Pan-Seared Salmon: Which Side Down First?

When pan-searing salmon steaks, there are two schools of thought on which side of the salmon should go down first. Some chefs believe that starting with the skin side down is best, as it allows the skin to become crispy and protects the flesh from overcooking. Others argue that starting with the flesh side down results in a better sear and prevents the salmon from curling during cooking. Ultimately, the decision of which side to cook first depends on personal preference and the desired level of doneness.

Salmon skin side down first

When pan-searing salmon, it's important to get the skin nice and crispy. To do this, you'll want to cook the salmon skin-side down for the majority of the cooking time.

Here's a step-by-step guide to achieving the perfect pan-seared salmon with crispy skin:

Prepare the Salmon

Take the salmon out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking to bring it closer to room temperature. This will ensure more even cooking. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel to prevent them from sticking to the pan and to ensure a crispy crust.

Heat the Pan

Place a medium stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and let it heat up for a couple of minutes. To test if the pan is hot enough, flick a few drops of water into it. If the water sizzles and evaporates immediately, the pan is ready.

Add Oil to the Pan

Add a thin layer of oil to the pan and heat until it shimmers. It's important to use an oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, avocado, or ghee. Olive oil does not have a high enough smoke point and will smoke too much.

Season the Salmon

Just before adding the salmon to the pan, season the fillets with salt and pepper. Be generous with the salt, as this will help to draw out moisture and create a crispy crust.

Cook the Salmon Skin-Side Down

Carefully place the salmon fillets into the pan, skin-side down. The skin is tough and durable and can withstand more time on the hot surface without overcooking the salmon.

Let the salmon cook undisturbed for about 6-8 minutes for thicker fillets or 4-5 minutes for thinner fillets. The majority of the cooking will take place while the salmon is skin-side down, and you'll see the color of the flesh begin to lighten from the bottom up.

Flip the Salmon

Once the lighter-colored flesh has moved about 3/4 of the way up the fillets, it's time to flip. Use a fish or flat spatula to flip the salmon, turning it away from you to prevent oil splatter.

Finish Cooking

Cook the salmon for an additional 2-3 minutes for thicker fillets or 1-2 minutes for thinner fillets. The salmon is done when it's cooked to your desired doneness. For a medium-rare steak, the interior should be slightly translucent.

Rest and Serve

Transfer the salmon to a paper towel-lined plate and let it rest for about 3 minutes before serving.

Enjoy your perfectly pan-seared salmon with crispy skin!

Pan searing salmon without skin

Pan-Searing Salmon Without Skin

If you're looking to pan-sear salmon without the skin, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure a delicious and crispy result. Here are the steps you can follow:

Prepare the Salmon:

• Start by patting the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture will help the fish form a nice crust when searing.
• Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. Don't skimp on the salt, as it enhances the flavour and helps draw out moisture from the fish.

Heat the Pan:

• Use a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan or skillet for even heat distribution. You can use a cast-iron skillet or a stainless-steel pan.
• Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil, which have higher smoke points.
• Wait until the oil is hot and shimmering before adding the salmon. A drop of water should sizzle when the pan is ready.

Sear the Salmon:

• Place the salmon fillets in the pan, making sure they are in a single layer and not crowded.
• Sear the salmon for 4-6 minutes on the first side, undisturbed. This will create a beautiful golden crust.
• For an extra crispy exterior, press down lightly on the fillets with a fish spatula during the first minute of cooking to prevent curling.

Flip and Finish Cooking:

• After the first side is nicely seared, carefully flip the fillets.
• Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes, or until the salmon is done to your desired doneness.
• You can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature: 125°F for medium-rare, 130°F for medium, and 140°F for medium-well.
• If you don't have a thermometer, you can also flake the edge of the salmon with a fork to check if it's cooked to your liking.

Serve and Enjoy:

• Transfer the salmon to a platter or individual plates.
• You can serve it as-is, or squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the fillets for added brightness.
• Pan-seared salmon goes well with various side dishes, such as roasted vegetables, potatoes, rice, or a salad.
• Enjoy your delicious, crispy pan-seared salmon!

Getting a crispy skin

The key to achieving a crispy skin on your salmon steak is to ensure the skin is in maximum contact with the hot pan for the majority of the cooking time. Here is a step-by-step guide:

• Dry the salmon fillets: Use a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to pat each fillet dry on both sides. This is an important step as moisture on the skin will prevent it from crisping up.
• Heat a skillet: Place a medium stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and let it heat up for a couple of minutes. The pan should be hot but not smoking.
• Test the pan: Flick a few drops of water into the pan. If the water sizzles and evaporates immediately, the pan is ready.
• Add oil to the pan: Add a thin layer of oil with a high smoking point, such as canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or avocado oil. Heat the oil until it shimmers but not so long that it smokes.
• Season the salmon: Just before adding the salmon to the pan, season the fillets with salt. Avoid using black pepper or spices like garlic powder or onion powder directly on the skin as these will burn.
• Place the fillets skin-side down: Carefully place the fillets into the pan, skin-side down, always cooking away from you to prevent oil splatter.
• Cook the fillets: The majority of the cooking will take place with the salmon skin-side down in the pan. It is important to resist the temptation to poke, prod, or move the fish. As the fish cooks, you will notice the colour of the fillet begin to lighten, starting at the bottom near the skin and slowly moving upwards. Cook undisturbed until the lighter-coloured flesh has moved about 3/4 of the way up the fillets. This will take around 8-9 minutes for thick fillets and 6-7 minutes for thinner fillets.
• Flip the fillets: Use a fish or flat spatula to flip the salmon fillets, turning the fish away from you to prevent oil splatter. Cook for a further 2 minutes for thicker fillets and 1-2 minutes for thinner fillets.
• Remove the salmon from the pan: Transfer the fillets to a paper towel-lined plate and let them rest for about 3 minutes before serving.

Pan searing salmon with skin on

Pan-Searing Salmon with Skin On

Pan-searing salmon with the skin on is a great way to enjoy this popular fish, just like they make it at the restaurant, with a golden, crispy skin and a moist interior cooked to your preferred doneness. It's very easy to make crispy salmon at home, and it can be done in just 10 minutes!

Tips for Best Results

• De-scale the skin – Use a fish scaler or a sharp chef's knife to scrape off the scales. You can tell they're gone because the skin will have a netting pattern.
• Cook almost entirely on the skin side – Cooking the salmon almost entirely on the skin side ensures maximum crispiness.
• Dry the skin thoroughly – Before browning can happen, all moisture must be cooked off, so dry the exterior thoroughly with a paper towel before cooking.

What Kind of Salmon to Use

This recipe will work with any type of salmon, though cooking time will vary depending on the kind and thickness. Wild salmon tends to have more flavour but is also more lean and, therefore, less forgiving of overcooking. Farmed salmon tends to be fattier but has an inferior flavour to wild. My ultimate recommendation is Wild Alaskan King Salmon, as it has the best of both worlds with delicious flavour and tenderness, but it is quite expensive. My second choice is farmed Atlantic salmon.

Step-by-Step Guide

• Prepare the skin – Make sure the skin is ready for searing and remove any remaining scales. Rinse the fish or brush off the scales, then dry the exterior very well with paper towels. Water is the enemy of a good, crispy sear.
• Preheat a skillet – For the best sear, use an uncoated stainless steel or cast-iron skillet. Preheat for about 3-5 minutes (3 minutes for gas stoves, 5 for electric).
• Add oil to the skillet – Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan, about 1-2 tablespoons. The oil should shimmer. Olive oil does not have a high enough smoke point for pan-seared salmon, so instead, use ghee, avocado oil, or other higher smoke point oils.
• Season the skin – Season the skin of the fish generously with salt at the last moment, right before you add it to the pan. Black pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder will burn, so it's best to avoid these.
• Test the oil – Take your piece of fish and test it by touching the very end of it to the pan. If it makes a hissing sizzling noise, that means the pan is sufficiently hot.
• Lay the fish in the pan – Go ahead and lay the fish down in the hot pan on the salmon skin side, always away from you so the hot oil doesn't splash.
• Cook the fish – Let the salmon cook for 90% of the time on the skin side. This thoroughly crisps the skin and results in a gentler cooking for the flesh side of the salmon. The salmon is usually about an inch thick, so cook it for 5 minutes on the skin side, until it's golden brown and crispy. Time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillets, so always use a meat thermometer to check.
• Flip the fish – Once the salmon is cooked most of the way, flip the individual fillets over to give them a brief "kiss" on the other side, cooking for about 15-30 seconds.
• Remove the fish from the skillet – When removing the fish from the skillet, plate it with the skin side up, so the skin retains its crispiness and keeps from getting soggy.

Serving Suggestions

Because this pan-seared salmon only has salt, you may wish to serve it with lemon slices, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or a sauce. It pairs well with Romesco, Basil Pesto, or Chimichurri. A classic Tartar Sauce also always goes well with seafood.

Pan searing salmon with skin off

Pan-Searing Salmon with Skin Off

If you're looking for a quick, easy, and elegant way to cook salmon, pan-searing is a great option. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you achieve delicious, restaurant-quality pan-seared salmon with the skin off.

Preparation:

• Take your salmon fillets out of the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes before cooking to bring them closer to room temperature. This ensures more even cooking.
• Use a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to pat the salmon fillets dry on both sides. This step is important to prevent the fish from sticking to the pan and to ensure crispy skin.
• Heat a medium stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. You want the pan to be hot before adding the oil.
• Add a thin layer of oil to the pan. You can use olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil. Heat the oil until it shimmers, but be careful not to let it smoke.

Cooking the Salmon:

• Just before adding the salmon to the pan, season the fillets generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Don't skimp on the salt, as it enhances the flavour and helps create a beautiful crust.
• Carefully place the salmon fillets into the hot pan, skin side up if they have skin. If your fillets are skinless, it doesn't matter which side you start with.
• Let the salmon cook undisturbed for about 4 minutes on the first side. Resist the urge to move, poke, or flip the fish during this time. You want to create a nice crust, and moving the fish will interfere with this process.
• After the first side is golden and crisp, carefully flip the fillets. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until done to your liking. The total cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fillets and your desired doneness.
• Transfer the salmon to a platter or plate and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Tips for Perfect Pan-Seared Salmon:

• Always dry your salmon fillets before adding them to the pan to prevent sticking and ensure crispy skin.
• Use a hot pan and high heat for the best results. A hot pan helps create a nice crust on the salmon.
• Season the salmon just before adding it to the pan. Salting the fish too early can draw out moisture and make the surface wet, interfering with the browning process.
• Resist the temptation to move or flip the salmon too early. Let it cook undisturbed for the best results.
• The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and has an internal temperature of 125°F (51°C) for medium-rare or 140°F (60°C) for well-done.

Enjoy your delicious, pan-seared salmon! With these simple steps, you can achieve restaurant-quality results and impress your family and friends.

Frequently asked questions