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Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

June 7, 2021

Bourbon Glazed Salmon

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A fillet of bourbon salmon on a blue plate with quinoa salad this Recipe
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A tender salmon with a spicy-sweet glaze, this Bourbon Glazed Salmon is flavorful and ready in under 25 minutes!

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This recipe was originally published on February 20, 2020. It was updated on June 7, 2021.


Article summary:

Dinner doesn't have to be complicated in order to be delicious and this Bourbon Glazed Salmon Recipe shows just that! This recipe is ready in under 25 minutes and makes a great weeknight dinner but it still special enough for a dinner party or Sunday family dinner. In this post, I share the recipe, recipe pro-tips, serving suggestions, and more.

To skip straight to the recipe, just click "jump to recipe" at the top left of this post. To browse the different sections of this post, just click the headings in the table of contents below.

Table of contents

  • What does bourbon salmon taste like?
  • Ingredients:
  • Substitutions:
  • How to make bourbon salmon:
  • Bourbon salmon recipe pro-tips:
  • Bourbon glazed salmon FAQs:
  • What to serve with bourbon glazed salmon:
  • Dietary preferences:
  • Storage directions:
  • Tools needed to make this recipe:
  • Other seafood and quick dinner recipes:
An overhead shot of a pan of bourbon salmon next to a small dish of the salmon

Please note: this recipe is not a sponsored post. It does contain affiliate links, where this reader-supported publication makes a small profit at no expense to you. See my disclosure policy for details. Thank you so much for supporting my small business!

My friends, Andi & Zach, at A to Z Running recently asked me to share one of my favorite running foods for their upcoming blog post about the best foods for running. Check out this post to see which food I shared, but in the wake of that post I decided to share my other favorite running food: salmon!

Now, it's worth sharing that I'm not a dietitian -- I just simply love salmon, it's flavor, and how energized I feel when I eat it.

It turns out that good feeling is for a reason, however: nutritional sources share that it's a very nutritious and healthy food, too!

A pin for Bourbon glazed salmon with an up-close picture of the salmon on a dinner plate

Thankfully this fish is super easy-to-make. 6-ounce salmon fillets bake up in under 20 minutes and shine even with minimal seasonings.

If we can add big flavor with minimal fuss, we shall, though! We quickly mix up and simmer a combination of brown sugar, spices, lemon juice, and bourbon to create a saucy sweet and spicy sauce that makes even salmon that much better.

What results is a tender and juicy salmon that's perfect on everything from a rice bowl to a dinner plate. It's just calling for you to make it. Run, don't walk, to the kitchen to bake it for dinner tonight!

A baking sheet pan of bourbon glazed salmon

What does bourbon salmon taste like?

This salmon is tender and flaky with a sweet and lightly spicy bourbon-accented glaze. The glaze just has a touch of bourbon flavor in it; it doesn't taste boozy or strongly of alcohol.

Furthermore, the bourbon also cooks off in the glaze, meaning so alcohol remains in the final recipe.

Ingredients:

  • Salmon fillets - with or without skin are just fine. I love ordering my salmon from Rastelli's!
  • Light brown sugar
  • Chili powder
  • Smoked paprika
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Cornstarch
  • Bourbon whiskey - Maker's Mark and Old Elk are two of my favorite bourbons
  • Lemon juice - fresh or bottled both work!
All of the ingredients for bourbon glazed salmon: salmon, spices, lemon juice, bourbon, brown sugar, and cornstarch

Substitutions:

  • Maple syrup - maple syrup can work in place of the packed brown sugar. The glaze will be a bit more syrupy but the flavor will still be delicious.
  • Bourbon - to make this recipe alcohol-free, substitute an extra tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water for the bourbon.
  • Spices - an additional ¼ teaspoon chili powder can work in place of the smoked paprika, though the paprika it does add a delicious smoky finish to this recipe if you have it

How to make bourbon salmon:

  1. Preheat the oven and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk the bourbon glaze ingredients together until combined in a small microwave-safe mixing bowl or cup.
  3. Microwave the glaze on 75% heat in the microwave for 45 second intervals, stirring between intervals, or until the sauce is thickened.
  4. Place the salmon on the baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes.
  5. Brush the salmon with the bourbon glaze. Bake for 6 more minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Serve hot!
A small mixing bowl of brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, and spices
Squeezing lemon over the small bowl of brown sugar and spices
Whisking together the bourbon glaze
Drizzling brown sugar bourbon glaze over the salmon

Bourbon salmon recipe pro-tips:

  • Use uniform size pieces of salmon - this helps the fish cook evenly and quickly. To get uniform pieces of fish you can ask your butcher (or fish mounger) to cut the fish into equal 5-6 oz. fillets, you can purchase pre-cut or frozen fillets, or you can cut them yourself.
  • Preheat the oven - an evenly hot oven also helps the salmon cook evenly. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before roasting the salmon in it.
  • Use fresh salmon - this keeps the salmon fresh and non-fishy smelling. If you are using fresh salmon, buy salmon with a great expiration date or that doesn't smell fishy. If you are using frozen salmon, use it within 12 hours of defrosting.
Rastelli's Faroe island salmon fillets
A side shot of bourbon salmon on a plate

Bourbon glazed salmon FAQs:

How do you know when salmon is done?

You know that the salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork or reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do you need salmon with skin or de-skinned salmon for this recipe?

Both skin-on and de-skinned salmon work for this recipe. The cooking time will be the same and the skin won't affect the flavor. Choose either based on your preferences or by what's available where you shop (Rastelli's sells de-skinned salmon).

Can you eat salmon skin?

Yes, you can eat salmon skin. If you prefer not to eat it, it is also safe to feed to your dog. Just wipe or thoroughly rinse off the bourbon glaze before doing so.

How else can you use the bourbon glaze?

This bourbon glaze would also be delicious brushed over grilled shrimp, pork chops, or chicken thighs. Just add it on at the end of the grilling time so the sauce doesn't burn.

How do you defrost salmon?

As I mentioned above, I love using frozen salmon for this recipe. To defrost it before making this recipe, place the packaged salmon in a bowl of lukewarm water for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours until thawed.

Salmon fillets spread with bourbon glaze before baking

What to serve with bourbon glazed salmon:

This salmon is such a versatile main dish recipe. It serves well with a variety of side dishes, like:

  • Steamed rice
  • Quinoa salad
  • Air fryer brussels sprouts
  • Stir-fried veggies
  • Blistered green beans
  • Baked sweet potatoes

Dietary preferences:

  • Gluten-free: this recipe is naturally gluten-free
  • Processed sugar-free: to make this recipe sugar-free, substitute maple syrup for the brown sugar
  • Keto: easily make this recipe low carb and keto by using a brown sugar substitute (like Swerve) in the place of the brown sugar

Storage directions:

Leftover salmon keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. The earlier you can consume it the better, however, as this will keep the fish fresh and from getting stinky.

A pinterest pin for bourbon glazed salmon with an up-close side shot of a fillet of salmon with bourbon glaze

Tools needed to make this recipe:

  • Cookie baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Cooling rack

Other seafood and quick dinner recipes:

  • Air Fryer Salmon Bites
  • Spicy Brown Sugar Salmon with Mango Salsa
  • Air Fryer Salmon
  • Sweet & Sour Shrimp Stir-Fry
  • Turkey Sloppy Joes
  • Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
  • Healthy Orange Chicken
  • Crispy Herbed Panko Chicken

If you make and like this recipe, please review and rate it 5 Stars at the top of the recipe card. This helps other people to find the recipes and helps this reader-supported publication, too!

Thank you so much for your feedback and support of Mae's Menu!

A fillet of bourbon salmon on a blue plate with quinoa salad

Spicy Bourbon Glazed Salmon

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Chelsea | Mae's Menu 2023

A tender salmon with a spicy-sweet glaze, this Bourbon Glazed Salmon is ultra-flavorful and ready in under 25 minutes!

Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to your taste. ⅛ teaspoon gives the salmon a kick without too much heat; ¼ teaspoon adds a bit of heat.
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Seafood
Cuisine American
Servings 4 salmon fillets
Calories 353 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¼ pound salmon cut into four 5-6 oz. fillets
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¾ teaspoon chili powder
  • ⅛-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper depending on your preference
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
  • 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • Additional lemon slices to serve

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Space the salmon fillets at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
  • In a small microwave-safe mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt, cornstarch, chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, bourbon, and lemon juice together until combined.
  • Heat the brown sugar mixture in the microwave on 75% heat at 45-second intervals, stirring between intervals, or until the glaze thickens up.
  • Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for 6 minutes.
  • Brush the glaze evenly over the salmon fillets. Bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork or reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Serve the salmon hot drizzled with pan juices and glaze and lemon slices to garnish (if desired).

Notes

  1. Aluminum foil sprayed with non-stick spray can substitute for the parchment paper.
  2. Salmon leftovers will last covered in the fridge for 1-2 days, but are best consumed fresh.
  3. To make this recipe processed sugar-free, substitute maple syrup for the packed brown sugar.

Nutrition

Serving: 1salmon fillet with ¼ bourbon glazeCalories: 353kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 31gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 370mgSugar: 11g
Keyword bourbon glaze for salmon, bourbon glazed salmon, bourbon salmon, bourbon salmon recipe
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MEET CHELSEA MAE PLUMMER

Hi!  Join me in making quick and healthy recipes for active families!  Many of my recipes can be made gluten-free or lactose-free because life with food allergies doesn't have to lack flavor!
A bit about me: I'm a self-taught home cook of 20+ years, food lover, runner, and dog lover!

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A pinterest pin for spicy bourbon glazed salmon. A fillet of salmon sits on top of couscous
A pinterest pin for spicy bourbon glazed salmon. A tray of salmon sits in the background.