Glossary

Preheat

To preheat is to bring an oven fully up to the target temperature before the food goes in, so cooking times are predictable. Putting salmon into a cold or half-hot oven stretches the time unpredictably and can dry the fillet. Many home ovens run hotter or cooler than the dial says, so a cheap oven thermometer is useful; it can explain mysterious results. Give the oven the time it needs, then place the tray on the middle rack. See also: Thickness, Sheet Pan, and the guide Oven Temperature and Timing for Baked Salmon.