Salmon Teriyaki

Homemade teriyaki salmon with a five-ingredient marinade that beats bottled sauce every time. Soy sauce, brown sugar, dry white wine, and ginger mixed together and poured over the fillets for an hour. That’s your entire prep.

The brown sugar dissolves into the soy sauce and wine, creating a glaze that caramelizes under the broiler. That sticky, burnished crust on top of the salmon is where the magic happens. The sugars char slightly at high heat, giving you that sweet-salty-smoky flavor that defines good teriyaki.

Broil the fillets 4 inches from the heat source. The first side gets 4 minutes to set and start browning, then flip, brush with the reserved marinade, and give it another 2 to 5 minutes depending on thickness. Watch it closely. Fish under a broiler goes from done to overdone in about 30 seconds.

Fresh grated gingerroot gives more brightness than ground ginger. If you have a knob in the fridge, use a teaspoon of that instead of the ½ teaspoon dried.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t skip the 1-hour marinade. The soy sauce needs time to penetrate the flesh. Less time means flavor on the surface only.
• Spray the broiler rack well. Teriyaki marinades are sticky and will cement the fish to an ungreased rack.
• The recipe suggests orange juice as a wine substitute. It adds a sweeter, fruitier glaze that works well with salmon’s richness.
• Discard leftover marinade after brushing. It’s been in contact with raw fish and shouldn’t be used as a sauce unless boiled first.

Variations

• Grill version: Cook on a well-oiled grill over medium-high heat for the same timing. The charcoal adds another layer of smoke.
• Sesame finish: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the salmon right after it comes out of the broiler.