Learn how to remove the skin from salmon with this straightforward step-by-step guide. All you need is a sharp knife and a little finesse to get the most flesh yield. This process is a crucial prep technique that all home cooks can master!.
If you want to avoid having to pay the butcher to remove the skin from the salmon at the market next time, why not try it yourself? The simple separation technique is an easy skill to learn. From large pieces to smaller fillets, this method will come in handy when making pan-seared salmon.
You will get a lot more seafood yield for the price versus buying it pre-fabricated. I first learned how to do this in culinary school. Seeing a whole side of salmon on the cutting board was a bit intimidating. However, once I practiced a few times, I felt empowered.
Salmon is one of the most popular and versatile fish used in home kitchens and restaurants alike. Its flaky, tender texture and rich flavor make it a seafood staple. Salmon fillets are often sold with the skin still attached to help keep the flesh intact. However, the skin can result in an unpleasant mouthfeel when eating the cooked fish. Fortunately, removing the skin from raw salmon fillets is an easy process once you know the proper techniques.
In this comprehensive guide we will walk through the step-by-step process to skin raw salmon. With a sharp knife a cutting board, and a few minutes, you’ll be prepping flaky, skinless salmon fillets to use in your favorite recipes.
Why Remove the Skin from Raw Salmon?
There are a few reasons you may want to remove the skin from salmon fillets before cooking
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Texture: When salmon is cooked, the skin gets tough and chewy, and it has a plastic-like feel that many people don’t like.
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Appearance – Skinless cooked salmon has a nicer presentation with the meat fully exposed.
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Nutrition: Salmon skin is high in fat, so taking it off lowers the amount of fat and calories in a serving.
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Taste—The fishy taste is mostly in the skin, so salmon without the skin has a milder taste.
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Cost savings – Skinning salmon yourself saves the expense of buying pre-skinned fillets.
Of course, the skin is edible and some enjoy eating it since it contains a high amount of healthy omega-3 fats. It just comes down to personal preference!
Tools and Items You’ll Need
Skinning salmon is a simple process that doesn’t require any fancy tools. Here is the short list of what you’ll need:
- Sharp knife (6 inches or longer)
- Cutting board
- Paper towels
- Raw salmon fillet
A flexible boning knife or thin, sharp fillet knife works best to easily maneuver around the salmon’s bones.
Make sure your knife is razor sharp for the easiest, cleanest cuts. Dull knives make removing the skin more difficult and tear the delicate flesh.
Step 1: Place Fillet Skin-Side Down
Lay the salmon fillet down on your cutting board with the skin-side facing down. Position it so the tail end points away from your dominant hand.
Having the skin-side down provides stability and prevents the fish from sliding around as you cut.
Step 2: Make a Starting Cut
Make an initial shallow slit into the flesh about one inch from the tail end. Insert your knife just until you reach the skin underneath.
This starting cut gives you a place to grip the skin before removing it in one full piece.
Step 3: Grab the Skin to Establish Tension
Use a paper towel to grab the exposed skin and hold it taught. The paper towel prevents slipping.
Pulling the skin tight is key to removing it easily in the next steps. It takes the guesswork out of where to cut.
Step 4: Cut Alongside the Skin
With your non-cutting hand pulling the skin taut, carefully slice the fillet’s flesh off the skin.
Keep the knife flush with the skin as you make swift, smooth motions from tail to head. Apply just enough pressure to separate the fish from skin without cutting through.
Step 5: Maintain Proper Knife Angle
Be careful not to angle the knife too steeply and accidentally cut into the skin itself. Keep the blade tilted slightly upward.
Don’t press down too deeply either or you may cut through the flesh you want to keep intact. Use light, precise pressure.
Step 6: Follow Through in One Motion
Once you begin cutting, don’t stop! Use one long, continuous slice until the fillet is completely freed from the skin.
Starting and stopping creates jagged cuts. One smooth cut results in a pristine, restaurant-quality skinned fillet.
Step 7: Inspect for Leftover Skin
Double check your work and remove any little remaining bits of skin left behind on the fish with your knife or fingers.
You may also need to trim any dark fatty areas along the belly flap that can lend a fishy taste when cooked.
Step 8: Rinse and Pat Dry
Give the skinned fillet a quick rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels before cooking or marinating.
Proper drying ensures all seasonings added during the next steps stick evenly to the fish rather than sliding off.
Tips for Easy, Successful Skinning
Follow these tips for the cleanest, quickest skinning results:
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Work with very fresh, firm salmon. Older fish has flesh that sticks to the skin.
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Invest in a sharp, thin-bladed knife designed for filleting. Dull knives make the job harder.
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Cut in a smooth, continuous motion without stopping to prevent jagged edges.
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Pull the skin taut so you’re essentially just cutting along in the crevice between skin and flesh.
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Angle the blade slightly upwards as you cut to avoid slicing into the skin itself.
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Remove all traces of skin for the best texture and appearance once cooked.
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Dry the skinned fillets well before the next steps of prep and cooking.
Get Creative with Your Skinned Salmon
Once you’ve mastered the skinning process, the possibilities are endless for how to use your freshly prepared salmon fillets. Here are just a few delicious ways to put them to use:
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Pan sear or bake, then serve with vegetables and rice or roasted potatoes.
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Make salmon patties or salmon cakes using minced skinned salmon.
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Use in sushi rolls, poke bowls, salmon salads, or salmon tartare.
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Smoke or cure for lox to enjoy on bagels with all the fixings.
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Grill and add to tacos, sandwiches, flatbreads, or pizza.
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Poach and use in pasta dishes, risottos, or salmon noodles.
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Wrap in puff pastry or phyllo dough to bake en croûte.
Now that you’re a salmon skinning pro, get ready to enjoy the full flavor of this amazing fish without the unpleasant chewy skin. Prepared properly, skinless salmon offers the very best in taste, texture and nutrition.
Can you eat the gray area on salmon?
When you remove the skin from the salmon, you will notice a gray-colored layer beneath the flesh. This tissue is a fatty deposit loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It is perfectly safe to eat, but it does have a slightly chalky and fishier taste. Use a boning knife to cut it off before cooking, or use a fork to flake it off afterward.
Place on a cutting board
Place the cutting board near the edge of the counter. Put the salmon fillet skin-side down, with the tail end facing you. This position makes it easier to cut, starting from narrow to broader. If using smaller fillets, face the shortest side towards you.
If possible, put the salmon as close to the edge of the cutting board. This location will prevent your knuckles from scraping the board when making a parallel cutting motion.
Salmon are large fish with long pin bones running down the length of their body. When the two sides are removed, sometimes a few bones are still attached to the flesh.
To find them near the middle of the fillet, run your fingers back and forth across the flesh. Use pliers or tweezers to pluck them out. No one likes a surprise bone in their dish.
Use a sharp knife with a blade that is longer than the width of the salmon. You can cut off some of the tapered side to make it easier to cut and cook more evenly. A boning knife, utility knife, or chef’s knife works well.
I prefer a more flexible boning knife to work between the skin and flesh. The chef’s knife is thicker and more rigid but will be quicker with the wider blade.
Make a cut about an inch deep between the flesh and skin of the salmon to help you hold it while you take the skin off. Now you can hold this area when slicing. If the skin feels slippery, wrap a piece of paper towel around it to make it more secure.
This method gives you a little bit of skin to hold on and pull taught when slicing. Hold the knife at a downward angle so that you get as close to the skin as possible. Use slow sawing motions until you reach the other end of the fillet.
After removing the skin, you can now control the individual portion sizes. You can leave it whole for a beautiful baked salmon, cut it into fillets or big chunks to skewer, or grill it to make burgers. The recipe possibilities are endless!.
If you’re not using cooking right away, store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Wrap whole fillets well with plastic wrap and foil. Place portioned pieces in an airtight container. The salmon can be frozen for up to 1 month and then defrosted before use.
Salmon skin is safe to eat because it is low in mercury and gets very crispy when cooked the right way. When cut and fried, they make a delicious crunchy snack. There are some health benefits as the skin contains omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin E, and collagen. The salmon scales are also okay to eat. However, you can remove them if desired.
When pan-searing, you can leave the skin on for a crispy contrast in texture or take it off. If poaching, remove it for even cooking. You can bake or roast salmon with the skin on, and then it’s very easy to take it off.
How to Skin a Salmon
FAQ
Can you peel the skin off salmon before cooking?
How do you cut raw salmon with skin?
Do you need to skin a salmon?
Against popular belief, it is not necessary to skin a salmon. Salmon skin can actually be healthy for your diet. If you grill, fry, or sear the salmon, the skin will add lots of flavor to the fish and be nice and crispy. To skin a salmon, you will need a sharp knife and needle-point tweezers.
What are the benefits of smoked salmon over raw salmon?
It actually has the same characteristics as raw salmon, being relatively low in calories, it is an excellent source of protein, good fat and several vitamins and minerals. The smoking process just adds an aroma.
How to skin salmon if you don’t know where the fish came from?
If you don’t know where the fish came from, you should skin the salmon. The last thing to cover before learning how to skin salmon is what tools you need. Let’s take a look. A sharp knife – Any sharp knife will do, but a fillet knife will work the best. Needle nose pliers – You will need needle nose pliers to remove the pin bones.
How do you cook salmon skin?
You can use a tea kettle or sauce pan to boil water. Once the water is boiling, gently pour a little water over the salmon skin. As you pour you can see the skin start to shrivel from the heat of the water. Let it sit for a minute and gently pull the skin off the salmon. Viola!