Cody Casey
Cooking frozen salmon is a quick and easy way to prepare a healthy meal. You can pan-fry, bake, grill, or steam frozen salmon without having to defrost it first. This guide will focus on the pan-cooking method.
Can you pan cook frozen salmon?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Thawing | Not required |
| Pan | Heavy-bottomed/non-stick |
| Oil | High-heat cooking oil |
| Parchment paper | Required |
| Skin side | Up initially, down after flipping |
| Spices | Salt, pepper, dill, thyme, garlic/garlic powder |
| Lid | Required |
| Cooking time | 6-10 minutes |
| Flake | Easily with a fork |
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No need to defrost
Salmon can be cooked straight from frozen, with many recipes recommending this approach. It's a great way to save time and avoid the hassle of having to remember to defrost your salmon in advance. Plus, you can stock up on frozen salmon fillets and cook them whenever you want without any foresight.
When cooking frozen salmon, it's important to start with a hot pan. Preheat your pan over medium to medium-high heat, and use an oil with a high smoke point, such as canola oil. Place the salmon in the pan, skin-side down, and press gently to ensure the skin stays in full contact with the pan. This will help the skin crisp up while the salmon cooks.
Cover the pan with a lid to trap the heat and steam the salmon, cooking it through. Depending on the thickness of your fillet, this process should take around 6 to 10 minutes. You'll know the salmon is ready when it's opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork or a paring knife.
Once the salmon is no longer frozen in the center, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high. Flip the salmon so it's skin-side up and allow it to sear for a couple of minutes. Then, remove the skillet from the heat and let the fish rest for a minute or two until it's fully cooked through.
You can also try a different approach by first steaming the salmon with a lid on until it's no longer frozen in the center. Then, remove the lid and increase the heat to get a good sear on the salmon. This method ensures that the salmon is cooked through while also achieving a crispy skin.
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Pan preparation
First, remove the salmon from its vacuum-sealed bag and rinse it under cold water to get rid of any ice crystals. Then, pat the salmon dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Blotting the salmon with paper towels will help to ensure that the skin stays in full contact with the pan.
Next, heat a heavy-bottomed/non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. You can use a cast-iron griddle, skillet, or any heavy-bottomed pan. Preheat the pan with canola oil or any oil with a high smoke point, and make sure the pan is very hot before putting the salmon in.
Once the pan is hot, place the salmon in the pan, skin-side down. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the salmon steam until it is no longer frozen in the centre, which should take around 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. If you are using a thicker cut of salmon, it may take a little longer to cook.
After the salmon is no longer frozen in the centre, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high. Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of oil and let it heat up. While the oil is heating up, pat the salmon dry with a clean paper towel if there is any excess moisture.
Once the oil is hot, carefully return the salmon to the pan, again with the skin-side down. Use a fish spatula or your fingers to gently press the salmon down so that the skin stays in full contact with the pan. This will help the skin to crisp up and prevent it from curling up or getting soggy.
Finally, season the salmon. Flip the salmon so that it is skin-side down and season the flesh side generously with salt and pepper, and any other desired spices. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook the salmon for another 7 to 9 minutes, or until it is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
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Cooking times
There are various methods for cooking frozen salmon, and you don't always have to defrost it first.
One method is to pan-fry the salmon. To do this, heat a skillet over medium heat and place a piece of parchment paper in the skillet. Then, put the frozen salmon, skin-side up, on the paper. Cover the skillet and allow the fish to steam until it's no longer frozen in the centre, which should take around 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. After this, remove the fillet and parchment paper from the skillet, then increase the heat to medium-high. Cover the bottom of the skillet with a thin layer of oil and let it heat up. Pat the fillet dry with a clean tea or paper towel, then season with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, return the fillet to the pan, this time with the skin-side down. Cover the pan, and allow the salmon to sear for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, flip the salmon so it's skin-side up, and remove the skillet from the heat. Allow the fish to rest for a minute or two until it's fully cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
Another method is to bake the salmon. First, rinse the salmon fillets under cool water to remove any ice that has formed on the outside. Then, pat them dry with paper towels. Brush both sides of the fillet with a high oleic vegetable oil, such as olive, canola, peanut, grapeseed, soy or safflower oil. Place the salmon on a spray-coated pan or foil-lined baking sheet. Cook for 4 minutes on the middle rack. Then, season and bake for an additional 10 to 13 minutes. Flip only the thick portions. When finished, the salmon should be opaque throughout and flake easily with a fork.
You can also grill frozen salmon. To do this, brush the fillets in a marinade and then wrap them in grape leaves to prevent them from sticking to the grates. Preheat the grill to medium-high direct and indirect heat.
Finally, you can cook frozen salmon in a pressure cooker. Turn the pressure valve to 'sealing' and cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Then, turn the pressure valve to 'venting' to release and remove the lid. When finished, the salmon should be opaque throughout and flake easily with a fork.
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Flipping the salmon
Before flipping the salmon, you can season the cooked side with salt, pepper, and any other desired spices. This will add flavor to the salmon and help to create a crispy skin. After flipping the salmon, reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet with a lid. This will help to trap heat and steam the salmon, ensuring that it cooks through.
It is important to note that the cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the salmon fillet. Thicker fillets may require a longer cooking time, while thinner fillets may cook faster. To check if the salmon is cooked, insert a paring knife between the layers. If the salmon flakes easily and is opaque throughout, it is ready to be served.
If you are baking the salmon instead of pan-frying it, the flipping process may be different. Some recipes recommend baking the salmon skin-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. In this case, you may not need to flip the salmon at all during the cooking process. However, thicker fillets may require a longer cooking time, and you may need to flip them over to ensure even cooking.
Additionally, when pan-frying frozen salmon, it is important to start with a hot pan. Preheat your pan over medium heat before adding the salmon to ensure a good sear. This will help to create a crispy skin and prevent the salmon from sticking to the pan.
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Seasoning
Yes, you can pan cook frozen salmon! It is better to not thaw it first. Here are some tips for seasoning your frozen salmon:
Firstly, it is recommended to season the salmon after flipping it over. This is because putting seasoning on frozen salmon before cooking can burn the seasoning. However, if you are cooking the salmon in an oven or air fryer, you can season it before cooking.
A basic seasoning of salt and pepper is fine, but dill, thyme, and garlic/garlic powder also work well. You can also try dried oregano, garlic powder, and paprika for an aromatic, savoury flavour. Don't be afraid to use salt – many home cooks make the mistake of under-seasoning their food.
If you want to get creative, you can chop up some garlic and throw it in a bowl with lemon juice, salt, and rosemary. Then, rub olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and thyme on the salmon.
Finally, if you are looking for a simple seasoning, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper will do the trick.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cook frozen salmon in a pan.
No, there is no need to defrost the salmon before cooking. Simply leave it in the freezer until you are ready to cook it.
First, rinse the salmon fillets under cool water to remove any ice that has formed on the outside. Pat them dry with paper towels. Next, heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place the salmon skin-side up in the skillet and cook until it's browned on the flesh side (about 4 minutes). Flip the salmon and season it. Cover the skillet with a lid to help trap heat and steam the salmon so it cooks through. While it's steaming, you want the skin against the hot pan so it crisps up instead of getting soggy. Cook until the salmon is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
It takes about 4 minutes to brown the flesh side of the salmon. After flipping and seasoning the salmon, it will take another 7 to 9 minutes for the salmon to cook through. The total cooking time is around 11 to 13 minutes.
Basic seasoning options include salt and pepper. Dill, thyme, garlic, lemon juice, and rosemary also work well with salmon.
