sheet.
- Spoon about a tablespoon of sauce over each fillet, and then brush over thoroughly to coat.
- Roast the salmon in the oven about 5 minutes, or just until it is opaque in the center.
- Serve over jasmine rice with an additional spoonful (or two) of the sauce drizzled on top.
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