Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Japanese Teriyaki Salmon
日式照燒三文魚
Recipe overview
Japanese Teriyaki Salmon is a classic Japanese quick pan-cooked fish with a sweet-savoury soy glaze, not miso salmon, salt-grilled salmon, Western honey-baked salmon, unagi-style fish or cream-sauce salmon. Thoroughly dry four similar skin-on fillets, cook skin-side down until golden, then turn briefly. Add Japanese soy sauce, mirin, cooking sake and sugar only when nearly cooked. Boil the sauce, then baste over medium-low heat until glossy deep amber-brown with a little flowing sauce; no cornstarch or heavy honey. Thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator, never wash raw fish, remove bones and separate raw/cooked tools. Reach 63°C at the thickest centre, opaque and flaking; cook fully for vulnerable diners. Heated mirin and sake are not guaranteed alcohol-free. Check fish, soy, wheat, sesame and sodium labels; chill leftovers promptly and reheat thoroughly.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4, 700–800 g total: similar size, deboned, dry after thawing Skin-on salmon fillets
- 300 g: florets, blanched and drained; hot white rice about 800 g, 200 g each Broccoli
- 2 teaspoons optional scallions optional; toasted white sesame
Teriyaki sauce
- 4 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons mirin
- 3 tablespoons Japanese cooking sake
- 1.5 tablespoons. Check soy, wheat, alcohol and sodium sugar
Pan-frying oil
- 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil (for a thin coating only)
Final adjustment
- up to 1 teaspoon Japanese soy sauce
- up to 1/2 teaspoon, only after tasting sugar
02
Tools
- 28–30 cm non-stick pan, silicone spatula, two tongs, wooden spoon, spoon
- 28–30 cm non-stick pan, silicone spatula, two tongs, wooden spoon, spoon
- 28–30 cm non-stick pan, silicone spatula, two tongs, wooden spoon, spoon
- 28–30 cm non-stick pan, silicone spatula, two tongs, wooden spoon, spoon
- 28–30 cm non-stick pan, silicone spatula, two tongs, wooden spoon, spoon
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
- Bowls, measuring cup, teaspoon, scale, knife, two boards, fish tweezers, kitchen paper, thermometer, oven mitts, white plates and rice bowls
03
Steps
Step 1
Step 1
Thaw fully in refrigerator; reject sour, ammonia-smelling, slimy, grey-brown or frozen-core fish; do not wash raw fish.
Step 2
Step 2
Check and pull bones with fish tweezers; dry skin and flesh completely.
Step 3
Step 3
Cut and blanch broccoli until green, drain; keep rice hot and slice scallion.
Step 4
Step 4
Mix soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar until mostly dissolved.
Step 5
Step 5
Preheat non-stick pan on medium 1 minute; add a thin layer of oil.
Step 6
Step 6
Place four fillets skin-side down in one layer; press gently first 30 seconds, then cook 4–5 minutes.
Step 7
Step 7
Turn only after skin is evenly golden; do not move frequently.
Step 8
Step 8
Briefly cook flesh side 2–3 minutes until nearly done and moist.
Step 9
Step 9
Spoon away excess rendered salmon fat, leaving a thin layer.
Step 10
Step 10
Stir sauce again, add to pan, boil clearly then reduce to medium-low.
Step 11
Step 11
Baste 1–2 minutes until glossy; thickest centre reaches 63°C, opaque and flaking.
Step 12
Step 12
Turn off heat and plate with broccoli and hot rice; spoon 1–2 tablespoons flowing sauce and optional scallion/sesame.
Common mistakes
- Incomplete thawing, spoiled fish, washing raw fish, missed bones, wet fish, a cold pan, too much oil, skipping skin-side cooking or frequent moving give poor skin or unsafe food. Adding sauce early burns sugar
- early turning or long flesh-side cooking breaks or dries fish. Excess fat, cornstarch gravy, heavy honey, unboiled sauce or scorched dry sauce are wrong. Sauce colour is not a 63°C safety test
- do not leave cooked fish and rice at room temperature.
Tips
Thaw refrigerated and remove bones; dry skin and flesh. Preheat on medium, use little oil, cook skin first and press for 30 seconds, turn only when golden, and cook flesh briefly. Mix sauce ahead but add last, boil then baste over medium-low; no starch or heavy honey. Keep a little flowing sauce, reach 63°C, drain green broccoli and keep rice hot; chill leftovers promptly and reheat thoroughly.
