Sous Vide Salmon

I was at the store the other day and they had 12oz Salmon fillets for $6. So tonight I thought its a good night for Salmon, and threw some water in the boil Kettle to preheat. Meanwhile I sprayed some EVOO and Sea Salt on my fillet and vacuumed it down. Threw it in the kettle for 15 min at 122 and....

It was Awesome

Next time, skip the bag and the water.

Add the filet to a 2-inch deep container/pan of melted duck fat that is about 90-100 F. Let filet warm through. Remove from oil, pat off the excess, season with fine sea salt, and sear the skin side only in a piping hot pan.

Result = moist, fancy, succulent, tender, with crisp skin... yumm!!

I've wanted to try fish with sous vide technique but have yet to do so.

H-ost said:

I've wanted to try fish with sous vide technique but have yet to do so.

Click to expand...

I highly recommend it. It was the second best salmon I ever had, the first being fresh from the water to the pan.

I've been doing quite a bit of sous vide in my electric system with PID. I love salmon, but have been afraid to try it sous vide. From what I've read, there is a common parasite found in salmon that doesn't get killed off until ~ 140 degrees (maybe higher, I'm going from memory here). They suggest deep freezing the salmon to kill it off then cook at 122. Still seems risky to me. Did you do anything to kill the parasites?

(my kids showed me this one



(jump to 1:30 for the extraction)

mcgeebc said:

I've been doing quite a bit of sous vide in my electric system with PID. I love salmon, but have been afraid to try it sous vide. From what I've read, there is a common parasite found in salmon that doesn't get killed off until ~ 140 degrees (maybe higher, I'm going from memory here). They suggest deep freezing the salmon to kill it off then cook at 122. Still seems risky to me. Did you do anything to kill the parasites?

Click to expand...

I live in illinois, it was frozen, cant get " for real fresh" salmon here only fresh frozen. So I guess I did, out of the freezer into the kettle at 122

(Necro thread reanimation)

We get whole salmon filets from Costco quite often. The kids eat it well so a 2-3# whole filet works.

But, my wife isn't a big fan of the tail end of the filet, and we usually just chop it off and throw it away. I think a better idea would be to season, vac seal, freeze, and then it can be an easy lunch or snack item for me to SV straight from frozen.

Given this idea, what would you put in the bag before freezing?

.

I just did sous vide salmon two nights ago.

Already frozen, so did a defrost while the water was heating. Fillets were small enough to stick in ziplock sandwich bags, so I went lazy and just used those, purging the air as they were lowered into the water, then zipping up the last inch.

Very light kosher salting, olive oil, and a sprig of rosemary and a sage leaf each.
45 minutes at 130F, then finished with a pan sear.

Really good. Done enough for the lady, but still nice and moist with a good flake.

I'd keep salt light if you're not immediately cooking, just so you don't end up overdoing it.

I do tend to keep my seasoning light, given my preference for sashimi with nothing between me and Mr. Fishy.

Love me some salmon, and I really like sous vide method and prepare food that way 3-4 times per week. BUT:

IMHO the only way to prepare salmon is planked on an alder wood plank over hardwood fire. Nothing better.

Now it you want to talk sous vide ahi tuna, 122F for 1~4 hours, then finish in a very hot cast iron skillet, lightly oiled, for 45 seconds per side to blacken. Serve with Wasabi on the side. Second best 'nothing better'.

Best sides: Jasmine rice and grilled asparagus. Use your favorite seasonings. Serve with a crisp, acidic white wine like Sauv Blanc.

Brooo Brother

My biggest concern is seasoning before freezing, that the salt will start cutting the salmon or something.

But maybe the answer is to freeze, then season after it's already frozen, then seal.

bwarbiany said:

My biggest concern is seasoning before freezing, that the salt will start cutting the salmon or something.

But maybe the answer is to freeze, then season after it's already frozen, then seal.

Click to expand...

^^^this

Plus seasoning gets intensified by sous vide cooking. A good rule of thumb is to use a maximum of half as much seasoning as you would normally use.

Having said that, aromatic herbs like rosemary don't seem to intensify as much as salts, pepper and dried herbs and spices do.