What’s Best Salmon Internal Temperature? You didn’t know It!

Do you want to know, “what’s the best salmon internal temperature when done fully?” 

We’ll cover the debate now. 

Yes, it has been a debate for decades. USDA recommends that fish attain an internal temperature of 145 degrees when you cook them using any means. Contrarily, the cooking experts think that looking for such a high internal temperature gets dry and chewy fish.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO THEN?

It’s obvious that perfecting the art of cooking salmon is not a piece of cake, so you need to know what internal salmon temperature you need to record and how long to cook salmon. We’ll discuss everything you should know about the ideal heat setting and the internal temperature that salmon should reach to be fully cooked.

This article will help you create a perfect balance between the USDA recommended temperature of 145 degrees for salmon and America’s Kitchen advised 120-125 degrees Farnerhiet internal temperature for salmon to produce more delicious and juicy bites. 

Let’s get into the detailed guide that will help you perfectly cook every filet!

USDA and FDA Instructions – Correct Salmon Internal Temperature, When Done Fully?

According to the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and USDA (The United States Department of Agriculture) recommendations, you should cook most fish, especially salmon, to an internal temperature of 145°F. 

To determine the internal temperature of salmon, you can either use a digital thermometer or a probe thermometer. Make sure your thermometer is precise and reliable, no matter what kind you have.

If you do not have a probe thermometer, you can check to see if the salmon is cooked by cutting into it with a fork to see if the flesh is opaque and split up smoothly.

The FDA’s recommendations for cooking times mostly rely on the internal temperature of the meat. Whatever cooking method you use, whether an electric or charcoal grill, pan, or air fryer, once your salmon reaches the appropriate internal temperature, it is fully done.

Remember! The most important step you dare not skip is resting your salmon. The FDA advises 3 minutes of rest after putting salmon off the heat. That’s because even after being taken off the heat, salmon continues to cook due to leftover heat.

As a result, this 3-minute rest will lessen the carryover heat, and your salmon will be cooked appropriately.

What Salmon Internal Temperature Does America’s Kitchen Recommend?

Here comes the difference. You know that the chefs and cooking experts always prefer juicy meats. In the case of salmon or any fish, if cooked to the higher internal temperature of 145 degrees, it’ll become tough and chewy owing to losing all its moisture. 

They recommend cooking the salmon between 120-125 degrees internal temperature range. 

The question arises if it’s safe to eat fish with such a low temperature of 120-125 degrees (50-52 centigrades).

The answer is YES!

How?

Two factors make a difference here.

1. Salmon Quality

If it’s a matter of, “what’s the minimum safe internal temperature or salmon.” It depends on the fish quality as well. If you get your salmon fresh, you can go with the chef’s recommended temperature range of 120-125 degrees. Still, you’re safe; who guarantees?  

There is no system in the USA to determine the quality of fish that is safe to eat when consumed raw. The restaurant might have specific rules for serve medium raw or raw fish like sushi. 

Hoping that you can get some excellent quality fish to compromise on the internal temperature for the sake of taste or texture can be a cry for the moon.

For instance, according to the CDC, 1.2 million fish-related illnesses are reported annually in the USA, 2300 people are hospitalized, and 450 people lose their lives. That’s why the CDC advises not to eat fish below 145 degrees internal temperature.

2. Carry over cooking (influenced by the cooking time,  temperature, and quantity)

Carry-over cooking is a twist. If you understand how carry-over cooking elevates your salmon’s or meat’s temperature, you can safely stop heating it after hitting a temperature lower than 145 degrees, as USDA recommended.

Carryover cooking and resulting temperature primarily depend on 3 factors:

• At what temperature you’re cooking your meat?
• How thick is your fish filet?
• How long you’re cooking?

Thus, as tested by cooksillustrated.com, the carry-over cooking for salmon’s 1-inch filet has been as follows:

• The internal temperature of a 1-inch salmon filet baked at 250 degrees, with an internal temperature of 130 degrees, rose by 7 degrees;
• For the salmon filet baked at 325 degrees, rise to the internal temperature of 130 degrees by 9 degrees. Thus, the final internal temperature after rest time was 139 degrees.
• While, for a 1-inch salmon filet, cooked at 350 degrees til hitting the internal temperature of 130 degrees, after 5 mins of rest time, it was 15 degrees more, making 145 degrees. Hurrah!
• Finally, for a salmon filet of 1 cooked at 450 degrees, the final internal temperature after a rest time of 5 minutes increased by 27 degrees, making 155 F. 

Hence, you usually cook your salmon in an oven or grill at a temperature range of 350-500 degrees. It’s why when you remove salmon from the heat at the internal temperature of 145 degrees, it increases by 15-27 degrees to give you a final internal temperature of 160-177 degrees Fahrenheit after carryover cooking ends. And that ruins your fish by overcooking it.

As experimented by ThermoWorks, it’s obvious that: 

• If you cook salmon at 300 degrees to hit 140 degrees internal temperature, it will reach 147 F temperature finally: overcooked fish, of course.
• When cooked at 425 degrees Franhteit to 140 degrees internal temperature, the final internal temperature after 5 minutes of rest will be 159 degrees.
• And, If cooked at 450 degrees high temperature, you can hope for the internal temperature of 165 degrees after the carry-over cooking, which is disastrous!

So, what should be the minimum safe internal temperature for your salmon?

Keeping the points mentioned above and considering the USDA recommendation in view, here is the safest approach to getting juicy but safe-to-eat salmon:

• Cook salmon at 350  degrees and remove it at 125 internal temperature; the carry-over cooking will increase the temperature to 140 degrees.
• If you cook salmon at 400 degrees and remove it at 120 internal temperature, the carry-over cooking will increase the temperature to 140 degrees.
• Likewise, if you cook salmon at a higher heat of 425-450 degrees on the grills, you can remove it at 120 degrees internal temperature, which will rise up to 145 or above after 5 minutes of rest.
• And, if you want to cook your salmon below 350 degrees, i.e, 325, 300, or 250 degrees, then your instant meat thermometer should record at least 130 degrees internal temperature, which will be further elevated through the carryover cooking by 10-15 degrees.

BUT

If you’re passionate about eating rare salmon or raw, pay utmost attention to the quality of fish.

What Should be the Salmon Internal Temperature for a Charcoal Grill?

Cooking salmon over charcoal requires nearly as much time as cooking it over gas.  Since the charcoal grill easily reaches 450 degrees, you need to cook the salmon only for the internal temperature of 120 degrees. Remove the filet from the grill as soon as the thermometer reports 120 F. 

The rest will be done by carry-over cooking, and the final temperature will be around 145 Degrees Fahrenheit. On a charcoal grill’s high heat, you need to cook salmon for 3-4 minutes on each side per 1-inch thick filet and skin side down first. Likewise, for filets of 2 inches, the time will be double.

What should be the Internal Temperature of Salmon for a Gas Grill or Griddle?

Before discussing how long to cook salmon on a gas grill, the cooking temperature is the first thing to consider. Most gas grills and griddles produce a lot of heat. For example, Blackstone griddles can get as hot as 600-700 degrees, while the gas grills can be hot enough to produce a 550 F temperature. 

And, for grilling salmon, you can choose the temperature range of 450 degrees and cook your salmon to record 120 F internal temperature, which will elevate during the rest time enough to make your salmon safe to eat: 145 degrees internal temperature. 

Your salmon may take 8-10 minutes per inch fillet to thicken, dividing it into 4-5 minutes on each side. For example, if your large, 2-inch thick salmon fillets, they need 16-20 minutes of cooking time and 8-10 minutes for each side. 

What Should be the Salmon Internal Temperature on a Pellet Grill?

Salmon cooks on a pellet grill in the same amount of time as on other grills. Using a pellet smoker allows you to cook food while adding smoky flavor elements. 

An inch-thick salmon piece takes roughly 6 to 8 minutes on a pellet smoker to prepare at 500 degrees. Salmon would be moderate to well doneness when it reaches an internal temperature of 120°F.  Giving your salmon a rest period will help settle incomplete grilling through carryover cooking. 

How about smoking a salmon slowly?

A Traeger will be the safest choice if you wish to smoke your salmon instead of grilling it slowly.

Prepare salmon following your recipe to smoke it on a pellet grill. When ready to smoke, let your pellet grill warm up for around 15 minutes. The recommended preheating temperature for pellet grills made by Traeger is 180°F; for salmon, you need a minimum temperature of 170 degrees.

Afterward, put the salmon on the grill, skin side down, and smoke it for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the salmon’s filet thickness. The key is your salmon should have an internal temperature of 130-140°F minimum. 

130 is good to keep it juicy, and 140 has and gives your safer food. Since you’ve smoked it at a low-temperature range of 160-180, which will not raise the salmon’s temperature significantly during the rest time, except around 5 degrees.

What should be the Salmon’s Internal Temperature while Cooking it in Foil?

Grilling salmon is best done by covering it up with a piece of foil. The reason is foil keeps the moisture within; your salmon will be moist and crispy rather than dry.

Since salmon is being cooked in foil over indirect infrared heat, it takes longer to prepare.

For the best flavor, cook salmon in foil over moderate heat at about 375 to 400 ° F. The salmon must cook for 14 to 18 minutes once the grill is set to medium flame. If it is half an inch thick, cut the cooking time in half. In case they’re an inch thick, follow the suggested cooking time.

Keeping the thickness of one inch in mid as the benchmark, you can modify the amount of time you spend grilling.

Always check the salmon’s internal temperature to ensure it’s at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit before removing it from the heat. The salmon will keep cooking because of carry-over cooking and reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees. 

What Should be the Salmon’s Internal Temperature in an Oven?

After the rest period, the same internal temperature of 145 degrees F also goes for baked salmon. For baking salmon, you must warm up your oven to 450 degrees when you bake salmon. Season the salmon and place it in the oven in a baking pan for almost 10 to 12 minutes. 

Lastly, you can check the doneness of your salmon by using an accurate instant meat thermometer. 

What should be the Salmon Internal Temperature when Pan Frying?

Pan-fried salmon, along with some fresh herbs, is one of the tastiest foods. To enjoy safe bites every time for your entire family, you must fry the fish at the right temperature, targeting the finishing temperature of 145 degrees after rest time.

The frying pan’s surface temperature depends on the heat from the stove. For instance, on low heat, its temperature will be 220 degrees F approximately, while on medium heat, it’ll be 300-400 degrees. 

So, the best way is to cook your salmon in a skillet on medium-high heat so that when you remove it at an internal temperature of about 125-130 degrees. Here, again carry-over cooking helps the filets reach 140-145 degrees — safe to consume.

By the way, you can also check your pan’s temperature using an infrared thermometer. And, even at higher heat, it gets close to 450 degrees; you can cook your fish at the internal temperature of 120, reaching 140 degrees after the carry-over cooking period is over.

What should be the Internal Temperature of Salmon when Deep Frying?

The deep-fried salmon is surely a delight for everyone. Every bite is flavorful and has a crispy exterior and a soft, flaky interior. The oil is about 350-375 degrees hot when deep frying, so you can cook salmon at 130 degrees internal temperature. This temperature will increase by 15 more degrees when you rest the salmon. 

Hence, you need to coat your salmon and put it in hot oil simply. It’ll take approximately 4 to 5 minutes, according to the thickness of your fillet. 

Since all your salmon filets will be of similar size, you can check the doneness temperature of 1 fillet by picking it up using a spatula and probing the instant thermometer. If it’s done, like, 130 degrees Farenheit temperature internal, note the time it took and follow the same time for the rest of the filets. Make sure, every time you fry 1 batch, let the oil temperature heat again and reach 350-375 degrees before adding the next.

What should be the  Salmon Cook Temp when Air Frying?

You should cook seasoned salmon in the air fryer for 7 to 9 minutes at 380-400 degrees Fahrenheit. Please be aware that air fryer durations can fluctuate. Use a fork to test the food’s doneness.

Using a probe thermometer is the best way to determine when salmon is finished cooking. Salmon should be cooked to an internal temperature of 130 ° in its thickest region, according to the FDA. 

Salmon cooked in the air fryer should be removed when it reaches 130 degrees F, wrapped, and allowed to rest to avoid dryness.

FAQs

What should be the Internal temperature of a Sockeye salmon (wild salmon)?

Whether you cook farmed salmon or wild salmon, it must be at the internal temperature of 145 degrees (keep the carry-over cooking in mind that we’ve discussed in this article).

At what temperature is salmon overcooked?

The salmon is over-cooked, over 145 degrees internal temperature when you look forward to removing it from the grill, oven, air fryer, or pan. It’s because when you remove salmon from the heat at 145 degrees internal temperature, it keeps cooking during the rest period, and the temperature increases by 25 degrees, which overcooks the salmon. 

Therefore, we advise you to stop cooking the salmon over 120-130 degrees, depending on your cooking method, and let it attain the 140-145 degrees internal temperature through the carry-over cooking.

What does an overcooked salmon look like?

An over-cooked salmon looks orange and opaque. On pressing, it’s very hard.

What does an undercooked salmon look like?

An undercooked salmon will look pink. You might see the translucent ring around it, yet if you proceed with the internal color, it’ll be pink. To press, it’ll be moister and soft, of course.

What should be the salmon’s internal temperature when cooking without skin?

Whether you cook lean salmon fillets or salmon with skin, the final internal temperature has to be the same as 145 degrees when carry-over cooking stops after 55 minutes of rest.

Should I remove salmon skin when cooking?

No, the fish skin releases its natural fats that prevent the inner moisture of the meat from losing too quickly. Resultantly, even at high temperatures, the fish maintains its moisture and comes out juicy. However, if you remove the salmon skin, no matter whether you’re baking or grilling it, there is a risk that the fish will be too dry.

How can you know that your salmon fillet is fully done?

It’s easy to determine that your salmon has been cooked. For doing so, there is only one reliable way.

Check the salmon’s internal temperature by using an instant meat thermometer, which must be 120-130 degrees before removing it from the heat, and after 5 minutes, it should be between 140-145 degrees. To get more details, you can read the previous sections of this article.

Should you use a cake tester or butter knife to check your salmon doneness?

Using a cake tester or butter knife is advisable to check your salmon fillets’ doneness. A cake tester is a long, stainless steel rod with a specific thickness. It helps you evaluate the doneness of cakes, but many cooking experts consider it equally suitable for fish.

Simply insert it for three seconds into the thickest area of your fillet. Then, remove the metal and place it on the skin beneath your lower lip. 

If it’s cold, your fillet needs a longer cooking time. If you feel it warm, your salmon has been cooked, but how much? 

Only a thermometer can tell you. So, The fish is done if the rod is warm. 

Final Thoughts

When cooking a wild or farmed salmon, thoroughly examining the Salmon’s internal temperature and cooking period can guarantee a properly cooked and fully nutritious meal. Best of luck with your preferred salmon recipe!