How to get a crispy skin on a salmon fillet using a pan?

Question

Pan-frying salmon? Learn how to get restaurant-style crispy skin without drying the fish.

Answer 1

To get a wonderfully crispy skin on a salmon fillet using a pan, ensure the skin is very dry, use a medium-high heat, start skin-side down, and press lightly during cooking.

Detailed Explanation:

Crispy salmon skin is a culinary delight, and it's quite achievable with the right technique!

1. Dry the Skin: This is the most crucial step. Use paper towels to pat the salmon skin extremely dry. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. You can even leave the salmon uncovered in the refrigerator for an hour or two to air-dry the skin further.
2. Score (Optional but Recommended): For thicker fillets, you can make 2-3 shallow cuts (don't go too deep into the flesh) on the skin side. This helps prevent the skin from curling up and allows fat to render more easily, promoting even crisping.
3. Season: Season both sides of the fillet with salt and pepper, or your preferred spices.
4. Heat the Pan: Place a good quality, heavy-bottomed pan (stainless steel or cast iron works best for searing) over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon or two of a high smoke point oil (like grapeseed, canola, or refined sunflower oil). Heat until the oil is shimmering and just starting to smoke gently.
5. Skin-Side Down: Carefully place the salmon fillet, skin-side down, into the hot pan. Immediately reduce the heat to medium.
6. Press and Cook: As the skin cooks, it tends to curl. Use a spatula or your fingers (carefully!) to gently press down on the fillet for the first 30 seconds to 1 minute, ensuring full contact between the skin and the pan. Cook skin-side down for 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness, until the skin is deeply golden brown and very crispy, and the flesh has turned opaque about two-thirds of the way up the fillet.
7. Finish Cooking: Flip the salmon only once and cook for another 1-3 minutes on the flesh side, just until it's cooked through to your desired doneness.

Pro Tip:

Don't overcrowd the pan! Cook salmon fillets one or two at a time if necessary. Overcrowding lowers the pan temperature, which leads to steaming instead of crisping.