How to Keep Your Salmon From Sticking to a Pan, by Michael Ponzio on YouTube. 7 min 38 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 38 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Put the salmon on a cutting board and pat both sides completely dry with paper towels. A dry surface is the main way to stop it sticking.
Heat the oven to 425 F. Use an oven-safe saute pan that can go from the stovetop into the oven.
Set the pan over medium-high heat and add a light coating of olive oil. Let the pan and oil heat until the oil shimmers.
Season the flesh side of the salmon with salt and pepper. Keep the skin side plain if your fillet has skin.
Lay the salmon meat side down and skin side up in the hot pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes without moving it, so a crust forms.
Carefully move the pan into the 425 F oven. Cook a thick piece for about 7 minutes or a thin piece for 4 to 5 minutes.
Check that the fish moves freely in the pan and releases when you lift a corner. The thickest part should reach 145 F.
Rest the salmon for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. If you want the skin side down, flip it once it has released cleanly.
Tips and common mistakes
Pat the salmon dry right before cooking; a wet surface steams and sticks.
Preheat the pan fully before adding the fish, and do not crowd the pan.
If the crust looks too dark, take one minute off the stovetop time.
Use oven mitts when moving the hot pan, and keep the handle turned away from you.
Questions
Why does my salmon stick to the pan?
The usual causes are a wet fish surface or a pan that is not hot enough. Dry the fillet and preheat the pan with oil before adding it.
How long should I cook salmon at 425 F?
After a 2 to 3 minute stovetop sear, a thick fillet needs about 7 minutes and a thin one 4 to 5 minutes. Check for 145 F in the thickest part.
Can I cook salmon without the skin?
Yes. Cook it meat side down first and handle it gently, because a skinless fillet can fall apart more easily.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
