Poached Salmon with Bourbon and Maple
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 19, 2011
Time
40 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If skinless salmon is unavailable, follow the recipe as directed with skin-on fillets, adding 3 to 4 minutes to the cooking time in step 2. Remove the skin after cooking (see information below). This recipe will yield salmon fillets that are cooked to medium. If you prefer your salmon rare (translucent in the center), reduce the cooking time by 2 minutes or cook until the salmon registers 110 degrees in the thickest part. Because the cooking time will vary according to the thickness of the salmon, the most accurate way to assess doneness is with an instant-read thermometer.
Instructions
- Cut top and bottom off lemon; cut into eight to ten 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange lemon slices in single layer across bottom of 12-inch skillet. Whisk bourbon, maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, and shallot together in small bowl. Add bourbon mixture and water to skillet.
- Place salmon fillets in skillet, skinned-side down, on top of lemon slices (to prevent salmon from coming into direct contact with bottom of pan). Set pan over high heat and bring liquid to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until center of thickest part of fillet is still translucent when cut into with paring knife, 11 to 16 minutes (or until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of fillet registers 125 degrees). Remove pan from heat and, using spatula, carefully transfer salmon and lemon slices to paper towel-lined plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Return pan to high heat and simmer cooking liquid until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat; whisk in butter and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Season salmon lightly with salt and pepper. Using spatula, carefully tilt salmon fillets to remove lemon slices. Place salmon on serving platter or individual plates; spoon sauce over top and serve.
Time
40 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a poached salmon recipe with supple salmon accented by the delicate flavor of the poaching liquid,—in under half an hour— we came up with some tricks: Using less poaching liquid allowed us to cut back on the vegetables and aromatics in the broth, saving preparation time; adding alcohol to the liquid lowered its boiling point, creating steam that cooked the part of the fish that wasn’t submerged; and resting the fish on lemon slices prevented the bottom from overcooking.
Before You Begin
If skinless salmon is unavailable, follow the recipe as directed with skin-on fillets, adding 3 to 4 minutes to the cooking time in step 2. Remove the skin after cooking (see information below). This recipe will yield salmon fillets that are cooked to medium. If you prefer your salmon rare (translucent in the center), reduce the cooking time by 2 minutes or cook until the salmon registers 110 degrees in the thickest part. Because the cooking time will vary according to the thickness of the salmon, the most accurate way to assess doneness is with an instant-read thermometer.
Instructions
- Cut top and bottom off lemon; cut into eight to ten 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange lemon slices in single layer across bottom of 12-inch skillet. Whisk bourbon, maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, and shallot together in small bowl. Add bourbon mixture and water to skillet.
- Place salmon fillets in skillet, skinned-side down, on top of lemon slices (to prevent salmon from coming into direct contact with bottom of pan). Set pan over high heat and bring liquid to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until center of thickest part of fillet is still translucent when cut into with paring knife, 11 to 16 minutes (or until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of fillet registers 125 degrees). Remove pan from heat and, using spatula, carefully transfer salmon and lemon slices to paper towel-lined plate and tent loosely with foil.
- Return pan to high heat and simmer cooking liquid until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat; whisk in butter and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Season salmon lightly with salt and pepper. Using spatula, carefully tilt salmon fillets to remove lemon slices. Place salmon on serving platter or individual plates; spoon sauce over top and serve.
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