Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley
Sometimes all it takes to make dinner feel special is a big, bold piece of protein. Case in point: This salty-sweet salmon glazed in a glossy teriyaki-style sauce. Brushed in two rounds with the quick sauce made with nothing more than sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vinegar, the salmon sizzles under the broiler, charring as it takes on a smoky flavor. This recipe calls for one large piece of salmon, but you can use smaller fillets or opt for a white fish such as cod or halibut. Just note that the cooking time will be shorter if using smaller pieces, so keep an eye on them. Add a quick garnish of sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, and dinner is done.
More salmon winners this way: Hot Honey-Glazed Salmon; Green Curry-Glazed Salmon; and Slow-Roasted Salmon With Harissa.
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
⅓
cup (packed; 67 g) dark brown sugar
¼
cup soy sauce
2
Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
2
tsp. toasted sesame oil
1
1½–2-lb. skinless or skin-on center-cut salmon fillet
Kosher salt
Thinly sliced scallions and/or toasted sesame seeds (for serving; optional)
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Bring ⅓ cup (packed; 67 g) dark brown sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, and 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced by half and syrupy, 5–7 minutes. Let sauce cool until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Heat broiler (if broiler is in your oven, place rack in upper third). Season both sides of one 1½–2-lb. skinless or skin-on center-cut salmon fillet with kosher salt. Place, skin side down, in a skillet or baking dish. Transfer one third of sauce to a small bowl and set aside for serving. Brush about half of remaining sauce over fillet. (If the salmon has a lot of room around it in the pan, line with foil to prevent runoff sauce from burning onto pan.)
Step 3
Broil salmon until sauce is just starting to burn in spots, 4–7 minutes. Brush remaining sauce over fillet and broil until deeply charred and salmon is opaque all the way through, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
Remove fish from oven and spoon reserved sauce over. Top with thinly sliced scallions and/or toasted sesame seeds if desired.