If you’ve ever tried making pan-seared salmon at home, you know it can feel like a risky move.
That perfect, crispy skin with tender, juicy flesh underneath?
It seems simple, but the process can easily go wrong if you’re not prepared.
Maybe the skin sticks to the pan or the fish ends up dry and tough.
Luckily, this quick guide breaks down exactly how to nail that restaurant-quality pan-fried salmon every time.
You’ll soon be cooking salmon that’s crispy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth on the inside, and totally impressive on any dinner plate.
Summary of the video:
Perfect pan-seared salmon has three main characteristics:
- Crispy skin: The skin should be thin and crispy.
- Moist and tender flesh: The inside of the salmon should remain juicy and tender.
- Fully rendered fat: Any fat should be cooked out so it doesn’t feel greasy or undercooked.
One of the biggest challenges is preventing the skin from sticking to the pan. This happens if:
- The pan is not preheated properly, which leads to a chemical bond forming between the fish skin and the pan’s metal.
- Excess moisture on the skin lowers the pan temperature quickly, making sticking more likely.
Preparation of the salmon:
- Start by drying the salmon skin thoroughly using clean paper towels to remove any moisture. Dry skin helps prevent temperature drops and sticking.
- Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides before adding the fish to the pan.
Add light oil (like canola or vegetable oil) to the skillet and heat over medium-high. You want the oil to shimmer but not smoke—this shimmering signals that the pan is hot enough.
Adding salmon to a hot, shimmering pan helps the skin cook evenly without sticking.
When high heat hits the skin, it releases moisture quickly, causing the skin to shrink and buckle. This leads to uneven cooking, especially if the skin pulls the fish upwards.
To avoid this, use a flexible slotted spatula to gently hold the salmon down for the first 15 seconds, allowing the skin to set evenly against the pan.
Cooking the fish skin-side down is crucial because it:
- Protects the flesh from overcooking by acting as an insulator.
- Ensures the fish cooks evenly from the outside in, rather than overcooking the edges while the center remains raw.
Lower the heat to medium-low as soon as the salmon is in the pan to prevent rapid moisture loss and albumin (white protein) leakage.
Aim to cook the salmon 90% of the way through on the skin side. This results in a medium-rare finish with a translucent center and an even texture.
For a perfectly medium-rare salmon, use an instant-read thermometer to check for an internal temperature of about 120°F in the thickest part, usually reached after about 6 minutes of cooking.
Once the skin side is done and releases easily from the pan, carefully flip the salmon. Using two spatulas—a slotted spatula and a fork or a second spatula—makes it easier.
Since the fish is nearly cooked through, it only needs 15 seconds on the other side to finish cooking.
Transfer the cooked salmon to a paper towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil, keeping it crisp and non-greasy.
Serve immediately to maintain the crisp texture of the skin and tender, juicy flesh inside.
*Summary created by AI and edited by author
