There are plenty of ways to cook a salmon, but oven baked salmon is my go-to. Cooking fish can be daunting if you're unfamiliar with it. But salmon is one of the easier fish to cook. It tends to be a larger fillet, so overcooking is less of a worry. It also very prominently changes color and quintessentially flakes. If you press it with a fork and the salmon separates easily and has lost that deep pinkish red hue? Then, you're all set! I like to add a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemons. But you can also cover the fillet with foil to keep the outer layer from burning while the inside cooks.
Meanwhile, let the salmon rest until it reaches room temperature.I usually let it sit while the oven preheats. However, for particularly large fillet's, you may need to remove the salmon from the oven before you preheat it.
Place salmon, skin side down, on a baking sheet.I use a pretty well seasoned cast iron griddle, so I don't add any oil beforehand. If you're using an actual baking sheet, though, you're probably going to want to oil the pan to keep the salmon from sticking.
Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with sliced lemons.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes for smaller salmon fillets and about 15-20 minutes for larger ones. The salmon should flake easily with a fork.The general rule of thumb is to bake for 4-6 minutes per half inch of salmon. Although I've never gotten out a ruler and measured the thickness of fish! Nor do I find this the most helpful way to cook seafood. No two fillets, even of the same size, are going to cook in exactly the same amount of time. It's better to look for the color changing to a lighter pink hue and it flakes with a fork.
Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm or let cool completely and serve at room temperature. Salmon is equally delicious out of the oven or later on.