By: Becky Hardin
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This Brown Sugar Salmon recipe is so simple yet so delicious! Start with a marinade made with brown sugar, soy sauce, and bourbon to add lots of flavor. After marinating, glazing, and baking, you’ll have the perfect bourbon-glazed salmon that everyone is sure to love!
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Brown Sugar Salmon Recipe
The star of this delicious brown sugar salmon recipe is the salmon marinade with brown sugar, bourbon, and soy sauce. The flavor is plenty sweet but balanced out by the salty soy sauce and smooth bourbon.
Variations on Bourbon Glazed Salmon
There are a number of ways to customize this salmon recipe to suit your individual tastes. Not a brown sugar fan? Swap it for honey or maple syrup! You can also use all soy sauce or all Worcestershire sauce depending on what you have in your pantry. Instead of pecans, try walnuts!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover brown sugar salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze brown sugar glazed salmon in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this bourbon glazed salmon with basmati rice or chantilly potatoes and brown sugar glazed carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts, or bourbon green beans with bacon!
How long should I let salmon marinate?
Ideally, you’ll want to let this salmon marinate for 3 hours. However, if you’re short on time, as little as 30 minutes will be sufficient!
Is it better to marinate salmon in the fridge or on the counter?
Always marinate salmon in the refrigerator! It is dangerous to marinate it at room temperature, as it could allow bacteria to grow on the salmon.
Should you soak salmon in salt water before cooking?
Nope! There’s no need to soak this salmon before cooking, especially since we are marinating it!
What temperature should you bake salmon?
This salmon gets baked at 400°F!
More Baked Salmon Recipes To Try
- Baked Salmon and Asparagus
- Parmesan Crusted Salmon
- Lemon Butter Salmon
- Maple Glazed Salmon
- Pesto Salmon
- Honey Mustard Salmon
- Miso Salmon
- Caprese Stuffed Salmon
- Sheet Pan Lemon Salmon
5-Star Review
“We eat salmon frequently and I needed a change from my usual recipes and I’m so glad I tried this one- it was amazing! I never would have thought to use the pecans as a topping. A new go to for my family for sure!” – Melissa Rankin
Recipe
Brown Sugar Salmon Recipe
4.52 from 202 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 20 minutes minutes
Total: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Serves4
Print Rate
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This brown sugar salmon is so flavorful, so sweet, so crunchy…it's just plain delicious! Serve it along with veggies, salad, rice, or another favorite side dish.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
- ½ cup chopped pecans toasted
- 2 pounds salmon filets
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
For the Marinade
Combine all ingredients except the pecans and salmon in a bowl.
½ cup brown sugar, 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons bourbon
Place half of the marinade and the salmon in a Ziplock bag. Squeeze out the air and zip the bag tightly.
2 pounds salmon filets
Set aside the other half of the marinade to use as a glaze.
Marinate the Salmon for 1-3 hours. Flip the bag every ½ hour or so to marinate evenly.
For the Glaze
Place the remaining half of the marinade in a small saucepan on the stove.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer until the mixture thickens and reduces a little.
While the glaze is simmering, preheat the oven to 400°F.
For the Pecan Topping
Place the chopped pecans on a flat baking sheet which has been covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
½ cup chopped pecans
Toast the pecan for 3-5 minutes, until they darken a little and they start to smell sooo good. Watch closely – the nuts can burn quickly!
For the Salmon
Cover a baking dish or pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil-covered pan with nonstick spray.
Take the salmon out of the marinade and discard the marinade.
Place the Salmon (skin-side down) on the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the salmon with the toasted pecans pressing the pecans firmly into the salmon.
Brush or spoon ⅓ of the glaze onto the salmon.
Place the salmon in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily. Re-glaze the salmon with the glaze every 8-10 minutes (about 3 times).
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- I recommend wild-caught Alaskan salmon for the best taste. Make sure to remove any bones!
- The easiest way to see if your salmon has finished cooking is to gently press down on the top of the fillet with a fork or your finger. If the flesh of the salmon flakes, it’s finished cooking.
- The proper internal temperature of cooked salmon is 145°F.
Storage:Store brown sugar salmon in an airtight container or Ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 0.5pound Calories: 578kcal (29%) Carbohydrates: 33g (11%) Protein: 52g (104%) Fat: 24g (37%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g Monounsaturated Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 125mg (42%) Sodium: 2442mg (106%) Potassium: 1459mg (42%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 28g (31%) Vitamin A: 102IU (2%) Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 84mg (8%) Iron: 3mg (17%)
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How to Make Brown Sugar Salmon Step by Step
Make the Marinade: Combine ½ cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of bourbon in a bowl.
Marinate the Salmon: Place half of the marinade and 2 pounds of salmon filets in a Ziplock bag. Squeeze out the air and zip the bag tightly. Set aside the other half of the marinade to use as a glaze. Marinate the Salmon for 1-3 hours. Flip the bag every ½ hour or so to marinate evenly.
Simmer the Glaze: Place the remaining half of the marinade in a small saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer until the mixture thickens and reduces a little.
Preheat the Oven: While the glaze is simmering, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place ½ cup of chopped pecans on a flat baking sheet which has been covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Toast the Pecans: Toast the pecans for 3-5 minutes, until they darken a little and they start to smell sooo good. Watch closely – the nuts can burn quickly!
Prepare the Baking Pan: Cover a baking dish or pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil-covered pan with nonstick spray
.
Discard the Marinade: Take the salmon out of the marinade and discard the marinade.
Top the Salmon: Place the Salmon (skin-side down) on the prepared pan. Sprinkle the salmon with the toasted pecans pressing the pecans firmly into the salmon.
Add the Glaze: Brush or spoon ⅓ of the glaze onto the salmon.
Cook the Salmon: Place the salmon in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily. Re-glaze the salmon with the glaze every 8-10 minutes (about 3 times).
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