Karl’s Broiled Salmon Teriyaki

I had a craving for teriyaki salmon, but since it is a weekday I did not want to fire up the barbeque. Broiling in the oven is the obvious solution. This idea was met with cheers from my family. Steamed rice and pickled vegetables are the obvious go-together for a weekday Japanese meal.

Karl’s Broiled Salmon Teriyaki

Karl’s Broiled Salmon Teriyaki

Ingredients

1-2 lb. salmon filet

Sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup mirin
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, finely grated
½ tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbs. water

Directions

1. Rinse and part the filet dry.

2. Lay the salmon on a broiling pan.

Tip: Depending on your ecological leanings, you may line the pan with foil to make clean up easy. The skin will turn soggy if you lay the fish directly on the pan, so I like to use a wire rack to keep the fish high and dry.

3. Put the say sauce, mirin and sugar into a small pot and bring it just to a low boil to dissolve the sugar. Stir in just enough of the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce slightly.

Tip: I like to make enough teriyaki sauce so that I can serve some on the side for people to spoon extra over their fish and rice.

4. Brush the filet with the sauce and put it in the oven four inches from the broiling element (middle of the oven).

Tip: If you are going to serve the sauce on the side, be careful to spoon the sauce onto the fish before brushing it over the salmon. Do not stick the brush that has touched the raw fish into the sauce pot.

5. Broil the salmon for 20 minutes, brushing more sauce over the fish every five minutes.

6. Move the oven rack to the highest level and continue broiling the salmon for one to two minutes.

Tip: This final broil, at high heat, gives the sauce a shiny glaze. However, you have to keep a very close eye on it or the glaze will quickly turn into a burnt crust.

7. Transfer the salmon to a serving platter and garnish as you wish. Serve with steamed rice and pickled vegetables on the side.

Tip: You may use parsley, green onion, or a rose made by rolling pieces of pickled ginger together. For my crowd, I simply put it on the table and stand back, so I don’t lose any fingers.