--- title: "Japanese Teriyaki Salmon" description: "Tender, juicy salmon with a glossy, savory-sweet Japanese teriyaki glaze. Soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar create a rich, balanced sauce that caramelizes…" url: "https://briansunter.com/recipes/japanese-teriyaki-salmon" --- # Japanese Teriyaki Salmon Tender, juicy salmon with a glossy, savory-sweet Japanese teriyaki glaze. Soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar create a rich, balanced sauce that caramelizes beautifully in the pan. 2 servings main salmon japanese teriyaki fish Scale Units ## Ingredients - 2 tbsp soy sauce - 2 tbsp mirin - 2 tbsp sake - 1 tbsp sugar - 1 tsp ginger - 1 clove garlic - 2 salmon fillets - 1 tsp neutral oil - 1 to 2 tsp water - \- sesame seeds - \- scallions ## Equipment - nonstick skillet ## Instructions ### Prepare the Marinade 1 Combine 2 tbsp soy sauce (30 ml), 2 tbsp mirin (30 ml), 2 tbsp sake (30 ml), 1 tbsp sugar (12-13 g), and 1 tsp ginger , grated fresh, and 1 clove garlic , grated, if using. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 2 Divide the sauce in half, reserving one portion in a clean bowl for glazing. ### Marinate the Salmon 3 Place the 2 salmon fillets (6-8 oz / 170-225 g each) in a shallow dish or resealable bag with the marinade portion. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes , turning halfway through. Note Avoid marinating much longer than 1 hour, as the soy sauce can make the salmon overly salty. ### Sear the Salmon 4 Remove the salmon and pat the surface dry with paper towels. Discard the used marinade. 5 Heat 1 tsp neutral oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the salmon skin-side down and cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes , until the skin crisps. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes . ### Glaze and Finish 6 Turn the salmon skin-side down again and lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in the reserved clean teriyaki sauce and simmer gently for 2-4 minutes , spooning it over the salmon repeatedly. As the sauce reduces, it will become shiny and lightly syrupy. Cook until the salmon reaches 145 °F (63°C) in its thickest part. If the sauce thickens too quickly, add 1 to 2 tsp water . 7 Transfer the salmon to plates. Spoon the remaining glaze over the fish and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions , sliced. 8 Serve with steamed jasmine or Japanese short-grain rice, broccoli, or bok choy. Note Dry before searing: moisture prevents good browning. Don't add sugar directly to the hot pan; let it dissolve in the sauce first to prevent burning. Keep the skin crisp by spooning glaze over the flesh rather than soaking the skin. For a thicker glaze, reduce the sauce for another 30-60 seconds after removing the cooked salmon. Note Want more sauce for rice? Double the soy, mirin, sake, and sugar, keeping half of the mixture completely separate from the raw fish. Preferred balance: equal parts soy sauce, mirin, and sake, with slightly less sugar. It's the classic Japanese teriyaki flavor, with enough sweetness to caramelize without becoming excessively sugary. ## Related recipes - [Sous Vide Teriyaki Salmon](/recipes/sous-vide-teryaki-salmon) [Sous Vide Teryaki Salmon](/recipes/sous-vide-teryaki-salmon) - [Air Fryer Miso Salmon](/recipes/air-fryer-miso-salmon) [Miso-glazed salmon cooked in the air fryer, sweet, savory, and ready in under 20 minutes.](/recipes/air-fryer-miso-salmon) - [Miso Salmon](/recipes/miso-salmon) [Salmon fillets marinated in a sweet and savory miso glaze, then broiled until golden and caramelized.](/recipes/miso-salmon) - [Indian Salmon in Green Sindhi Sauce](/recipes/indian-salmon) [Salmon fillet in a vibrant green sauce of fresh coriander, fenugreek, garlic, and ginger, a Sindhi tradition (Sindhi thoom, methi macchi). The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.](/recipes/indian-salmon) View Cooklang Source recipe.cook ``` --- title: Japanese Teriyaki Salmon description: "Tender, juicy salmon with a glossy, savory-sweet Japanese teriyaki glaze. Soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar create a rich, balanced sauce that caramelizes beautifully in the pan." servings: 2 tags: [main, salmon, japanese, teriyaki, fish] cuisine: Japanese difficulty: easy --- == Prepare the Marinade == Combine @soy sauce{2%tbsp} (30 ml), @mirin{2%tbsp} (30 ml), @sake{2%tbsp} (30 ml), @sugar{1%tbsp} (12-13 g), and @ginger{1%tsp}, grated fresh, and @garlic{1%clove}, grated, if using. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Divide the sauce in half, reserving one portion in a clean bowl for glazing. == Marinate the Salmon == Place the @salmon fillets{2} (6-8 oz / 170-225 g each) in a shallow dish or resealable bag with the marinade portion. Refrigerate for ~{20-30%minutes}, turning halfway through. > Avoid marinating much longer than 1 hour, as the soy sauce can make the salmon overly salty. == Sear the Salmon == Remove the salmon and pat the surface dry with paper towels. Discard the used marinade. Heat @neutral oil{1%tsp} in a #nonstick skillet{} over medium heat. Place the salmon skin-side down and cook undisturbed for ~{4-5%minutes}, until the skin crisps. Flip and cook another ~{1-2%minutes}. == Glaze and Finish == Turn the salmon skin-side down again and lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in the reserved clean teriyaki sauce and simmer gently for ~{2-4%minutes}, spooning it over the salmon repeatedly. As the sauce reduces, it will become shiny and lightly syrupy. Cook until the salmon reaches 145°F (63°C) in its thickest part. If the sauce thickens too quickly, add @water{1 to 2%tsp}. Transfer the salmon to plates. Spoon the remaining glaze over the fish and garnish with @sesame seeds{} and @scallions{}, sliced. Serve with steamed jasmine or Japanese short-grain rice, broccoli, or bok choy. > Dry before searing: moisture prevents good browning. Don't add sugar directly to the hot pan; let it dissolve in the sauce first to prevent burning. Keep the skin crisp by spooning glaze over the flesh rather than soaking the skin. For a thicker glaze, reduce the sauce for another 30-60 seconds after removing the cooked salmon. > Want more sauce for rice? Double the soy, mirin, sake, and sugar, keeping half of the mixture completely separate from the raw fish. Preferred balance: equal parts soy sauce, mirin, and sake, with slightly less sugar. It's the classic Japanese teriyaki flavor, with enough sweetness to caramelize without becoming excessively sugary. ```