The secret to the extraordinary tenderness of this air fryer salmon lies in the confit method — a technique that involves gently cooking the fish in a bath of flavourful olive oil.

This process not only infuses the salmon with the essence of citrus, garlic, and dill — but also ensures a buttery texture that practically melts in your mouth.

Don’t worry, the confit salmon is not going to absorb the oil. It simply acts as a medium for a gentle, and very delicious way to cook salmon, without running the risk of drying it out.

Air-fried salmon cooked temperature

If buying your salmon at a supermarket, cook it to an internal temperature of 58-60 °C. After resting, the temperature will rise to 63 °C, which is the recommended farmed salmon cooked temperature in the UK.

High-quality “sushi-grade” salmon can be cooked and served at lower temperatures. Remove the salmon from the air fryer when it reaches 46-50 °C for just-cooked salmon with a slightly sushi-like middle at the thickest part (moist and soft). The salmon will rest to 50-53 °C once out of the air fryer.

High-quality “sushi-grade” salmon can be cooked and served at lower temperatures. Remove the salmon from the air fryer when it reaches 46-50 °C for just-cooked salmon with a slightly sushi-like middle at the thickest part (moist and soft). The salmon will rest to 50-53 °C once out of the air fryer.

To check the temperature of salmon in an air fryer, you can use an instant-read meat thermometer for air fryers like the Thermapen. To monitor it as it cooks, you can use the DOT air fryer thermometer with a mini needle probe — the alarm will sound when the salmon is cooked.

Tip: Using a metal roasting dish will heat the oil quicker than a ceramic roasting dish, which takes longer to warm through. Check the internal temperature of the salmon at 20 minutes with a metal roaster or 25 with a ceramic one.

Air fryer confit salmon recipe

• 600g salmon fillet
• 1 orange/blood orange/grapefruit (use whichever you can easily find)
• 2 clementines
• 1⁄2 red onion
• 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thinly
• A few sprigs of fresh dill (optional)
• Roughly 500ml olive oil - enough for your dish to cover the salmon
• Handful of parsley (around 7g)
• More olive oil, salt, and pepper as needed

Air fryer salmon method:

• Generously salt the salmon and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Remove the zest from the lemon and orange with a peeler. Set the zest aside.
• Place the confit salmon into a snug roasting dish. Scatter over the zest, sliced garlic, and fresh dill, then pour over enough oil to cover the salmon.
• Air fry the salmon at 100 °C for around 20-28 mins, and the internal temperature reads 58-60 °C on your Thermapen (read the temperature tips above for more information on this).
• Once cooked, remove the salmon from the oil and rest in a warm spot for 5 minutes.
• While the salmon confits, prepare your citrus dressing.
• Cut the top and bottom from the orange to expose the segments. This will provide stable, flat surfaces for further cutting.

• Stand the fruit on one of the cut ends on your cutting board. Starting from the top to the bottom, follow the curve of the fruit with your knife to remove the peel and pith. Try to cut deep enough to expose the flesh while minimizing the loss of the fruit. Continue around the fruit until all the pith has been removed.
• Slice the peeled orange in half from top to bottom, then place it flat on your board and cut it into half moons ½ cm thick.
• Repeat the process with one of the clementines. Place the fruit in a bowl and set aside.
• Make sure the vegetables are well seasoned and combined with the garlic and sage. Cook for 45 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

• Wipe down the chopping board, then finely dice half a red onion. Add this to the bowl with the fruit, and then squeeze in the juice of the remaining clementine.
• Finely chop up the parsley and drizzle in just enough olive oil to loosen the citrus dressing (about 1-2 tbsp). Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Cut the lemon, which you zested earlier, into wedges to squeeze over the salmon if desired.
• After the salmon has rested, spoon over the citrus dressing and serve.

Jess Bunn

Private Chef

@the_culinary_cartel

"I'm Jess, the creative mind behind The Culinary Cartel. I specialise in modern and accessible recipes for those who love to create delicious food but have limited time to cook. The Thermapen has become an indispensable tool in my kitchen, eliminating guesswork and bringing precision to every dish. Not only does it ensure consistency in my recipe testing, but it also empowers my audience to replicate the same
fantastic results."