Oven Poached Salmon

Foil-packet salmon is one of the most forgiving ways to cook fish, and this version keeps it dead simple. The fillet goes onto greased foil with lemon juice and sherry, gets sealed up, and bakes until just set. Halfway through, you open the packet to add butter and dill so those flavors stay fresh instead of cooking out.

That two-stage approach is smart. The first 10 minutes let the lemon and sherry steam the fish gently. Adding the butter and dill for just the second half means the butter bastes the surface as it melts and the dill keeps its bright, anise-like flavor instead of turning muddy.

The sealed foil traps steam, so the salmon essentially poaches in its own juices. You get moist, flaky fish without needing to hover over a poaching liquid on the stovetop. Cleanup is basically tossing the foil.

Pro Tips

• Don’t wrap the foil too tight. Leave some room for steam to circulate around the fish.
• Check for doneness by pressing the center gently. It should flake but still feel slightly translucent in the very middle, as carryover heat finishes the cooking.
• Sherry, vermouth, or dry white wine all work here. Use whatever you have open.
• Let the packet rest closed for 2 minutes after pulling from the oven. The steam inside finishes cooking the fish gently.

Variations

• Asian-inspired: Replace the sherry with mirin, the dill with ginger and scallions, and add a splash of soy sauce.
• Herb butter: Mix softened butter with minced garlic, parsley, and lemon zest before adding it at the halfway point.
• Vegetable bed: Lay thin asparagus spears or sliced fennel under the salmon so they steam alongside the fish.