Salmon is the perfect quick, easy and delicious weeknight dinner. We love baking larger pieces of salmon whole, but for this pan searing technique you’ll want to slice the fish into smaller sized fillets. About six to eight ounces per person is a good serving size.

I love using this method to cook dinner for one or two people and being able to keep the rest of the salmon frozen for later use so that it’s perfectly fresh every time. Also, there’s nothing quite like the way that using the pan creates crispy, delicious seared skin.

Also Read: Wild Caught Alaskan Sockeye Salmon: A Gem Of The Ocean

Crispy, Delicious Pan Seared Skin

The skin is really the star of the show when it comes to selecting this method of cooking. With other cooking techniques fish skin often turns out mushy and unappetizing. But when it’s pan seared, it turns out thin and slightly crunchy in a mouthwatering way that’s almost comparable to bacon.

There’s three important steps to take note of in order to have the skin cooked to delicious perfection. One is to make certain that the fillets are not cold when you cook them. Also make sure to pat the fillets dry of any moisture, and that the skillet is adequately hot before cooking.

Our Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon

Our sockeye salmon are 100% wild and never given any additives or antibiotics. They come from the pristine, cold waters of the Pacific off the coast of Alaska. This area has the greatest resources of wild salmon in the world. Our fishery is carefully managed for sustainability and returns tens of millions of salmon to these waters each year. These salmon are sought after for their delicious flavor, high oil content and vibrant red orange colored flesh.

Also Read: Recipe: How To Pan Sear Sea Scallops To Perfection

Ingredients:

• Wild caught sockeye salmon sliced into 2 fillets (6-8 ounces each)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or bison tallow
• Sea salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Thaw the salmon. Take it out of the freezer and refrigerate the night before, and then prior to cooking let it sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes. Meat that is closer to room temperature will always cook more evenly, so it’s important not to skip this step.
2. Use a clean towel to pat the fish dry on all sides. This will keep the fish from sticking to the bottom of the pan while cooking.
3. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Leave it to heat up for a few minutes.
4. You’ll know when the pan is hot enough when you can flick a couple drops of water into it and they instantly evaporate. Temperature is very important so be sure that this test is successful before moving on to add anything else to the pan.
5. Add the tablespoon of avocado oil or bison tallow to the hot skillet. Let it heat up until the surface of the oil shimmers. Don’t let it heat up to the point of smoking, however.
6. Season the salmon fillets generously with sea salt on all sides. Complete this step just before adding them to the skillet to cook.
7. Put the salmon fillets into the hot pan. Make sure to place them skin side down. Ensure that the fillets are not touching each other and have plenty of room in the pan.
8. Because the skin offers a protective layer, most of the cooking will be done while this side is down in the skillet. Don’t move or touch the salmon while it’s cooking - simply leave it alone. You’ll be able to tell that it’s cooking as the color begins to lighten, starting towards the bottom of the fillet closest to the skin and gradually moving up to the top of the flesh. When it’s cooked about ¾ of the way up, the skin side down cooking is complete. This should take somewhere between 6-9 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillets.
9. Flip the fillets over and allow to cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Be careful of any oil splatter when flipping the fish.
10. Remove the fillets from the pan and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil from cooking. Allow to rest for approximately 3 minutes, then serve immediately.

Also Read: Wild Caught Cape Cod Sea Scallops: Our Latest Offering

We’re Excited To Offer Quality Seafood

We’re excited to offer this delicious salmon, along with wild caught sea scallops to satisfy the many requests we’ve received to carry seafood. As always, we’re committed to quality, ethical sourcing and the most outstanding flavor.

If you’re in the market for some meat that comes from the land, check out our selections of bison, elk, wild boar, lamb, grass fed beef and chicken. All of our products are packaged by hand in our Santa Fe warehouse and delivered straight to your door, in a reusable cooler with dry ice for optimal freshness.