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The Best Way To Reheat Salmon & How To Use Leftovers

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Salmon is a very delicious dish, but it can be a challenge to get it to the perfect texture while cooking, so it’s perfectly fine to ask yourself if you can reheat leftover salmon?

Since it is a pretentious dish that can easily be undercooked or overcooked, the risk of it not being pleasant when reheated is high.

The best internal temperature for cooking a moist and tender salmon, according to many chefs, is 125 F, even if USDA recommends cooking salmon until it reaches 145. If the internal temperature reaches 145 F, the salmon will most probably be a bit dry and will not be moist and nice.

Using a cooking thermometer can help you get this right.

We found it hard to cook the perfect salmon, but is it even possible to reheat it and get a decently good salmon?

I will show you the best method to reheat leftover salmon, but you must understand that it will not be as good as freshly cooked. However, if you follow the steps, you can get it close.

reheated salmon

The best way to reheat salmon

Reheating salmon in the oven is the best way to do it. Preheat the oven to 300 F, place the salmon on a baking sheet or rimmed baking sheet and warm it for 15 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 F.

The time you need to reheat the salmon can vary depending on the size of the salmon you reheat and a few other factors, so going for the exact internal temperature will be more accurate than the time you need for it to be good.

Don’t forget to cover the salmon with foil while reheating it. This will ensure a more moist texture and also will keep the fishy smell inside. Also, there are fewer chances of dried or burned corners if you cover the salmon properly while reheating.

Since you reheat the salmon, it will make great use of a bit of extra water to keep it moist and prevent it from getting dry, which is the biggest problem when you reheat salmon.

Read Also: Can You Eat Raw Mussels?

Can you reheat salmon in the microwave?

You can reheat salmon in the microwave on the low setting and cover the salmon with a paper towel in order to keep it moist. Same as with the oven, it is better to reheat it slowly rather than at a high temperature because it will dry out really fast if you put it in at a high temperature.

However, you will not get the same taste and texture as the one you reheated in the oven.

The microwave option is good if it is the only one you have or you are in a rush. Another downside is that when you reheat salmon in the microwave, the fishy smell will be more pungent than reheated salmon in the oven.

Can you reheat salmon on the stovetop?

Reheating salmon on the stovetop is possible if you use enough oil or any type of fat to keep the salmon moist. Using a low to medium flame will ensure lower chances of a dried salmon. Flip the salmon on both sides to reheat it evenly.

Reheating salmon on a stovetop has a higher chance of burning the salmon, and you need to pay close attention while reheating since you have to flip it, and it will take a short time to be done, usually around 5-7 minutes.

It will not be as good as the one reheated in the oven, but it can be an option. However, if you have the salmon with the skin on it, this method can give you nice and crispy skin.

salmon pan

Can you reheat salmon in an Air Fryer?

You can use the Air Fryer to reheat salmon but it is a bit risky because it can get dry really fast.

All you need to do to reheat salmon in an Air Fryer is to preheat it to around 350 F and put the salmon for about 5 minutes. This should be enough in most cases if the salmon is not a big chunk and is not straight from the freeze.

Use leftover salmon for fried rice.

A great use of the leftover salmon is to mix it with delicious fried rice. I’m sure many other foods can use leftover salmon, but fried rice is the one I tried, and I can tell you that it was delicious.

You make fried rice as usual and add the salmon to the mix for 5 minutes just to make it warm. You don’t need to add it at the beginning because it will dry. The best way to use leftover salmon in fried rice is to finely chop it before adding it to the mix.

chopped salmon

Can you eat cold leftover salmon?

I know we talk about reheating salmon, but most probably, you wonder what to do with leftover salmon and using it cold may not sound attractive, but there are a few ways to do this.

Eating cold leftover salmon doesn’t sound tasty if you think of it as is, but there are two great uses of it:

-Make a salad. Use chopped leftover salmon to make a great salad. There is not an exact recipe that you have to follow for that, just be creative and add what you like into the mix. It can work as a substitute for tuna in a salad.

A few ingredients that work well with salmon are tomatoes, cucumber, lemon juice, olives, green peas, chickpeas, etc. A nice tartar sauce can make this dish really enjoyable but less healthy if you are on a diet.

-Make a sandwich. The same rule for salad applies here as well. You can make a great sandwich with chopped leftover salmon and a few other ingredients like cucumbers, pickles, cheese, and a bit of sauce.

Read Also: Can You Eat Raw Okra? 

Conclusion

If you want to eat salmon as is and get the best out of it, go for reheating it in the oven. This is the best option for you, but it takes the most time; 15 minutes is not much, but in some situations, it can be a lot, so you might have to go for the microwave option, especially if you are on a break at work or something along this line.

No matter the method you use for reheating salmon, you must go low and slow and add a bit of extra moisture since the biggest problem with reheating salmon is that it gets dry quickly.

As we already talked about, there are many other uses of leftover salmon, so if you can add it to other food like fried rice or a salad.


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