"It's An Extremely Effective Way Of Cooking": David Chang's Unusual Method For The Fastest, Flaky Salmon Is An Understated Genius And I Can't Wait To Eat It Weekly

Recently, celebrity chef and founder of Momofuku, David Chang, shared an easy weeknight salmon recipe with his TikTok followers. For the most part, it seemed pretty straightforward — it’s hard to fault a hunk of flaky salmon doused in a savory-sweet sauce. But the one detail that shocked people was how Chang prepared it: in his microwave.
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Recently, celebrity chef and founder of Momofuku, David Chang, shared an easy weeknight salmon recipe with his TikTok followers. For the most part, it seemed pretty straightforward — it’s hard to fault a hunk of flaky salmon doused in a savory-sweet sauce. But the one detail that shocked people was how Chang prepared it: in his microwave.
In the video’s caption, Chang calls the “Chef Mike” (aka microwave) method a “delicious way of cooking,” adding that it’s especially helpful when you’re pressed for time. “I have very little time to put dinner on the table for my kids,” he adds, so microwaved salmon seems to be a must-have at his house whenever he needs a satisfying five-minute meal.
Frankly, given David Chang’s preeminent position in the food world, there weren’t many commenters who were against it. Some people were concerned about the potential smell when a piece of raw fish was microwaved, but Chang himself confirmed there was “no smell.”
Others saw his space-age microwave — I mean, that thing opens automatically, folks — and assumed the cooking method would only work with his fancy microwave. But he was also able to suppress these worries.
Most people were just happy to see a well-known chef like Chang sharing a time-conscious and simple recipe like this. Recipes for real, busy people! What a concept.
And personally I was quite shocked to see a real chef promoting the microwave method after writing about (and trying!) Stephen King’s microwave salmon recipe earlier this year – which the internet absolutely ripped him up for.
While King’s “recipe” didn’t exactly sell the method as well as Chang, I was still totally obsessed when I tried it myself… and TBH, I’ve done it several times since. So I was really curious to compare Chang’s slightly different recipe and preparation to that of the King of Horror.
First I got the ingredients. The only ingredients you need, per Chang’s instructions, are a salmon fillet, some soy sauce (or tamari), seasoned salt, and agave nectar.
STEP 1: I placed the salmon in a microwave safe glass storage container. This is where Chang’s recipe really differs from King’s — the latter calls for the salmon to be placed on a plate and wrapped in a damp paper towel, so I was curious to see what effect this method would have on the texture. ..and smell.
In the original video, David Chang actually uses a microwaveable cooking utensil from the Anyday brand, which he often works with. If you have to spend more than $40 on microwave cookware, go for it! That means I don’t very much! So I used a regular glass storage jar with a lid, hoping to achieve similarly delicious results.
STEP #2: Next, I poured about 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon agave nectar over the salmon.
Chang used his hands to smooth the soy sauce mixture around the salmon, making sure it was evenly coated; I used a silicone brush. The choice is yours for your salmon. you make yourself
STEP #3: I sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt evenly over the entire piece of fish.
STEP #4: I nervously microwaved this baby after loosely (loosely!) covering the container with a lid.
Chang states that you’ll have a medium-rare salmon in three and a half minutes, while five minutes will get you a little closer to a well-done dish. Hoping for something wet but not quite medium-rare, I settled on four minutes.
STEP #5: When the four minutes were up, I opened my microwave door to find a perfectly pink piece of fish and a thick, bubbling sauce. Even better: the smell of fish was hardly discernible.
Unlike king salmon, which was simply seasoned with lemon wedges and olive oil, I found that the soy sauce actually gave the microwaved fish a really nice, savory smell. For example, I enjoyed the smell of my microwave, if I’m being completely honest.
I let the salmon rest for exactly one minute according to the instructions. Then, to test for doneness, I used an instant-read thermometer to take the temperature. As if by magic, it registered a perfect medium for salmon: 135ºF.
Dipping in with a fork to see how things turned out in terms of texture, I was pleased to see that it was just as tender as King’s recipe — if not more so. I was also really impressed with how evenly the whole piece of fish was cooked. There were no cold spots in the middle and the edges weren’t overdone at all either. Just wet, flaky salmon.
But aside from the texture, I’m happy to report that the taste…
Without any marinating whatsoever, I was genuinely shocked at how much flavor was imparted by the mixture of soy sauce, agave and seasoned salt, especially when compared to Stephen King’s version which was objectively on the mild side. TBH, it’s an excellent reminder that sometimes you don’t need to pour an entire jar of spice mix over your food to make it taste good. The simple, sweet and savory contrast of soy sauce and agave made the whole thing irresistible, and honestly, I’d never know it was made in the microwave unless you told me.
For a more complete dinner, as David Chang suggested, I flaked the fish over some steamed white rice and topped with thinly sliced scallions and furikake rice seasoning. It was by far the best meal I’ve eaten all week, and it’s certainly the fastest I’ve made…all year?!
THE VERDICT: You have to try this recipe. Aside from being ridiculously easy, it’s also ridiculously delicious. With no side dishes, the whole thing came together in just over five minutes, with no waiting for appliances or cookware to preheat. Best of all, there’s hardly any cleanup. The next time you need a five-minute dinner or want to make the meal you’re preparing as effortless as possible, it’s David Chang’s Salmon.
If you try this method, let me know what you think. And if you have other cooking methods (or recipes) that are more or less unconventional but definitely worth trying, I want to hear about them! Write them in the comments below. 👇
Delicious

In the video’s caption, Chang calls the “Chef Mike” (aka microwave) method a “delicious way of cooking,” adding that it’s especially helpful when you’re pressed for time. “I have very little time to put dinner on the table for my kids,” he adds, so microwaved salmon seems to be a must-have at his house whenever he needs a satisfying five-minute meal.

Frankly, given David Chang’s preeminent position in the food world, there weren’t many commenters who were against it. Some people were concerned about the potential smell when a piece of raw fish was microwaved, but Chang himself confirmed there was “no smell.”

Others saw his space-age microwave — I mean, that thing opens automatically, folks — and assumed the cooking method would only work with his fancy microwave. But he was also able to suppress these worries.

Most people were just happy to see a well-known chef like Chang sharing a time-conscious and simple recipe like this. Recipes for real, busy people! What a concept.

And personally I was quite shocked to see a real chef promoting the microwave method after writing about (and trying!) Stephen King’s microwave salmon recipe earlier this year – which the internet absolutely ripped him up for.

Dinner: Get a nice salmon fillet from the supermarket, not too big. Put some olive oil and lemon juice on it. Wrap it in damp paper towels. Nuke it in the microwave for about 3 minutes. EAT it. Maybe a salad to go with it.
2:10 am – April 20, 2022

Twitter: @StephenKing

Trying two *separate* microwave salmon recipes certainly wasn’t on my bingo card for 2022, but here we are.

While King’s “recipe” didn’t exactly sell the method as well as Chang, I was still totally obsessed when I tried it myself… and TBH, I’ve done it several times since. So I was really curious to compare Chang’s slightly different recipe and preparation to that of the King of Horror.

First I got the ingredients. The only ingredients you need, per Chang’s instructions, are a salmon fillet, some soy sauce (or tamari), seasoned salt, and agave nectar.

STEP 1: I placed the salmon in a microwave safe glass storage container. This is where Chang’s recipe really differs from King’s — the latter calls for the salmon to be placed on a plate and wrapped in a damp paper towel, so I was curious to see what effect this method would have on the texture. ..and smell.

In the original video, David Chang actually uses a microwaveable cooking utensil from the Anyday brand, which he often works with. If you have to spend more than $40 on microwave cookware, go for it! That means I don’t very much! So I used a regular glass storage jar with a lid, hoping to achieve similarly delicious results.

STEP #2: Next, I poured about 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon agave nectar over the salmon.

Chang used his hands to smooth the soy sauce mixture around the salmon, making sure it was evenly coated; I used a silicone brush. The choice is yours for your salmon. you make yourself

STEP #3: I sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt evenly over the entire piece of fish.

STEP #4: I nervously microwaved this baby after loosely (loosely!) covering the container with a lid.

Chang states that you’ll have a medium-rare salmon in three and a half minutes, while five minutes will get you a little closer to a well-done dish. Hoping for something wet but not quite medium-rare, I settled on four minutes.

STEP #5: When the four minutes were up, I opened my microwave door to find a perfectly pink piece of fish and a thick, bubbling sauce. Even better: the smell of fish was hardly discernible.

Unlike king salmon, which was simply seasoned with lemon wedges and olive oil, I found that the soy sauce actually gave the microwaved fish a really nice, savory smell. For example, I enjoyed the smell of my microwave, if I’m being completely honest.

I let the salmon rest for exactly one minute according to the instructions. Then, to test for doneness, I used an instant-read thermometer to take the temperature. As if by magic, it registered a perfect medium for salmon: 135ºF.

Dipping in with a fork to see how things turned out in terms of texture, I was pleased to see that it was just as tender as King’s recipe — if not more so. I was also really impressed with how evenly the whole piece of fish was cooked. There were no cold spots in the middle and the edges weren’t overdone at all either. Just wet, flaky salmon.

But aside from the texture, I’m happy to report that the taste…

Without any marinating whatsoever, I was genuinely shocked at how much flavor was imparted by the mixture of soy sauce, agave and seasoned salt, especially when compared to Stephen King’s version which was objectively on the mild side. TBH, it’s an excellent reminder that sometimes you don’t need to pour an entire jar of spice mix over your food to make it taste good. The simple, sweet and savory contrast of soy sauce and agave made the whole thing irresistible, and honestly, I’d never know it was made in the microwave unless you told me.

For a more complete dinner, as David Chang suggested, I flaked the fish over some steamed white rice and topped with thinly sliced scallions and furikake rice seasoning. It was by far the best meal I’ve eaten all week, and it’s certainly the fastest I’ve made…all year?!

THE VERDICT: You have to try this recipe. Aside from being ridiculously easy, it’s also ridiculously delicious. With no side dishes, the whole thing came together in just over five minutes, with no waiting for appliances or cookware to preheat. Best of all, there’s hardly any cleanup. The next time you need a five-minute dinner or want to make the meal you’re preparing as effortless as possible, it’s David Chang’s Salmon.

If you try this method, let me know what you think. And if you have other cooking methods (or recipes) that are more or less unconventional but definitely worth trying, I want to hear about them! Write them in the comments below. 👇

Delicious

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