How to Sear Fish for Perfectly Crispy Skin
When cooking any dish, it helps to start with the end in mind. Ask yourself what you want in the final product and focus on techniques that help you get there.
For skin-on fish, the goal is usually crispy skin with juicy, tender meat underneath. When working with thinner fillets, most of the cooking can happen on the skin side. You may only need a quick flip or, in some cases, no flip at all, just a little butter spooned over the top. This method works beautifully for fish like flounder, rainbow or speckled trout, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, mackerel, and thinner cuts of salmon such as belly or tail pieces.
Thicker fillets, like grouper, tilefish, American red snapper, wahoo, striped bass, amberjack, or thicker cuts of salmon and swordfish, can be finished in the oven after searing. Preheat your oven to 375°F and place the fish skin side up so the skin stays crisp while it finishes cooking.
Before you start cooking, make sure your fillets are scaled. Larger or thicker fillets benefit from lightly scoring the skin with a very sharp knife. Quick, shallow cuts will help the skin stay flat and cook evenly without curling up.
Once your pan is preheated and there is enough oil to coat the bottom, add the fillet skin side down. As soon as you do this, the fillet will begin to curl, using a spatula or spoon, and apply gentle pressure to the fillet in order to get it to lay flat on the pan. Resist the temptation to move it. Let the fish sit undisturbed for at least 30 seconds so the skin can begin to crisp. You can rotate or “spin” the pan to even out the heat, and if needed, turn the burner up just a notch or two. Look for gentle bubbling around the edges, a little steam, and no smoke from the oil.
As the fish cooks, fat and moisture are rendered out of the skin, which is what makes it crispy. This process also causes the fillet to shrink slightly, so scoring the skin helps with even cooking. When the skin is ready, it will naturally release from the pan when you slide a fish spatula underneath.
Depending on the thickness, you can finish cooking on the stovetop or transfer the fillet to the oven. Most skin-on fillets will be cooked to a perfect medium or medium plus at 135,145°F. Finish with butter, a squeeze of fresh lemon, or even a quick pan sauce.
Tip: Always season your fillets ahead of time, at least 15 minutes and up to an hour before cooking, and gently pat away any excess moisture with a paper towel. Dry fish is far less likely to stick to the pan, and this simple step makes all the difference in achieving that gorgeous, crispy skin. Check out our tips on curing fish ahead of cooking.
Happy cooking!
Aaron – Fishmonger, Locals Seafood