Honey Peppered Ora King Salmon Recipe

Prep salmon

Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. If very thick, allow to sit at room temperature 15 minutes to take the chill off. This helps even cooking.

Season both sides of the fillets: sprinkle kosher salt evenly (about 1/2 tsp per fillet depending on size), then rub the smoked paprika and freshly ground black pepper into the flesh and skin. Let rest 10 minutes while you prepare the glaze and brown butter.

Make glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together honey, 2 tbsp lemon juice, soy sauce, minced garlic and the lightly crushed peppercorns until smooth. Taste and adjust — it should be bright, slightly salty, sweet, and pepper-forward. Keep nearby for glazing.

Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the glaze for finishing (do not heat).

Brown the butter

In a small light-colored stainless-steel skillet over medium heat, melt the 6 tbsp unsalted butter. Swirl occasionally; after the butter foams and the white milk solids begin to brown (3–5 minutes), remove from heat. Watch closely to avoid burning. As soon as it smells nutty and golden, stir in lemon zest, 1 tsp lemon juice and optional thyme leaves. Transfer brown butter to a heatproof bowl and set aside.

Sear skin-side down

Heat a large nonstick or well-seasoned stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and swirl. Place salmon fillets skin-side down in the pan, pressing gently for 10 seconds to prevent curling. Reduce heat to medium and cook undisturbed 4–6 minutes depending on thickness, until skin is crisp and the flesh is cooked about two-thirds of the way up the side.

Glaze and finish

Flip fillets carefully and immediately brush the flesh side with the honey-pepper glaze (use about half the remaining glaze). Cook an additional 1–2 minutes for medium-rare to medium (internal temp 120–125°F / 49–52°C for medium-rare; 125–130°F / 52–54°C for medium). In the final 30 seconds, spoon 1–2 tablespoons of the warm aromatic brown butter over the fillets to baste. Remove to a warm plate.

Brush a light coating of the reserved raw glaze on top of each fillet for shine and extra flavor (about 1/4 tbsp per fillet). Sprinkle flaky sea salt to finish.

Arrange salmon on warmed plates. Spoon any remaining brown butter around the fillets (not directly over the reserved raw glaze area if you want the bright honey flavor to remain). Garnish with microgreens or chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Suggested accompaniment: roasted fingerling potatoes or wilted baby spinach tossed lightly with olive oil and lemon.