Japanese Breakfast Salmon

Japanese Breakfast Salmon (塩鮭 - Shiozake)

Traditional Japanese breakfasts tend to involve many components, but none of them are complicated, and this Shiozake, or grilled salted salmon, is no exception. It was originally made by salting whole salmon to preserve it, but these days, most people opt to cure salmon filets in brine. This is not only faster, but it also gives more control over how salty you want the salmon to be. With the popularity of savory breakfasts on the rise, Japanese breakfast recipes are gaining interest, and salmon breakfast recipes are particularly appealing worldwide.

Why This Recipe Works

• Applying salt directly to the surface of the fish can make some areas saltier than others. Preparing a liquid brine ensures the salmon is evenly seasoned throughout.
• The brine also ensures the thin salmon fillets stay moist and tender.
• Adding mirin to the brine adds umami to the salmon thanks to its high concentration of naturally occurring glutamate. It also adds a barely perceptible sweetness that balances the salt without tasting overtly sweet.

Ingredients for Japanese Breakfast Salmon

• Salmon - Traditionally, salted salmon is made with a small species of salmon native to East Asia, but any kind of fresh salmon fillet can be used. You want the salmon sliced into fairly thin fillets so that it cooks through relatively quickly. The ideal thickness is about ¾ of an inch (2cm), and you don't want it to be any thicker than 1 inch (2.5cm).
• Salt - There's no need to use fancy salt here. Table salt or kosher salt will work fine, but I recommend measuring the salt by weight, as different types of salt can have vastly different volumes due to the shape and size of their crystals. This could result in your brine ending up either too salty or not salty enough.
• Water - traditionally, salted salmon was made by applying salt directly to the salmon pieces, but this can result in uneven salting, and the resulting fish tends to be much saltier. Dissolving the salt in water to make brine allows you to control the salinity of the fish while ensuring it's evenly seasoned.
• Mirin - Mirin does three things. First, the fermentation process creates a high concentration of amino acids, which adds the taste of umami to the salted salmon fillets. Mirin also conceals odors. Finally, it adds a balancing sweetness to the brine that prevents the salt from tasting too harsh.

How to Make Japanese Salted Salmon

To salt the salmon, you want to first make a brine by mixing the water, salt, and mirin until the salt is fully dissolved. I usually do this in a storage container so I can drop the fillets in, cover it, and store it in the fridge.

You want to let the fish brine for at least twelve hours to ensure it's uniformly seasoned, but don't let it go for longer than a day; otherwise, the proteins will start to denature and make the flesh mushy.

When the salted salmon is cured, remove it from the brine and pat it dry using paper towels. Then, you can grill it to make breakfast salmon. If you want to save it for later, just wrap it in plastic wrap and store it for a few days in the refrigerator or a few months in the freezer.

How to Cook Japanese Breakfast Salmon

Most Japanese kitchens have a small broiler under the stove to grill fish, but you can also grill the fish in a toaster oven (or a full-size oven) set to broil. Put the fish on an oiled rack and set the rack on a sheet pan.

The other option is to pan-fry the salted salmon. To do this, preheat a frying pan over medium heat and add a small splash of oil. Lay the salmon fillet skin-side down in the pan and let it fry until it's golden brown on the skin side and opaque about a third of the way up the side. Reduce the heat if it looks like it's browning too quickly.

Flip the fillet over with a spatula and fry the second side until cooked through. Depending on the shape of the salmon fillet, you may need to use the spatula to press it down in parts to ensure the whole surface of the fish is making good contact with the pan. It's done when it flakes easily and is opaque to the center. If you're using an instant-read thermometer, check that it reads an internal temperature of 140 degrees F (60 C).

How to Prepare Daikon Oroshi

Grated daikon or daikon oroshi (大根おろし) is a condiment that often accompanies grilled fish. It's made by grating daikon and then draining off excess water. It may sound simple, but there are a few essential things to know before you make it.

• Use the head-end of the daikon (the end towards the leaves). The top has a lower concentration of allyl isothiocyanate, the compound responsible for making radishes spicy. This will result in a milder flavor, and if you have good daikon, it may even be a little sweet.
• Grate the daikon just before you eat it. If you grate it too far in advance, the sulfur compounds in it can make it smell strong.
• It's best to peel it with a knife rather than a peeler. That's because a fibrous layer under the skin can make your oroshi gritty if you grate it in. Using a knife, you can remove the skin in a thicker layer to ensure you get all the fibrous bits.
• Drain the grated daikon, or it will be watery. The best way to do this is to put the grated daikon into a tea strainer and press it lightly. You don't want to overdo it and make it dry, but it also shouldn't weep liquid onto your plate when you serve it.

Serve the daikon oroshi with the Japanese breakfast salmon. If you like, you can drizzle some soy sauce or lemon juice over the daikon.

How to Make Japanese Breakfast

Traditional Japanese meals follow the format of Ichiju Sansai (一汁三菜), which literally means "one soup three sides." Japanese breakfasts are no different, and a full breakfast usually consists of plain rice, soup, protein, and a few side dishes. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Rice - Japanese eat short-grain rice, which has a higher amylopectin content than long-grain rice, making the grains stickier. Although there are some seasoned rice dishes in Japanese cuisine, the rice is almost always plain for breakfast. That's why dishes like this salted salmon tend to be salty as they are meant to season the rice as you eat them together. Instructions for cooking Japanese short-grain rice are here.
• Soup - Traditional Japanese meals are almost always accompanied by soup. Miso soup is the most common soup, but it can be made in nearly infinite varieties based on the vegetables you add to it and the type of miso you use. 
• Side Protein - Because Japan was an agrarian society until fairly recently, having enough protein for breakfast helped get farmers through the day. The protein can be cured fish like this recipe, eggs, or legumes. Here are some protein-rich side dish ideas to accompany your Japanese breakfast: Tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), Dashimaki Tamago (omelette with dashi), Vegan Tamagoyaki, Teriyaki Eggs, Miso salmon, Miso cod.
• Side Veggies - The most common way to serve vegetables as a side dish for breakfast is with pickles. However, many seasoned vegetable dishes, such as Kinpira Gobo (burdock), Spinach Ohitashi, or Sesame Spinach, can also fill this role.

For an elegant take-along idea, try packing your items into a beautiful box like I did in this Japanese Breakfast Bento. Whether you're going on an early morning walk or just back to bed, the presentation is sure be appreciated!

FAQ

📖 Recipe

Japanese Breakfast Salmon (塩鮭)

By: Marc Matsumoto

5 from 11 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Yield 2 servings

Units

Grams + US CupsUS Standard

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 12 grams table salt (mounding ½ tablespoon table salt)
• 200 grams salmon (sliced into 2 thin filets)
• 200 grams daikon (3-4 inch piece)

Instructions

Step PhotosNo Photos

• Add the 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons mirin, and 12 grams table salt to a container with a lid and stir until the salt is completely dissolved.
  
• Place the 200 grams salmon in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 or 24 hours.
  
• When you're ready to prepare the salmon, remove it from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels.
  
• You can grill the salmon in a toaster oven or broiler set to broil until it flakes easily, or you can pan-fry it.
  
• If you are cooking the salted salmon on the stove, heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a small amount of oil. Place the salmon skin-side down and let it fry undisturbed until you can see the salmon turn opaque about ⅓ of the way up the side.
  
• Carefully flip the salmon over and cook on the second side until it's cooked through. You can test it with an instant-read thermometer (it should read 140 F), or you can flake it with a fork (it should flake easily and be opaque all the way through).
  
• While the salmon is cooking, peel and grate the 200 grams daikon. Drain the pulp in a strainer to remove excess water, and then plate the grated daikon with the salted salmon.
  

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Nutrition Facts

Calories • 185kcalCarbohydrates • 11gProtein • 20gFat • 6gSaturated Fat • 1gPolyunsaturated Fat • 3gMonounsaturated Fat • 2gCholesterol • 55mgSodium • 207mgPotassium • 717mgFiber • 2gSugar • 7gVitamin A • 40IUVitamin C • 22mgCalcium • 46mgIron • 1mg