Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Salmon

There are few more flavors that go together better than garlic and butter. From garlic bread to pasta, you can’t go wrong with those two. Now add lemon and you’ve got yourself a trifecta of flavor and aroma that will keep you coming back for more.

Salmon is probably my favorite protein. I’ve found over the years that it’s pretty expensive to order in a restaurant so I’ve practiced a lot at home. It was intimidating at first — it’s still not cheap at the grocery store — because it’s easy to get wrong. But as long as you don’t overcook it, you can make some amazing salmon at home.

I tend to cook it the same way over and over again. It usually involves a cast iron skillet and a hot flame, but every now and then I like to mix it up. This is where this lemon garlic butter salmon comes in.

This recipe is super easy, goes with just about any vegetable you can think of and is healthy and delicious. What else could be better?

There are two important factors in making this the best it can be. First, season the fish well. I use kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, and it always seems like it’s too much, but it turns out perfectly. Generously coat both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.

Next, as mentioned above, you don’t want to overcook your fish. If you don’t have a lot of experience cooking fish, a meat thermometer is handy. About 125 degrees is good. Otherwise, just gently check the fish with a fork — it will be a bit firm, and a tiny bit pink. It will keep cooking once you take it out of the oven. The amount of time it takes depends on the thickness of your fish, so check early rather than late.