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Bourbon glazed salmon is a simple and delicious recipe with a sweet and sticky bourbon glaze. This Asian-inspired recipe comes together in about 15 minutes with 3 simple steps! Picture pan-seared salmon topped with a citrusy orange sauce, sweetened with honey and the natural sugars found in bourbon.
This salmon is best served over a bed of jasmine rice or cilantro lime rice along with my delicious Brussels sprouts with honey and balsamic. Hit the entire plate with a little lemon zest and serve with extra lemon wedges. You’ll be amazed at how well the crispy pan-seared salmon pairs with the salty, sweet, and citrusy flavors.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The beautiful thing about this glaze is it doesn’t require any marinating. The sauce instantly thickens as it’s heated and carmelizes, rendering a sticky glaze that coats your salmon with so much flavor.
Pan-searing salmon is nearly foolproof and only takes about 5 minutes per side. The combination of seared salmon with a caramelized exterior and a savory sweet sauce is unbeatable!
I also really enjoy blackening salmon and stuffing it into tacos. Not sure you love salmon? A classic beer battered cod is great for fish fry Friday. Less common is knowing how to cook trout—but pop it into a foil packet with garlic and butter and you will be swayed.
Ingredients
- Salmon filets: look for 6-8 ounce portions with the skin removed. Removing the skin is critical for achieving a uniform sear on both sides. You want the glaze to coat the sides of the salmon you consume.
- Oil (for searing): you can use vegetable, canola, or avocado oil. These oils have higher smoke points and are best for searing. Clarified butter or ghee is another great option.
Honey bourbon glaze
- Orange juice: you can use freshly squeezed oranges or store-bought OJ. You can also use grapefruit and lemon juice.
- Honey: honey sweetens the sauce and also helps to thicken/caramelize. You can substitute with brown sugar if you warm up the liquid so it melts before adding to the skillet.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: soy sauce adds color and flavor
- Bourbon: start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste. Just be cautious not to overdo it. The salmon should not taste boozy. You should also try my cedar plank salmon for a similar flavor! profile.
- Fresh garlic and ginger: far and away the most important flavors in this recipe is garlic and ginger. Fresh ginger adds a phenomenal aroma that’s worlds above ground ginger. Use a microplane to finely mince both garlic and ginger for best results.
- Sriracha: sriracha is optional but adds subtle spice that pairs nicely with the honey and salmon.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
How to Cook Bourbon Glazed Salmon
Step 1.
Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until honey fully dissolves into the sauce. Set aside. Season both sides of each salmon filet with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or skillet on medium heat. Once hot, sear salmon filets for 3-4 minutes undisturbed, flip and sear for 3-4 more minutes. If you prefer salmon rare, sear for 2 minutes per side.
Step 3.
Turn the heat down to low and pour the sauce into the skillet. Let bubble and simmer until sauce thickens into a syrupy glaze, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon glaze over each salmon filet until fully coated. Zest with lemon and serve with lemon wedges over jasmine rice, cilantro lime rice, or roasted Brussels sprouts.
Expert Tips
- To further enhance the texture of pan-seared salmon, lightly coat the exterior in flour. This will create a crispier texture as the flour sears in oil.
- Be sure the pan is hot before searing the salmon! this ensures a nice golden sear. Cast iron and stainless steel are the best options for searing fish.
- Lemon zest adds intense citrus/lemon flavor and aroma to fish. I prefer it over finishing a dish with lemon juice. Don’t skip this!
Salmon Internal Temperature
Similar to steak, salmon can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness (medium-rare, medium, or well-done).
For a medium-rare to medium finish, target an internal temperature of 125°F to 135°F upon removing it from the heat source. The residual heat will continue the cooking process as it rests. This will render a juicy silky center.
For well-done or fully cooked through salmon, remove from the heat just before 145°F. Salmon will be firm throughout and easily flake apart when tested with a fork. Per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the thickest section of cooked salmon should attain a minimum internal temperature of 145°F. Use a digital thermometer if you’re unsure.
I don’t recommend cooking salmon over 145°F as it tends to dry out and get tough. 130°F is the sweet spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bourbon is my spirit of choice. While you can use rye whiskey, it’s just not as complimentary. My next choice would be cognac/brandy for its fruity characteristics.
Yes! This recipe still works well without any added alcohol.
Bourbon adds a subtle woody flavor however the dominant flavors are honey and citrus. There is very little bourbon in the recipe and the majority will cook off.
More Salmon Recipes You’ll Love
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Bourbon Glazed Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets, skin removed (6-8 ounces per peice)
- 1 lemon, for garnish and optional lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon oil, canola, vegetable, ghee
- salt and pepper to taste
Honey bourbon glaze
- 1/4 cup orange juice, grapefruit and lemon work too
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch of sriracha
Instructions
- Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until honey fully dissolves into the sauce. Set aside. Season both sides of each salmon filet with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or skillet on medium heat. Once hot, sear salmon filets for 3-4 minutes undisturbed, flip and sear for 3-4 more minutes. If you prefer salmon rare, sear for 2 minutes per side.
- Turn the heat down to low and pour the sauce into the skillet. Let bubble and simmer until sauce thickens into a syrupy glaze, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon glaze over each salmon filet until fully coated. Zest with lemon and serve with lemon wedges over jasmine rice or with veggies.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was my first time making salmon for my husband who told me he “hates salmon!” Well, he liked this one!! I made the glaze as written, and the only thing I had to do was add a 1/2 tsp. of cornstarch to the glaze to thicken it up at the end. I will be making this again!
Can you bake n the oven instead of stove top?
I Made this delicious recipe for without the OJ for my wife, although I intend to try it with OJ another time. It’s fantastic! Using honey rather than brown sugar caught my eye as I was searching through bourbon glazed salmon recipes.
You have a lot of great recipes here so I subscribed and am looking forward to perusing more. Thanks for the hard work!
Thanks Frank!