Blackened Salmon Filets with Homemade Spice Mix

5 from 5 votes

Blackened Salmon Filets with Homemade Spice Mix

These Blackened Salmon filets are made with a homemade Cajun seasoning blend that creates a flavorful and slightly spicy crust, keeping the salmon moist and delicious.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Krissy Allori

Equipment

Ingredients

4 6-ounce salmon filets (skin on)
2 tablespoons butter melted
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon brown sugar packed
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
lemon slices for serving

Instructions

Combine all spice ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well to combine.
Pat salmon filets dry and brush flesh side with melted butter. Reserve any excess butter for later.
Spoon spices on top of butter-coated salmon. Gently pat down to create a nice crust.
Heat large heavy bottom pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (my induction burner was set to 8 out of 10). When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and any remaining butter.
Place the salmon filets, seasoning side down and skin side up, onto the oil-coated hot pan. Cook until a golden to dark brown crust forms on the bottom. Try not to move them around much but you can gently peek underneath to see when they are done.
When the filets are ready to flip, transfer them to a plate, skin side down. Then, use a rubber spatula to scrape as much of the seasoned butter to a small dish. This will be used to spoon over the salmon when it's served. Return the skillet to the heat.
Place the filets back in the hot pan, skin side down, and continue cooking until the internal temperature of each filet reaches 125°F.
The skin should stick to the pan and you can use a spatula to lift the filet off to serve. Spoon on additional melted butter from the pan, if desired, and a generous squeeze from a lemon.

Notes

Recipe Tips

Spice level - The amount of spice in this recipe was just hot enough that my son could eat it. If you are cooking for anyone who is sensitive to spicy foods, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper. Likewise, if you really like it hot, you can increase the cayenne. Just remember, a little goes a long way.
Trust your thermometer - Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the salmon filets as well as their starting temperature. Cooking salmon over a high temperature can easily overcook the fish if you deviate from the cooking process. Just be sure to flip the salmon as soon as the spice blend has formed a crust on the first side, and then remove it from the heat when the thermometer says it has reached the desired temperature.
Wild-caught salmon - Look for bright orange wild-caught salmon. Farmed salmon just won't taste as good. Costco sells individual vacuum-sealed portions that are the perfect size for this easy blackened salmon recipe.

Nutrition