Slather Your Salmon In Mayo And The Results Will Speak For Themselves
Regardless of your skill level, it can be tricky to figure out what marinade will work best with your salmon fillet. Will the flavors complement each other? Will one be too strong and overpower the other? Will the marinade work a little too well, rendering the fillet a pile of unappetizing mush?
Fortunately, these problems can all be solved with mayonnaise. Just as you might shamelessly slather mayo on chicken for flavorful moisture and the crispiest skin, you can also slather mayo on a salmon fillet. A thick coating of mayo helps to seal in the salmon's natural juices, keeping the meat moist and tender. What's more, mayo's higher smoke point allows it to get hotter without burning, meaning your salmon's skin can get beautifully crispy.
Of course, it's also worth noting that mayo will not overpower the entire dish. Rather, the mayo serves as a blank slate, effectively highlighting any other flavors present. This means you can add a small amount of seasonings to the mayo and be confident that the flavors will still stand out throughout the dish.
Ideas for the ultimate mayo-marinated salmon
As you can imagine, the flavor combinations are endless when it comes to zhuzhing up mayo to marinate a salmon fillet. After all, salmon itself can range in flavor depending on the species, from buttery and rich, to bold and distinctly fishy, to even sweet and delicate.
To emphasize salmon's sweetness, for instance, you might add maple syrup to the mayo, balancing it with soy sauce and garlic. Alternatively, you can complement its richness by pairing it with mayo, parmesan cheese, and lemon for a dash of acid to cut through all those strong flavors. You can also mix the mayo with a variety of herbs — parsley, dill, and basil are good starting points — to add freshness and enhance existing flavors.
Mayo also provides the perfect opportunity to add texture, as it makes an excellent adhesive for breadcrumbs, sliced nuts, sesame seeds, or even crushed pork rinds. Not only will your textural elements stay in place, but they'll also get wonderfully crispy. Yum.
Tips for marinating salmon with mayo
Mayo is an easy enough marinade to use, but to get the best possible results, make sure to use full-fat mayo for the optimal crisp on your salmon. The full-fat variety contains more oil, and can cook at a higher temperature. Pro tip: Your mayo mix should fully coat your salmon fillet, but be careful not to add so much that it drips, as certain elements may burn at the bottom of the pan.
Remember to also allow the salmon enough time to rest after cooking. This gives the juices a chance to redistribute throughout the meat, and lets the mayo marinade work its flavor magic. Last but not least, consider whipping up an additional batch of your mayo mix to serve as a dipping sauce with a perfectly complementary flavor profile. After all, who doesn't want the tastiest, most decadent salmon fillet possible?