Crispy Skin Salmon
A delightful dish featuring golden, crispy skin salmon that offers a satisfying crunch and tender fish underneath, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 pieces salmon fillets (skin-on)
- 1 tsp olive oil (or other cooking oil)
- 1 tsp salt (cooking/kosher, 3/4 tsp table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or vegetable oil) for cooking
- pieces Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Preparation
- Pat the skin of the salmon very well with a paper towel until dry. If you have time, place the salmon skin side up in the fridge for 1 hour uncovered to dry it out even more.
- Drizzle the flesh side with half the oil and rub it over the skin. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Turn the fillet over and repeat. Do this step just before cooking.
Cooking
- In a large non-stick skillet, put enough oil to cover the base of the skillet. Heat it on medium-high until it shimmers but does not smoke.
- Place the salmon in the skillet skin side down, then immediately lower the heat to medium.
- Using a spatula, press down on each salmon fillet for about 10 seconds to help set the skin against the skillet. If you can do this with two at a time, that’s ideal.
- Cook for 7 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked 3/4 of the way through and the skin is crispy.
- Flip the salmon to the flesh side up and cook for a further 90 seconds.
- Flip the salmon back to skin side down, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cook the skin side for an additional 60 seconds to reinforce the crispiness.
Serving
- Serve the salmon skin side up to protect the crispy skin. It’s best to serve immediately to enjoy that crunch.
Notes
Ensure the skin is completely dry before cooking; this helps achieve crispiness. Use a heavy skillet to maintain consistent heat while cooking. Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Variations include adding spices like garlic powder or paprika.