Amazing Salmon Tacos
Absolutely the best recipe for fish tacos! Do your chopping ahead of time, as these tacos cook up fast! Fresh and light in taste, the flavor of delicious Alaskan Wild Salmon shines in this dish. You may also substitute halibut, or a similarly firm textured fish in place of the salmon. The leftovers are great served cold over a salad. I adapted this recipe from my moms method of preparing salmon tacos.
Absolutely the best recipe for fish tacos! Do your chopping ahead of time, as these tacos cook up fast! Fresh and light in taste, the flavor of delicious Alaskan Wild Salmon shines in this dish. You may also substitute halibut, or a similarly firm textured fish in place of the salmon. The leftovers are great served cold over a salad. I adapted this recipe from my moms method of preparing salmon tacos.
- Carbohydrate 15.1307700011148 g
- Cholesterol 61.6 mg
- Fat 17.4404675005612 g
- Fiber 4.03167495849367 g
- Protein 24.4957225004488 g
- Saturated Fat 3.72999075003868 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (258g)
- Sodium 81.3847500042336 mg
- Sugar 11.0990950426212 g
- Trans Fat 3.28062450008608 g
- Calories 301 calories
Step-by-step
- Toss cubed salmon in cumin and chili powder. Set aside.
- Heat large skillet over medium and cook yellow onion 2 minutes, until it begins to soften.
- Turn heat up to medium high. Add salmon to skillet.
- Lightly sear salmon cubes for about 2-3 minutes, turning gently (don't break the salmon into pieces!).
- IMPORTANT: Do not over cook the salmon. This juicy recipe will keep steaming the salmon. The salmon should still be firm in the middle of the cube when you proceed to the next step.
- Return heat setting to medium. Add canned tomatoes and chilies, cilantro and green onions. Gently incorporate and heat through.
- Squeeze quartered limes over the salmon mixture, give it a quick stir, and plate up the salmon (I usually drain a little liquid off at this point).
- Serve with warm flour tortillas, quality salsa, sour cream, sliced avocado, and crisp romaine lettuce.
Home cooks frequently make the error of boiling salmon rather than searing it when combining fish with wet ingredients like canned tomatoes. Direct contact between cubed protein and a properly preheated heavy skillet over medium-high heat is essential to develop Maillard reactions on the exterior before moisture enters the pan. By tossing the cubed fish in ground cumin and chili powder beforehand, fat-soluble flavor compounds bind directly to the olive oil coating the exterior rather than washing away in the juices.
Thermal inertia remains the primary hazard when cooking lean fish species like Alaskan wild salmon or halibut. Because residual heat continues to cook proteins long after the pan leaves the burner, removing the cubes while the center retains a slightly translucent firmness prevents chalky, dry textures. The protein should register just under complete opacity when the canned tomatoes and green chilies enter the skillet to halt direct searing.
Managing leftovers requires careful temperature control because delicate marine lipids oxidize quickly upon cooling. Storing the cooked salmon mixture in an airtight container below four degrees Celsius for no longer than forty-eight hours preserves structural integrity, though freezing is discouraged due to ice crystal formation that ruptures muscle fibers upon thawing. Reheating should occur gently over low heat with added moisture to prevent protein tightening.
Alternative firm-textured species such as halibut substitute cleanly at a one-to-one weight ratio without altering cooking times significantly. Dense white fish varieties absorb spices similarly to salmon, though their lower fat content demands vigilant monitoring to avoid rapid dehydration during the searing phase.
