Stephen King is known for terrifying readers with haunted hotels and killer clowns — but his latest shocker didn’t come from a novel. It came from his kitchen.
Back in April 2022, the horror legend posted what he called a simple dinner idea on X: take a salmon fillet, drizzle it with olive oil and lemon juice, wrap it in damp paper towels, and microwave it for about three minutes. That’s it. No oven. No pan. Just microwave and eat. The reaction online was instant — and brutal.
Fans flooded the comments with disbelief, with one person joking that this might be King’s “shortest horror story yet.” Others called it a crime against seafood, while Reddit threads lit up with users accusing the author of culinary sacrilege. Microwaving fish, after all, has long been considered one of the ultimate office break-room offenses.
But not everyone was horrified. Some supporters pointed out that wrapping fish in damp paper towels essentially steams it — similar to the classic French technique known as en papillote, just sped up with modern convenience. A few commenters even claimed many professional kitchens quietly use microwaves more often than people realize.
King didn’t back down from the backlash. In a follow-up post, he challenged critics not to judge the recipe without trying it first. BuzzFeed reporter Ross Yoder took him up on the dare and tested the method, reporting that the salmon came out surprisingly tender and moist — though admittedly a bit bland.
Food enthusiasts noted that without searing, the fish lacks that caramelized crust that adds flavor and texture. King’s minimalist approach also skips seasoning beyond lemon and oil, which may leave the dish tasting flat unless you add salt, pepper, or herbs.
Still, for busy weeknights or quick solo dinners, the three-minute salmon might not be the horror show it sounds like. Just be warned: even if the fish turns out fine, the lingering microwave aroma might be the real nightmare.Stephen King is known for terrifying readers with haunted hotels and killer clowns — but his latest shocker didn’t come from a novel. It came from his kitchen.
Back in April 2022, the horror legend posted what he called a simple dinner idea on X: take a salmon fillet, drizzle it with olive oil and lemon juice, wrap it in damp paper towels, and microwave it for about three minutes. That’s it. No oven. No pan. Just microwave and eat. The reaction online was instant — and brutal.
Fans flooded the comments with disbelief, with one person joking that this might be King’s “shortest horror story yet.” Others called it a crime against seafood, while Reddit threads lit up with users accusing the author of culinary sacrilege. Microwaving fish, after all, has long been considered one of the ultimate office break-room offenses.
But not everyone was horrified. Some supporters pointed out that wrapping fish in damp paper towels essentially steams it — similar to the classic French technique known as en papillote, just sped up with modern convenience. A few commenters even claimed many professional kitchens quietly use microwaves more often than people realize.
King didn’t back down from the backlash. In a follow-up post, he challenged critics not to judge the recipe without trying it first. BuzzFeed reporter Ross Yoder took him up on the dare and tested the method, reporting that the salmon came out surprisingly tender and moist — though admittedly a bit bland.
Food enthusiasts noted that without searing, the fish lacks that caramelized crust that adds flavor and texture. King’s minimalist approach also skips seasoning beyond lemon and oil, which may leave the dish tasting flat unless you add salt, pepper, or herbs.
Still, for busy weeknights or quick solo dinners, the three-minute salmon might not be the horror show it sounds like. Just be warned: even if the fish turns out fine, the lingering microwave aroma might be the real nightmare.
