Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Our Blog on July 12, 2026
The dishwasher salmon trend is making a comeback, as people are looking for interesting ways to get clicks, likes, and follows on social media.
Is it actually safe to cook salmon in the dishwasher?
I’m sure it is physically possible. But will it pass a food safety test? As in, will the internal temperature rise to the established minimum temperature sufficient to kill harmful bacteria?
I’m skeptical. But let’s see what the research shows.
First, let’s dissect how dishwasher cooking actually works.
Most people think about a heat source as method of cooking. Though certain other food preservation techniques employ acids (like citrus juice or vinegar) or salt. But heat in the way of stove, oven, fire, microwave, or other heat-producing appliances are the most common.
But dishwasher?
The idea behind cooking in the dishwasher is similar to steam, poaching, or sous vide (a submersed low and slow method of cooking using circulating hot water).
Dishwashers operate at high temperatures in the washing and drying phase. But how hot do they actually get?
If you are going to cook a dishwasher salmon dish, you’ve got to be sure that you can heat the fish to a temperature sufficient enough to fully cook it and kill any harmful germs.
According to Maytag, most dishwashers’ main wash phase cycle heats to between 120° F and 145° F. The final rinse is a bit higher, at 140° F to 155° F.
When you consider poaching is performed between 160° F and 180° F for short periods of time and sous vide cooks food around 130° F to 140° F for longer times, it seems the temperature part of the equation gets a check mark.
But does a cycle last long enough to actually cook dishwasher salmon?
The length of a dishwasher cycle depends on your machine, the setting you select, and other factors (such as energy efficiency, temperature of incoming water, etc.).
Again, I went to the well-known appliance manufacturer, Maytag, for my information.
A “quick wash” cycle often runs 30 to 60 minutes. Normal cycles run longer. Between 90 and 120 minutes, depending on your model. Evidently, a “heavy-duty” cycle can go even longer. Maytag says up to four hours. All times may be extended (depending on your model) if a heated dry option is added.
I’ve honestly never paid much attention to the length of time it takes to run a dishwasher. But this is certainly longer than I expected.
Now for the big question. Is it long enough to cook dishwasher salmon?
Seeing as the temperature range appears to be more closely in line with sous vide cooking method with hot water (dishwasher = hot water), let’s compare it to that.
There are countless recipes on the Internet, so I decided to go with recipes on a sous vide manufacturer’s website. Anova Culinary has a nice one.
According to their recipe guide, the temperature is set based on the texture you want out of the dish.
Time/Temperature Guide:
It seems, based on sous vide temperatures, this one is attainable.
As you could imagine, for both the fish and the appliance’s sake, getting a tight wrap on the salmon is quite important. One recipe I found explains that you can even cook dishwasher salmon alongside dirty dishes.
Hello multi-tasking!
The write-up alongside the recipe states that the dishwasher did not smell fishy, the dishes were clean, and the unwrapped package did not have excess water or soap in it.
I can imagine results may vary depending on technique.
So how about the recipe.
Step 1: Season your fish. Salt, pepper, and/or your favorite seasoning blend. Want to add some garlic? Go for it! How about rosemary or other herbs? Why not! Be sure to wash your hands and any utensil or food contact surface that touches your fish. Safety first!
Step 2: Wrap your fish in foil within an inch of its departed life. Your dishwasher and future cleaning schedule may depend on it.
Step 3: Select the highest dishwasher setting. If a heated dry cycle is an option, add that in there too. More is more in this situation.
Step 4: Nervously wait. Or spend the next 45 plus minutes working on your side dishes. Unless those are in the dishwasher too. Evidently you can also cook vegetables in the dishwasher as well. (see bonus recipes)
Step 5: Carefully remove your foil wrapped fish (using a tool or oven mitt) and place onto a trivet or a heat-resistant surface. Open the pack carefully, as steam will be trapped inside.
Step 6: Measure the internal temperature of your fish at the thickest part with a food thermometer. I cannot stress this enough. This step is non-negotiable. All meat, especially those cooked in a risky way, should be checked for safe minimum internal temperature. For “Fish & Shellfish”, the USDA says 145° F.
If your salmon isn’t hot enough, consider continuing the cooking process in another way (oven, pan sear, air fryer, etc.).
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “Unsafe Viral Food Trends: Dishwasher Salmon,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
Since the dishwasher seems to be an effective cooking appliance, I’d like to offer a few more recipes. But as with dishwasher salmon, pay attention to internal temperature and measure with a food thermometer to be sure it is safe to consume.
Dishwasher veggies are cooked in heat-safe jars (think canning or mason jars). Vegetables will take a bit longer to cook than salmon and will likely come out crisp-tender. So opt for green beans, asparagus, or the like.
Step 1: Trim and wash veggies. Always thoroughly wash produce. Even if you are cooking it.
Step 2: Season with olive oil, herbs, salt, pepper, or a vinaigrette of your choice. The options are endless.
Step 3. Seal in a mason jar with a screw-tight lid.
Step 4. Place upright in the dishwasher and run through the longest possible cycle. If heat dry is an option, select that too.
Step 5: Wait. I know… This is probably the hardest part of cooking.
Step 6: When the cycle has finished, carefully remove the jar with oven mitts and place on a trivet or heat-resistant surface. Open carefully, protecting your hands from the heat as needed. Steam may escape when opening the jar. As there is no established safe minimum internal temperature for veggies, the level of doneness is determined by texture. Need it cooked longer, continue the process with another cooking method.
Mailbox lasagna was given a “red light, do not pass go, or your will collect food poisoning” status. But how about in the dishwasher?
If all ingredients are precooked, you can likely finish the cooking process in the microwave.
Step 1: Prepare lasagna dish per existing recipe. This generally involves seasoned and sauced pre-cooked ground beef or thinly sliced veggies, lasagna noodles (raw), ricotta (or cottage) cheese, mozzarella, and/or parmesan cheese, along with additional Bolognese (meat sauce) or marinara sauce. Assemble in layers in an aluminum dish, covered tightly with layers of aluminum foil.
Step 2: Set the dishwasher to the longest setting. “Pots & Pans” if possible.
Step 3: Wait. A bit longer this time.
Step 4: When the dishwasher cycle is complete, remove your lasagna pan from the dishwasher with oven mitts and place on a trivet or heat-resistant surface. Carefully open your foil wrap, as stem may be trapped inside.
Step 5: Measure internal temperature at the thickest part of the lasagna with a food thermometer. Lasagna is a casserole of sorts. The USDA says this should type of food should be at least 165° F. If your temperature is below that, consider placing it in the oven until it reaches a safe temperature. However, if your dishwasher was running for the speculated four hours, you may be risking food poisoning.