Salmon that comes out of the oven dry was cooked at too high a temperature for too long, which forces all the moisture out of the fish before the center reaches the target temperature. The solution is a lower oven temperature than most recipes suggest and a shorter cooking time than your instinct tells you.
The 400°F Method
Set the oven to 400°F, not 425°, not 450°. Higher temperatures cook the exterior of the salmon aggressively while the interior is still cool, producing an overcooked outside and an undercooked center, or dry throughout if you cook long enough for the center to be done. At 400°F, the salmon cooks more evenly from edge to center and stays moist throughout.
Season the salmon fillet with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and lemon juice. Place skin-side down on a lined baking sheet. For sheet pan salmon with vegetables, add asparagus, broccoli, or green beans to the pan around the fish, cut small enough that they cook in the same time as the salmon.
The 12-Minute Rule
For a 1-inch thick salmon fillet at 400°F, the cooking time is 12 to 14 minutes. Thinner fillets need less, 8 to 10 minutes. The salmon is done when it flakes easily at the thickest point with light pressure from a fork, but still has a slightly translucent center rather than being opaque all the way through. That slight translucency is correctly cooked salmon. Fully opaque throughout means it is past the point of optimal moisture.
The Topping That Keeps It Moist
A tablespoon of Dijon mustard spread on top of the salmon before seasoning keeps the surface moist during cooking and adds flavor. A glaze of honey, soy sauce, and garlic applied in the last 3 minutes of cooking adds a caramelized surface without drying the interior. The sheet pan approach works equally well for the salmon dinners in the easy dinners guide. For full week dinner planning around meals like this, the meal prep guide shows how to build it into the weekly system. Lined sheet pans with raised edges are on Amazon. The Meal Prep Guide ($17) builds the complete weekly cooking system.
