Pan Searing Fish

[Hovannes]

Pan searing tends to bring out the best of thick fillets, and to be truthful, I've never received any formal instruction when it comes to this method.
I attribute any success I've had to simply using a lot of butter and not overcooking.

If you do a lot of pan searing fish, how exactly, do you do it?
Also do you prefer a cast iron, stainless or an anodized pan?
My pan seared deficient mind wants to know!

 

[CoffeeAndBourbon]

I use a fairly heavy non-stick pan for fish (granitestone is the brand I like). A good carbon steel pan would be a good choice too, but I already have too many pans

 

[Briar Tuck]

I pan fry and sear fish in cast iron exclusively. Lots of butter is indeed the key ingredient for success. As a fisherman, I cook and eat a lot of fish.

 

[Zero]

I bake my salmon, but want to master pan searing. My last attempt left my kitchen smokey, visibility zero, and fire alarms blaring. I had to low crawl to them and yank the batteries, turn on fans, and open windows. The salmon still tasted good burnt. So, I've had to do some research myself. Avocado oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, and I've read to bring the fish to room temperature and the pan to medium high heat before placing skin side up first. I need a refresher in instruction before I attempt again.

 

[fMf Piper]

I pan fry and sear fish in cast iron exclusively. Lots of butter is indeed the key ingredient for success. As a fisherman, I cook and eat a lot of fish.

^^^This.

I really only pan fry fish when out camping/fishing. Fresh caught in cast iron over the camp fire with lots of butter.

I find everything just tastes better when it's cooked out in nature over a fire!

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Hats off to those who can pan sear fish effectively - I can't.

Salmon or walleye or northern pike, etc. I bake now, not always the same technique or approach every time, but get more consistent results in the oven which is important because we just don't eat it very often.

 

[fMf Piper]

Salmon or walleye or northern pike, etc. I bake now, not always the same technique or approach every time, but get more consistent results in the oven which is important because we just don't eat it very often.

I only pan sear trout or bass. I always bake salmon, cod, etc.

 

[Zero]

How To Cook Fresh Salmon In Frying Pan – Oshen Salmon

How To Cook Fresh Salmon In Frying Pan

Cooking food on a frying pan uses a dry-heat method of cooking. A frying pan relies on oils or fats to steam cook the meat all while the outside of the food is allowing the steam to escape. This is what creates that beautiful crisp and favorable texture. So if we add a salmon fillet to the mix...

oshensalmon.com

 

[Hovannes]

I think there is a difference between frying and searing, but I freely admit I'm not well educated on the matter.
I'll start by drying the fish at room temperature and seasoning with some Paprika and lemon.
what I've been doing is using a lot of butter---almost brown--- to caramelize the surface of the thick filet, like Halibut or Seabass anywhere from four to seven minutes a side depending on thickness. When the outside is lightly caramelized the inside is flaky and done.
So far, I've only used a stainless pan for this, nor have I tried pan searing salmon---salmon gets the air fryer these days.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I just use a pat of butter per fillet per side, but I am mostly blackening, which is really just a matter of spices away from being a sear. You guys saying “a lot of butter” wouldn’t that be frying?

I used to use cast iron exclusively for this, but I now have a heavy nonstick pan that I use, because I can use even less butter. It still tastes as good as cast iron, IMO, just less greasy.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Vegtable oil to lightly cover a skillet or cast iron pan, due to higher smoke point (otherwise it becomes a fry and not a sear). Season fish and place skin side up with your hand toward the top of the pan (12 o'clock position) so as to avoid splashing hot oil on yourself. Skin side up 1st is debatable, but I always place serving side (what appears up on the plate) down 1st.

Don't move the fish until it breaks away on its own (so as to form a crust - test by gently shaking pan, but don'tforce the fish to move). Then flip (so oil splashes away from you) and cook until about 115 to 130 degrees (or 3ish minutes and finish in the oven for thicker filets). Finish with lemon juice, pat of butter, or a pan sauce.

 

[bullet08]

Hot pan, butter with a bit of oil so the butter doesn't smoke too quick. Good pair of spatulas. Do it quick.

 

[BarrelProof]

12.5” Hestan Nanobond. Heat pan over medium heat for a few minutes to get it hot. Add a touch of oil and add the protein. Flip when it naturally releases. Out when the other side naturally releases. Season to taste.

 

[NomadOrb]

I use cast iron and stainless steel.

The key is to get your pan nice and hot on a low temperature, not smoking or anything, just evenly ready for the fish. Turn up the heat and add fat, enough to coat the entire pan, then lay the fish down when the fat starts to shimmer.

Don't try to move the fish until it starts to brown a bit.

 

[Briar Tuck]

Hot pan, butter with a bit of oil so the butter doesn't smoke too quick. Good pair of spatulas. Do it quick.

Exactly. Butter has a low smoke point, so it a good idea to include some oil as well. I forgot to mention that.

 

[Briar Tuck]

I think there is a difference between frying and searing, but I freely admit I'm not well educated on the matter.
I'll start by drying the fish at room temperature and seasoning with some Paprika and lemon.
what I've been doing is using a lot of butter---almost brown--- to caramelize the surface of the thick filet, like Halibut or Seabass anywhere from four to seven minutes a side depending on thickness. When the outside is lightly caramelized the inside is flaky and done.
So far, I've only used a stainless pan for this, nor have I tried pan searing salmon---salmon gets the air fryer these days.

It can be a fine line between frying and searing, really depending on how much fat/oil you have in the pan.

I cook a lot of salmon, and aside from smoking it I cook most of it in cast iron. One of my favorite recipes is salmon with a pecan and brown sugar glaze, which is pan seared and then finished in the oven.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I just used to stick a bay leaf in the cavity, wrap it in tinfoil & bung it in the oven.

To lazy to pan sear/fry .

Regards,

Jay.

 

[kcghost]

Anything that swims in water I don't want anything to do with except shrimp, calamari, scallops and one other that I can't recall (senior moment).

 

[Yadkin1765]

If you want a proper sear, dry both sides with paper towels before salting (kosher salt is best), after salting both sides, let the salt work some more moisture from the flesh (10-30 mins), then pat dry again. This is the most important step for a nice even crust. Removing moisture reduces the amount of time and heat needed to begin forming a crust, allowing for a flakier more even cook, without having to overcook to get the fish to separate from the pan.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I only pan sear if it's white fish, halibut, ling cod, rock fish etc. Cast iron is always best, as others have said mucho butter is key.

All salmon goes on the grill. Always.