Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Crispy Skin Salmon Recipe
Crispy salmon pores and skin is the crackling of the ocean! Making Crispy Pores and skin Salmon is so simple as guaranteeing the pores and skin is dry, and utilizing sufficient oil so the pores and skin goes golden and crispy quite than simply burning. Simple!
I’m at all times one for saucing up my salmon (whether or not it’s a honey garlic quantity, garlic butter or a herby cream sauce), marinating it or cooking it up in a sticky sauce. However when you know the way to prepare dinner salmon so the pores and skin is crispy from finish to finish, you don’t have to fuss with all that. The additional textural factor and flavour you get from the crispy golden pores and skin is all you want for a salmon dinner. Serve it bare, straight up!
And should you’re questioning simply how crispy we get that pores and skin? THIS crispy ⬇⬇⬇ (quantity ON!)
All you want is salmon with the pores and skin on (duh!😂), oil, salt and pepper.
-
Pores and skin-on salmon – Make certain the fish is descaled (ie. scales eliminated) and pin-boned, ie. tiny bones that poke out across the center the fillet eliminated. Good fishmongers ought to promote fish fillets that’s already been scaled and pin-boned – and that’s partly why you pay a premium for filleted fish!)
To verify, simply run your fingers alongside the flesh floor and the perimeters. You’ll really feel if there are any bones inside. Use fish boning tweezers (and even private grooming tweezers!) to tug them out. For scales, run your fingers forwards and backwards throughout the pores and skin – once more, you’ll really feel if the scales are nonetheless in there. To take away, use the flat aspect of a knife and scrape in opposition to the scales. The scales will flick all over the place, however they may come off simply!
The place potential, select fillets which can be as even in thickness as you could find as they may prepare dinner extra evenly. In case you can solely get the items with one thick finish and one actually skinny finish, don’t fear. The skinny half is the salmon stomach flap which is fatty, so can take the additional cooking and nonetheless keep juicy. It can nonetheless be scrumptious!
-
Oil – Olive oil is my most popular oil to make use of, however any cooking oil will work simply tremendous right here; and
-
Salt and pepper – Not just for flavour, but in addition to provide the crust an additional little fringe of crunch!
The 2 key issues to make sure crispy salmon pores and skin are dry pores and skin, and never skimping on oil! Oil helps distribute the pan’s warmth evenly in addition to fry the pores and skin to assist crisp it. In case you skimp on oil, the pores and skin will simply burn as a substitute of going golden, and it actually received’t be that crispy.
-
Pat dry + non-obligatory fridge dry – Crispy pores and skin requires dry pores and skin, so pat it dry with a paper towel. If time permits, go away the salmon pores and skin aspect up within the fridge for an hour or so. Fridge air could be very low in humidity so will air dry the pores and skin much more. In case you purchased your salmon vacuum-packed (which prolongs the shelf life), I actually advocate this fridge drying step as a result of the pores and skin will get absolutely saturated with fish juices sitting in its bag;
-
Oil, salt and pepper – Drizzle the fish with a tiny little bit of oil and unfold with fingers, simply to provide the salt and pepper one thing to stick to. Be sure you do that solely simply earlier than cooking, as a result of the salt will draw moisture out of the salmon pores and skin and make it sweat = dangerous for crispy pores and skin!
-
Pores and skin aspect down first – Put sufficient oil in a non stick skillet so the bottom is absolutely lined. Don’t skimp on the oil – you want sufficient oil to make sure the pores and skin is evenly bronzed as a substitute patchy with burnt bits. Warmth the oil on medium-high, then put the salmon in pores and skin aspect down and switch right down to medium;
-
Press down on the fish – Utilizing a spatula, egg flip and even tongs, press down on every salmon for 10 seconds so the entire pores and skin is pushed as flat in opposition to the skillet as potential till it “units” flat. Not like different fish, pores and skin and flesh curling just isn’t such an issue with salmon, however urgent down helps ensures that we get evenly crisped pores and skin from finish to finish;
-
Flip after 7 minutes – prepare dinner the salmon 3/4 of the way in which by means of pores and skin aspect down. It’s simple to inform how the salmon is progressing: Simply look in conjunction with the salmon. When it modifications from translucent to opaque 3/4 of the way in which up the aspect, the fish is cooked 3/4 of the way in which by means of. Now it’s time to show the the salmon;
-
Prepare dinner 1 1/2 minutes flesh aspect down – That is simply to complete off the final of the raw aspect and can take little or no time;
-
Flip once more – for crispy pores and skin assurance!! My little trick to make sure tremendous crispy salmon pores and skin hits the desk each time is to show the salmon another time and prepare dinner the pores and skin for one more 60 seconds so it’s tremendous sizzling and crisp if you plate it up. Fish pores and skin loses crispiness when it cools down (until you deep fry it) so by giving the pores and skin one final blast earlier than taking it off the range, it can keep crispy for longer!
-
Pores and skin aspect UP!!! Plate up pores and skin aspect as much as protect that crispy pores and skin you’ve labored so laborious for! Additionally, don’t pour sauce on the pores and skin, it can make it soggy virtually immediately. If you wish to serve a sauce with the salmon, pour it on the plate first (neatly!) and place fillet on prime, else pour sauce across the plated fillet.
A correctly seasoned, completely cooked salmon that’s juicy inside will be served plain as a result of it’s an oily fish with loads of flavour within the flesh. With the crispy pores and skin as an additional factor, it actually doesn’t want the rest besides maybe a wedge of lemon!
Nonetheless, I’ve served it right here with a lemony, herbed risotto. The risotto serves as each a aspect and a sort of sauce as a result of it’s so good and creamy; you form of scoop it up with the salmon. Need the recipe? 😇 (And what if I instructed you there’s a completely hands-off ,oven-baked method to make creamy risottos??) Printed the recipe! Right here it’s: Lemon & Herb Risotto (hands-free baked methodology!)
However should you do need a easy sauce, do this Creamy Dill Sauce for Salmon or Creamy Garlic and Herb Salmon. It’s fast to arrange, and brings a beautiful recent distinction to this wealthy fish, with the dill a traditional pairing with salmon. Or, should you’re up for a decadent and fancy possibility, strive Hollandaise or taragon-infused Béarnaise sauce! Then select a aspect salad or veggie aspect, and add some crusty bread to finish your meal! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets , skin-on (Note 1)
- 1 tsp olive oil (or other cooking oil)
- 1 tsp salt , cooking/kosher (3/4 tsp table salt, Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Dry skin: Pat the skin of the salmon very well with a paper towel until dry. If time permits, place the salmon skin side up in the fridge for 1 hour (uncovered,) to dry it out even more.
- Season: Drizzle flesh side with half the oil (just a tiny bit) and rub over skin. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Turn fillet over and repeat. Do not do this step until just before cooking.
- Heat oil: Put enough oil in a large non stick skillet so it fully covers the base. Heat on medium high until it shimmers (but not smoking).
- Skin side down: Place salmon in the skillet skin side down, then immediately turn the head down to medium.
- Press down: Using a spatula or something similar, press down on each salmon for 10 seconds so the skin is pushed flat against the skillet and "sets" its form. If you can do at least two at a time that is ideal.
- Cook 7 minutes: Cook for 7 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked 3/4 of the way through (you will see the colour changing up the side of the salmon) and the skin is crispy.
- 90 sec on flesh side: Flip the salmon to skin side is up and cook for a further 90 seconds.
- Final skin blast! (My secret tip) Flip the salmon again to skin side down, turn the heat up to medium high and cook the skin side again for 60 seconds, just to give it a final blast of heat to reinforce crispiness!
- Serve skin side UP to protect the crispy skin. Fish skin will only stay crispy while it's hot, so serve immediately! Pictured in post with creamy Lemon & Herb Risotto which acts as a side dish and semi-sauce (super easy no-stir recipe!).
Notes
1. Salmon – in theory, you can do this for as many salmon as you want, it’s just about how many you can handle in one batch. Also, don’t crowd the skillet – the salmon will just steam instead of pan fry.
Any size fillets are fine, a standard serving is typically around 150 – 180g / 5 – 6oz per person. Look for even-thickness fillets. If you can only find ones with a quite thin end, don’t worry – that’s the salmon belly and has enough fat that it will still stay juicy!
Fish fillets should be de-boned and descaled. See in post for how to check and remove yourself if necessary. Fish mongers should sell fillets already descaled and pin-boned, that’s partly why we pay a premium for fish fillets!
2. Salt – cooking/kosher salt are slightly larger grains than table salt, intended for more easy handling for cooking purposes. So if you use table salt, you need to use less otherwise it will be too salty.
3. Nutrition per serving, assuming 150g/5oz per fillet and that half the oil is consumed.
Did You Make This Recipe?
How you went with my recipes? Tag me on Instagram at @PenciDesign.
