Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Salmon - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

Does salmon need to be flipped in the air fryer? ›

"You don't have to flip the salmon, which you do in most other cooking techniques because it does cook so quickly." Depending on the thickness of your fillet, air fryer salmon only takes about 10 minutes to cook, landing itself a spot on the easy weeknight dinners list.

-You do not need to remove the skin before cooking. Air fry the salmon with the skin side down, on the bottom. -You do not need to flip the salmon while cooking. -For seasoning you can use any combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, garlic salt, seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, cayenne, or a seasoning mix.

Brush with Oil

Salmon is a fatty fish (remember, those fats are good-for-you-fats!) and therefore doesn't need a lot of oil, but I do brush the salmon fillets lightly, and mostly on the skin side so that it doesn't stick to the surface of the air fryer basket.

Good question! While I love making salmon in the oven or on the stovetop, the air fryer is hands down my new go-to method because it's essentially mess-free. No oil splattering, no house smelling like salmon for hours… it's truly a breeze in under 10 minutes and cooks perfectly every time!

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

Yes, and here's what you need to know. Parchment paper is a safe and effective liner to use in the air fryer. To avoid safety hazards, weigh down the paper with food and keep away from the heating element. Parchment paper can be heated up to roughly 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Salmon fillets are best cooked starting with the skin-side down. This prevents over-browning the meat, which can make it dry and pretty unappealing to look at on the plate. "When pan-frying or grilling, cook salmon fillets skin-side down for 5-7 minutes, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes," says Norton.

Albumin is a liquid protein that solidifies when the fish is cooked, seeping out as the muscle fibers contract under heat, becoming thick and a bright white. Think of your salmon as a wet towel being rung out. The wringing is the heat and the water being pushed out is that white stuff you're seeing.

The white stuff on salmon is called albumin.

As the meat cooks, the coagulated albumin gets squeezed out and appears in the form of the weird, slimy, white substance that you are probably familiar with (and weirded out by).

How do you clean an air fryer after cooking salmon? ›

To clean the inside of an air fryer, start by knocking any crumbs out and wiping up any visible oil. Then, gently wipe out the interior, including the coil, using a towel and warm water. Depending on the soil level, repeat this step with warm soapy water to dissolve any cooked-on grease.

Flip it Halfway Through

You should always flip seafood once when it is halfway done. Flipping it at the halfway point is the best way to prevent it from burning or overcooking.

The housing and inner drawer of the airfryer are made of plastic, the pan and basket are PTFE coated. These parts might release some smell during the first uses of the appliance, as the airfryer reaches very high temperatures (up to 200°C).

Rather, an aged fillet will be “fishy” and have an ammonia-like odor, which is a byproduct of the deterioration and decomposition process. Even after a fillet is cooked—such as in a restaurant—old fish, although not harmful to eat, will have a slight ammonia taste and smell, which is typical of aged cod.

6. SHAKE OR FLIP FOOD. Most air fryers require you to shake the basket at least once during the air fry process to ensure every bit is crisped and browned to perfection. Some recipes call for flipping or shaking every 5 minutes, so don't stray too far from your air fryer while cooking.

Add salmon skin-side down and let cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until the bottom half of the fish looks opaque and the skin easily releases from the grill. Flip and cook 4 to 6 minutes longer, or until the entirety of the fish is cooked through.

Let the salmon cook on the first side completely undisturbed until the flesh appears cooked about 3/4 of the way up the fillet, about 5 to 6 minutes. With a fish spatula or similar long, wide, flexible spatula, carefully flip the fillets.

Place the fillets skin-side down and sear for about 6-8 minutes, depending on how thick the piece of fish is. Flip once you see that the flesh has lightened about 3/4 of the way up the fish. Sear for another 1-2 minutes.