Brown Stew Salmon

Bell Pepper: I use a combination of red bell peppers and green bell peppers but you can use any colour (green, yellow, orange). Add them chopped or julienned.
Aromatics: Use chopped or julienned onions and garlic cloves.
Fresh Herbs: Use roughly chopped thyme.
Scotch Bonnet Pepper: Use more or less as desired because this pepper is very hot and ranges between 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale.
Tomato: This thickens and adds volume to the sauce. Add them chopped or julienned. Although not traditional, you can also use tomato paste as a substitute.
Chicken Broth: Use vegetable broth or water as substitutes.
Hoisin Sauce: This adds colour and deepens the flavour. Alternatively, use 1 tsp brown sugar and 1 tsp browning sauce.
Soy Sauce: This adds a distinct umami flavour.
Brown Sugar: This sweetness balances all the rich, savoury flavours.
Neutral Cooking Oil: For frying. Vegetable oil is a great option but any frying oil will do.

fresh thyme, garlic, onion, and other fresh veggies.

How to Make Brown Stew Salmon

1. Prep Fish

Rinse salmon fillets with lime or lemon juice and cold water then drain and pat dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of the fish with salt, black pepper and seasoning salt, then set them aside.

fresh salmon seasoned in large skillet frying.

salmon being pan fried in large skillet.

2. Brown Salmon

Using a large, non-stick skillet, heat cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add salmon fillets and fry for about 5-7 minutes on each side until golden and crisp. Do not flip until it can freely move. Remove fish from oil and place on wire rack to drain excess oil; set aside.

making brown stew sauce with sweet peppers, onions and garlic.

3. Sauté Aromatics & Prepare Brown Stew Sauce

Discard oil, leaving about 2 (two) tablespoons of oil in the skillet. Return to stove, and reduce to medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper and sauté for a few minutes. Then add hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and broth or water.

4. Simmer with Salmon

Return salmon to skillet and gently spoon sauce overtop the fillets. Increase heat to medium-high and half-cover the skillet for about 2-3 minutes. Uncover and spoon the reduced sauce overtop the salmon again, remove from heat, serve and finally, enjoy!

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Type of Fish – feel free to use any variety of fish you prefer. Typically when making Jamaican brown stew fish, snapper is used. However feel free to you king fish, parrot fish etc. in place of the salmon.

Tomato Paste – this is not traditionally used in this dish, however you can add in tomato paste or substitute the fresh tomatoes with it.

How to Serve Brown Stew Salmon

Rice – for something this saucy, sop it up with a side of rice like white rice, Jamaican Rice and Peas or thisVegan Jamaican Bulgur Wheat & Peas.
Bread – You can also enjoy it with bammy, Jamaican fried dumpling, Jamaican festival Recipe, roast breadfruit or hard dough bread.
Ground Provision – potatoes or yams would be a filling addition.
Veggies – make this a nutritious meal with vegetable sides like Jamaican Steamed Cabbage or Jamaican Callaloo.

Tips

Make this an easy one-pot meal by adding potatoes or carrots.
Don’t be afraid to taste-test the sauce and make any necessary adjustments before adding the salmon back to the pan.
If you’re concerned about your sodium intake, use low-sodium stock. You can also do half stock, half water for less salt.
If you prefer a slight heat, leave the scotch bonnet pepper whole. If you prefer more spice, slice the pepper and remove the seeds.
Do not overcook the salmon. It’s super easy to do this but once the fish is cooked through (with an internal temperature of 145° F), carefully remove the fish from the oil and drain them on a wire rack.
For the frying oil, use one that has a high smoke point such as vegetable oil, peanut oil, or canola oil. Avoid using olive oil or butter, as they have lower smoke points and can burn easily.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and consume the brown stew salmon within 3-4 days of refrigerating it. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is it called brown stew?

Authentic Jamaican brown stew is characterized by the brown hue of the dish (largely due to the browning sauce). Hence the name.

How do you make salmon not dry and juicy?

Adding citrus to salmon filets prevents them from drying out. Also, don’t cook it at too high of a temperature.

Why is my brown stew bitter?

You may have used too much browning. If you make this common mistake, counteract it by adding ketchup.

Can I make brown stew salmon ahead of time?

This dish is best served hot and fresh however you can make the salmon ahead of time.

Interested in more Salmon Recipes? Check These Out!

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Brown Stew Salmon

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