Salting your proteins before cooking is essential and seafood is no exception, especially for a simple pan-fry, broil, or grill. This makes for a more moist and flavorful fish and gives you a larger margin of error when cooking. No more dry, overcooked fish.
Ingredients
8 to 16 ounces pound salmon (sockeye, king, coho, or keta), pin bones removed Available in Our Seafood Subscription Box
2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 tablespoons for each ½ pound salmon
Kosher salt or large flaked sea salt
Directions
SEASON THE FISH
Cut salmon into portion-size pieces and pat dry. Generously salt each portion and let rest for 15 minutes on the counter.
COOK AND BASTE THE FISH
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Using a spoon, remove any white milk solids and discard. Add the salmon skin-side down into the pan and gently press down to make skin contact fully with pan. Immediately, tilt the pan slightly to allow the butter to pool. Spoon the butter repeatedly over the fillets for 30 seconds, then return the pan to level. Cook over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Baste again using the tilt and spoon method for 30 more seconds, then return the pan to level. Cook for 1 more minute, then tilt and baste for a third and final last time. The skin should begin to lift easily from the pan.
Turn fish over and cook for 30 to 45 seconds. Return fillets skin-side down, and cook until firm but yields slightly to the touch.
SERVE
Serve salmon skin-side up on a cutting board to keep the skin crispy.
