Salmon fillets are an exceptionally forgiving cut of fish to cook, and with the right preparation you can cook salmon fillets in a pan like a professional.
If you want to make the skin on your salmon crunch when you bite into it, sprinkle the skin side of the fish with some salt.
Place a pan over medium-high heat on the stove, and allow it to become hot so that water drops sizzle away. Then, pour oil in to the pan and wait for the oil to become glossy.
Put the salmon skin side down in to the hot oil, and give it about a minute to make sure the skin is lovely and crispy. It should sizzle loudly when placed in the pan. If cooking more than one fillet, be careful to not crowd the pan. This captures steam near the fish fillets, and can prevent the skin from becoming crispy.
Once the skin is crispy, turn the fillets and cook for about one minute on each side, or until cooked through. Cooked salmon will flake easily when gently pushed with a fork.
Salmon is not the only fish that is delicious when fried in a pan. Other fish fillets suitable for this pan frying include any firm white fish like snapper, whiting, bream, John Dory and barramundi.
For these thinner fillets, a light dusting of flour will protect the flesh and give it a crisp coating. If the fish has no skin cook it on one side until lightly browned underneath, then turn and cook for a few more minutes (depending on thickness) until done.
If your fish fillets are very thick, you can transfer them to a 180°C (160°C fan-forced) preheated oven for several minutes to finish cooking them through after you have seared them in the pan. This will also prevent a thick crust from forming on the fish.
Now you know how to cook salmon on a pan, why not try this crispy-skin salmon on braised peas and mash?
Would you prefer baked salmon or looking for more salmon recipes?
