Bourbon & Sweet Maple Glazed Salmon Recipe

Every so often, I taste something that makes me stop and think. “What in the world did I just eat? Where has this been all my life? Why can’t I come up with combinations like this?” I have to tell you, I made a glazed salmon dinner a few nights ago that I couldn’t believe. It had such a unique and wonderful taste that I was floored. I mean, lick the plate floored. I have never experienced bourbon taste so good in my life.

The Recipe

This may just be the best pan fried salmon you will ever eat. The salmon is marinaded in a combination of bourbon, cayenne pepper, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, orange juice and pure maple syrup. Then, after the salmon has been cooked up, the marinade is simmered down into a glaze that’s added to the dish later on. The glaze is so good, it’s unbelievable. It’s sweet, yet salty and the bourbon shines through like it’s a lighthouse. It’s a mild flavoring that truly adds to the entire profile. It’s out of this world. Trust me.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

4 6-Ounce Salmon Fillets, Skin-On
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
5 Tablespoons Bourbon
1/4 Cup Soy Souce
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Ground Black Pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank Half Baked Harvest for this recipe. This one comes from a three-part dinner, from which I already enjoyed the cranberry chutney. This recipe is just as good as that one, if not better. I’m looking forward to more like this from this website.

Prepare the Marinade

In a medium sized bowl, combine the maple syrup, bourbon, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, orange juice and cayenne pepper.

Marinade the Salmon

Place the salmon fillets in a casserole and add the marinade to it.

Sprinkle a few pinches of salt and pepper over the salmon. Leave the salmon in the marinade for 15 minutes.

Cook the Salmon

Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is to temperature, add two tablespoons of olive oil to it. Then, place each fillet in the pan, skin side up. Cook for about three minutes. After that, carefully flip each fillet over so they are skin side down. You should see a nice sear on the tops of the salmon. Much of that is caused by the sugars in the marinade.

Continue cooking the salmon for another 4-5 minutes. You can peek inside a piece with a fork to see if it’s done. The center should be light pink. When it is, remove the fillets from the pan and place them in another casserole.

Reduce the Marinade

Add the marinade to the same skillet the salmon was just in and bring it to a boil. When it begins to foam, reduce the heat to low and reduce the liquid by half. The glaze should thicken up. This should take a few minutes. When it’s finished, pour the glaze over the salmon in the casserole dish.

Plate & Serve

Divide the salmon pieces between plates and enjoy. Be sure to use a spoon to scoop up all that wonderful glaze and drizzle it right over the pieces of fish.

The Final Bourbon Glazed Salmon Dish

Again, this was out of this world. It has become my go-to salmon dish for holidays and for when we have guests. It’s just too delicious to not eat. Anyway, if you give this recipe a try, please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!