American · main

Baked Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze

Baked Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze reads umami 7.9, richness 6.3 and citrus 5.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 33 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.9 · Richness 6.3 · Citrus 5.7 · Salinity 5.3 · Sourness 4.7 · Sweetness 3.9 · Allium 3.6 · Marine & Briny 3.0 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Floral 1.7 · Fruity 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Bitterness 1.1 · Smoke 0.8 · Nutty 0.8 · Earthy 0.7 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (12)

Time & effort: about 33 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 123.6 kcal, 15 g protein, 8.8 g fat, 6.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. Pat the salmon fillets dry and season all over with the salt and pepper; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes while you make the glaze - this seasons the fish through and keeps it from cooking unevenly.
  2. Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and brush with the oil.
  3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, Dijon, soy sauce, and garlic; cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Remove the glaze from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
  5. Arrange the salmon skin-side down on the prepared sheet pan. Spoon two-thirds of the glaze evenly over the tops, reserving the rest.
  6. Roast until the salmon is opaque and just beginning to flake, and reaches 125-128 F at the thickest part, 10-12 minutes depending on thickness.
  7. Switch the oven to broil. Brush the reserved glaze over the tops of the fillets.
  8. Broil until the glaze bubbles and caramelizes at the edges, 1-2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
  9. Let the salmon rest 3 minutes off the heat (carryover brings it to a moist 135-140 F), then plate, spoon any pan glaze over the top, and finish with the parsley.

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Keep reading: what umami, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.