Marianne Martinez
Pan-seared salmon is a versatile dish that can be served on a salad or with a side of vegetables, risotto, or steamed rice. The key to achieving a perfect pan-seared salmon lies in choosing the right size fillets, seasoning them well, and allowing them to cook undisturbed. While some prefer to cook the salmon with the skin side up, others suggest cooking it skin side down for the majority of the cooking time to ensure a crispy texture. The salmon should be cooked undisturbed until the lighter-colored flesh has moved about three-quarters of the way up the fillets, and then flipped to cook for a few additional minutes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pan-frying method | Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place salmon skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes. |
| Pan type | Stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron skillet |
| Oil type | Olive oil |
| Skin texture | Crispy |
| Skin taste | Savory |
| Skin appearance | Golden brown |
| Skin side when serving | Up |
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What You'll Learn
How to get the skin crispy
Pan-seared salmon with crispy skin is a popular way to enjoy this fish. It is easy to make at home and can be done in about 10 minutes. Here is how to get the skin crispy:
Firstly, ensure the salmon fillets are dry. Pat them with a paper towel to remove any moisture. This is important because moisture on the surface of the fish can quickly reduce the heat of the pan, interfering with the crispiness of the skin. If you have the time, you can leave the salmon uncovered in the fridge for an hour or so to further dry out the skin. Leaving the salmon in the fridge uncovered will also help the fish retain moisture as it cooks.
Secondly, season the salmon generously with salt and pepper on both sides. You can also add a tiny bit of oil and spread it with your fingers, so the salt and pepper stick to the fish.
Thirdly, heat oil in a stainless steel, cast iron, or carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Make sure the pan is very hot before adding the salmon.
Finally, place the salmon fillets in the pan, skin-side down, and press gently but firmly for about 10 seconds with a flexible fish spatula to prevent the skin from curling. If you are cooking multiple fillets, add them one at a time, pressing each for 10 seconds before adding the next. Cook the salmon for about 4 minutes, pressing gently on the back of the fillets occasionally to ensure good contact with the skin. Flip the fillets when the skin releases easily from the pan and cook for a further 1 to 5 minutes, depending on your preferred level of doneness.
To serve, plate the salmon with the skin side up to protect the crispy skin and prevent it from getting soggy. Fish skin will only stay crispy while it is hot, so serve immediately!
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How to prevent the salmon from curling up
Yes, you can pan-fry salmon with the skin on. In fact, pan-searing is considered one of the best ways to cook salmon. The key to achieving a perfect pan-seared salmon with crispy skin lies in choosing the right size fillets, seasoning them well, and allowing them to cook undisturbed.
To prevent your salmon from curling up in the pan, try the following techniques:
- Score the Skin: Before placing the salmon in the pan, use a sharp knife to make a few very light, shallow diagonal slashes on the skin. This technique helps minimize curling and also creates a pretty pattern.
- Dry the Salmon: Pat the salmon skin dry with a paper towel before cooking. Removing moisture from the skin will help it crisp up during cooking and reduce the likelihood of curling.
- Oil the Salmon: Drizzle a small amount of oil on the salmon skin and spread it evenly with your fingers. This step ensures that the salt and pepper adhere well to the skin and helps distribute the pan's heat evenly.
- Use Sufficient Oil in the Pan: Don't skimp on oil when heating your pan. Oil aids in evenly distributing the heat and helps the skin crisp up. If you use too little oil, the skin may burn instead of turning golden and crispy.
- Start with a Cold Pan: Place the salmon skin-side down in a cold pan, then turn on the heat. This technique helps render the fat and creates a crispy skin.
- Maintain Proper Heat: Ensure that your pan is hot before adding the salmon, but reduce the heat to medium or medium-low once the salmon is in the pan. This will help prevent overcooking and promote even cooking.
- Cook Undisturbed: Allow the salmon to cook undisturbed on the skin side for several minutes until golden and crisp. This helps develop a beautiful, golden crust.
- Flip Carefully: When ready to flip, use a spatula to gently lift the salmon from the pan. If there is resistance, stop and let the salmon cook a bit longer. When the salmon releases easily from the pan, carefully flip it over and cook to your desired doneness.
By following these steps, you can minimize curling and achieve a beautifully pan-fried salmon with crispy skin.
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The best type of pan to use
When pan-frying salmon with the skin on, the best type of pan to use is a non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. A standard 10-inch to 12-inch skillet can fit 4 salmon fillets comfortably, depending on their size. If you are using a non-stick skillet, simply heat the pan until the oil shimmers. If you are using a cast-iron skillet, heat the pan until a splash of water beads and jumps around the pan. If the pan is smoking vigorously, it is too hot.
A stainless steel skillet is not recommended for pan-frying salmon with the skin on, as the skin tends to stick to it. If you are using a stainless steel skillet, it is recommended to heat the pan until a splash of water beads and jumps around the pan.
In addition to the type of pan, the temperature of the oil is also important. The oil should be hot but not smoking. To test if the oil is hot enough, flick a few drops of water into the pan. If the water sizzles and evaporates almost immediately, the oil is ready. If not, let it heat up for another minute and test again.
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How to know when to flip the salmon
When pan-frying salmon with the skin on, it is recommended to cook the salmon skin-side down for the majority of the cooking time. This helps to maintain the shape of the salmon fillet and ensures that the skin becomes crispy.
There are several ways to know when to flip the salmon:
- One method is to use a spatula to gently lift the salmon from the pan after a few minutes. If there is resistance and the salmon will not lift easily, then it is not ready to be flipped. The salmon should be left to cook for another minute before trying again.
- Another indicator that the salmon is ready to be flipped is when the colour of the flesh has lightened by about three-quarters of the way up the fillet. The flesh colour will change from a deep, dark pink to a much paler colour.
- For those who prefer their salmon medium-rare, flipping the salmon when the flesh has cooked halfway through is a good indicator.
- Alternatively, you can simply time the cooking. For thicker fillets, the salmon should be cooked skin-side down for 8 to 9 minutes before flipping, and then cooked for an additional 2 minutes after flipping. For thinner fillets, cook the salmon skin-side down for 6 to 7 minutes, and then an additional 1 to 2 minutes after flipping.
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How to season the salmon
To season salmon before pan-frying, start by patting the fillets dry with a paper towel. If you have time, you can also leave the salmon skin side up in the fridge for an hour or so to further dry out the skin.
Next, season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. You can also add a few grinds of pepper and a generous amount of salt to the skin. If you want to add more flavour, you can use seasoned salt instead of regular salt.
If you want to add extra ingredients to your seasoning, there are a few options. You can drizzle the salmon with a small amount of olive oil and spread it with your fingers so that the salt and pepper stick to the fillets. You can also rub the salmon with a thick layer of dried dill, or add ground coriander for extra flavour.
Finally, if you want to add a sauce to your salmon, it's best to cook the salmon first and then add the sauce after. You can make a garlic butter sauce by adding butter to the pan after cooking the salmon, along with garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. You can also make a scallion ginger sauce, or serve the salmon with roasted tomatoes.
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Frequently asked questions
Here is a step-by-step guide to pan-frying salmon with the skin on:
- Dry the salmon fillets with a paper towel.
- Season the salmon with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat.
- Place the salmon fillets in the pan, skin-side down, about 1 inch apart.
- Cook for 4 minutes without moving the fish.
- Flip the salmon and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
- Serve skin-side up.
To get crispy skin on pan-fried salmon, it is important to ensure that the skin is dry before cooking. You can also leave the salmon skin-side up in the fridge for an hour to further dry out the skin. Additionally, make sure to use enough oil in the pan, as this helps to distribute the heat evenly and fry the skin to a crisp golden brown.
Cooking salmon skin-side down first helps to maintain the shape of the fish and prevents the edges from curling up. It also allows the fat to render out of the skin while keeping the flesh moist and tender.
