Bourbon Glazed Salmon

Crisp on the outside, tender and buttery inside, and coated in a bourbon glaze that turns sweet, salty, and sticky under the broiler. It looks like something you’d order out, but it’s on the table in about 20 minutes!

Before You Get Started

The glaze is mostly brown sugar, which means it can go from caramelized to burnt fast. These three things keep that from happening:

1. Broil on the middle rack. Too close to the flame and the sugary glaze scorches before the fish cooks through.
2. Pat the salmon very dry. Wet fish steams instead of searing, and the extra moisture thins out the glaze.
3. Use a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Fillets need room. Crowded salmon steams instead of crisping at the edges.

Super easy to make and VERY delicious! My 13 yr old son made this for me for dinner over jasmine rice. Yum!

– Christi

How to Make Bourbon Glazed Salmon

There’s a cozy restaurant at Graves Mountain Lodge here in Madison that serves bourbon glazed salmon on their Valentine’s Day buffet. I came home determined to make it myself, and this is what stuck!

The glaze is just five things: brown sugar, bourbon, soy sauce, garlic, and green onions. The sugar caramelizes, the soy sauce brings the salt, and the bourbon adds a little warmth and smoke behind it. It ends up sweet and savory at the same time, closer to a teriyaki than a barbecue sauce.

Step 1: Prep the Salmon

Pat the fillets dry on all sides with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Dry fish is what lets the surface sear and the glaze cling instead of sliding off.

If you’re starting with frozen salmon, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and pat it extra dry. Frozen fillets hold more water than fresh.

⇢ Any salmon works here. Coho, wild-caught Alaskan, Atlantic, or farm-raised are all fine. Use as many 6-ounce fillets as you need and scale the glaze up or down to match.

Step 2: Whisk the Bourbon Glaze

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the broiler. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, brown sugar, bourbon, soy sauce, and green onions until the sugar starts to dissolve.

⇢ Use a bourbon you’d happily sip. Maker’s Mark, Woodford Reserve, and Jim Beam all work well here. The bourbon flavor concentrates as the glaze reduces, so a harsh one will taste harsh on the fish.

Step 3: Simmer the Glaze

Add the butter and oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, whisk in the bourbon mixture and bring it to a boil, whisking constantly for 1 to 2 minutes.

You’re looking for the glaze to darken slightly and turn glossy, thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it still looks thin and watery, give it another 30 seconds.

Step 4: Sear and Baste the Salmon

Add the salmon to the skillet, skin side down if your fillets have skin, and cook for 3 minutes. Spoon the glaze over the top every 30 seconds or so as it cooks.

Basting is what builds the layers. Each spoonful reduces a little more onto the fish, so by the time it goes under the broiler the salmon is already coated instead of just sitting in sauce.

⇢ Add fresh ginger for a little kick: A teaspoon of grated ginger in the glaze gives it a brighter, sharper edge without changing the technique.

Step 5: Finish Under the Broiler

Transfer the skillet to the middle rack and broil for 5 to 6 minutes, basting once about halfway through. The salmon is done when the top is caramelized and darkened in spots and the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Cooking time depends a lot on how thick your fillets are and how cold they were going in, so stay close to the oven. If you’re using a thermometer, look for 145°F at the thickest part.

⇢ Finish with something bright: Sliced green onion, a squeeze of lemon or lime, toasted sesame seeds, or a pinch of red pepper flakes all cut through the sweetness of the glaze.

What to Serve With Bourbon Glazed Salmon

Rice is our favorite pairing here. There’s always extra glaze in the skillet, and rice is the only side that really takes advantage of it. Spoon whatever’s left in the pan right over the top!

From there, add something green to balance out the sweet glaze.

• Charleston Red Rice
• Stick of Butter Rice
• Southern Style Green Beans
• Perfect Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Garlic Roasted Broccoli
• House Salad with Candied Pecans

If you want wine with it, rich fish like salmon does well with a full-bodied white. An oaked Chardonnay or a Viognier both hold up to the glaze. For red, keep it light with a Pinot Noir.

Storage

Store: Leftover salmon keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Freeze: Cooked salmon freezes for 4 to 6 months, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Thaw it in the refrigerator or immersed in cold water.

Reheat: Warm it gently in a 275°F oven, covered, until just heated through. Salmon dries out fast at high heat. Leftovers are honestly better cold, flaked into salads or used in place of canned salmon in casseroles, pasta, or sandwiches.

My husband is not a big fan of salmon but he loved this!! Great recipe and super simple!

– Andrea

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there still alcohol in the bourbon glaze after it cooks?

A small amount, yes. Most of the alcohol cooks off while the glaze simmers and again under the broiler, but not all of it, and there’s no reliable way to get it to zero. The flavor that’s left is the caramel and vanilla side of the bourbon rather than anything boozy. 

If you’d rather skip it entirely, replace the bourbon with apple cider or unsweetened apple juice plus a teaspoon of vanilla.

Can I use whiskey or Scotch instead of bourbon?

You can, and the flavor shifts noticeably. Irish whiskey is the closest swap, since it’s smooth and a little sweet like bourbon. Scotch brings smoke and peat that can overpower the fish, so if that’s what you have, use about half and taste the glaze before adding more. Rye works too but comes out spicier and less sweet.

Can I make this without a broiler?

Yes. After the 3-minute sear, move the skillet to a 425°F oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily. You’ll lose some of the dark, caramelized top that the broiler gives you, so baste once more right when it comes out to build the glaze back up. This also works if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet: transfer the salmon and glaze to a baking dish before it goes in the oven.

Why is my glaze too thin and runny?

It usually needs more time before the fish goes in. The glaze should simmer 1 to 2 minutes on its own until it’s glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. The other common cause is wet fish, since any water on the fillets thins the glaze once it hits the pan. If it’s still loose at the end, pull the salmon out and let the glaze bubble another minute in the empty skillet, then spoon it over.

Should I leave the skin on the salmon?

Leave it on if your fillets came with it. The skin protects the bottom of the fish from the direct heat of the skillet and keeps it from overcooking, and the glaze goes on the top side anyway. Once the salmon is done, it lifts right off with a spatula if you’d rather not eat it. Skinless fillets work fine here too, they just cook a minute or so faster.

More Easy Seafood Dinners

• Grilled Salmon
• Honey Maple Glazed Salmon
• Honey Garlic Shrimp
• Maryland Crab Cakes
• Pan Fried Catfish