Salmon Belly Candy

3 fillets of cookied salmon bellies on a parchment lined gold baking sheet

The most prized part of the salmon is the belly! Usually made in a smoker, you can make this salmon belly candy in your home oven or the air fryer and you’ll still get that sticky-sweet glaze with crispy edges.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose

Keyword baked salmon recipe

Cook Time 20

Marination Time 1

Servings

Calories 293kcal

Author Agile Test Kitchen

Equipment

1 baking pan large enough for the salmon bellies
1 container or ziploc bag to marinate the salmon bellies

Ingredients

2 lb salmon bellies skin on or off

Marinade

½ c brown sugar or maple syrup
¼ c soy sauce
2 Tb hot water or room temperature water. The hot water just helps dissolve the sugar.
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ginger powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon liquid smoke optional

Instructions

Pat the salmon bellies dry. Place into a non reactive container to marinate, such as a glass dish with a cover or gallon sized ziploc bag.
Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Pour over the salmon bellies and marinate at least 2 hours and up to 5 days. (See Note 1) Flip the bellies half way through so they marinate evenly, since the marinade will sink to the botton of the container.
When you're ready to cook the salmon, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. (See Note 2 for air fryer instructions.)
Remove the salmon from the marinade. Place on an oiled or parchment lined baking sheet.
Roast for 15-20 minutes until the salmon is golden brown and cooked through,. It should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the belly.
Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature. Store leftovers for up to a week in the fridge.

Notes

The longer the salmon bellies marinate, the more liquid starts to leach out of them. This will result in a little drier, more jerky like texture. Ideally, the salmon marinates for at least 1 day, but I find 3 days is best.
For the air fryer, cook at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Check on them towards the end to ensure they are not burning. No preheating necessary, Use an air fryer silicone or paper liner for easier cleanup.
Dried ginger and garlic powder are used in this recipe, so the little bits don't burn in the oven. You can use fresh minced garlic and ginger if you prefer.
The sauce can really make a burned black mess on the baking pan. I used a nonstick baking pan for easier cleanup. Even using a silicone or parchment liner, the liquid still leeched underneath the liner. This was not an issue using a air fryer liber that has sides.
Variations - Add chili oil, cayenne pepper (spiciness), smoked paprika (savoriness), and/or toasted sesame oil (nuttiness) to the marinade for additional flavor notes.

Nutrition