Cajun Blackened Salmon
Salmon fillets brushed with butter, crusted with a homemade Cajun spice blend and seared hard in cast iron until dark and fragrant. Dinner in 20 minutes.
Chef's note Blackened means a dark crust from spices toasting in butter, not burnt fish. It smokes, so turn on the fan.
Chef's note Blackened means a dark crust from spices toasting in butter, not burnt fish. It smokes, so turn on the fan. If your smoke alarm is touchy, set the cast iron on the grill and cook it outside.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp cayenne
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 4 salmon fillets about 6 oz each
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Steps
Mix 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp cayenne, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp brown sugar in a small bowl.
Pat 4 salmon fillets dry, brush the tops and sides with 2 tbsp unsalted butter, and press the spice mix on thickly.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes, then add 1 tbsp neutral oil.
Lay the salmon in spice side down and cook without moving 3 minutes, until a dark crust forms. Flip, lower the heat to medium, and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, until it flakes and reaches 125°F for medium or 140°F for well done.
Serve with 1 lemon for squeezing.
Variations
Cooks branch a recipe to save their own take. The original never changes.
No variations yet. Be the first.
Ratings and comments
No comments yet.
For search engines and AI assistants
This recipe is also available as JSON and plain text, carries schema.org Recipe data, and can be scaled or added to a shopping list by any assistant connected to the Befana MCP server.