To know if salmon is cooked properly, you can use several reliable methods involving appearance, texture, and temperature:

Visual and Texture Indicators

• Color: Cooked salmon turns from translucent to opaque. The flesh should be pink or orange depending on the species, and no longer raw-looking or translucent. If it looks white, it might be overcooked

• Flakiness: Gently press the salmon with a fork or your finger at the thickest part. If the flesh flakes apart easily and separates into layers, it is done. If it resists or is mushy, it needs more cooking or is overcooked, respectively

• Firmness: The salmon should feel firm but still slightly springy and moist when pressed. If it feels hard or resists, it needs more cooking; if dry or crumbly, it’s overcooked

• Juices: When poked with a fork or cake tester, some translucent pink juice may ooze out if cooked properly

• Albumin: During cooking, a white protein called albumin may appear on the surface, indicating the salmon is nearly done

Temperature Check

• Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the salmon.
• The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for fully cooked salmon, though medium doneness is often at 120-130°F (49-54°C) for a moister texture

• If you don’t have a thermometer, you can poke the salmon with a metal tool (knife or cake tester) and touch it to your bottom lip; if it feels hot, the salmon is done

Summary of Practical Tests

• Fork test: Salmon flakes easily and is opaque.
• Color test: Flesh is opaque pink, not translucent.
• Touch test: Firm but springy texture.
• Temperature test: 125-145°F depending on desired doneness.

Combining these methods ensures salmon is cooked safely and deliciously without overcooking or undercooking