To skin or not to skin, that is the question when it comes to salmon. Some seafood experts like the extra “fishy” taste that comes from leaving the skin on, but others think it’s too much. Since salmon isn’t deep-fried very often, it’s not as easy to make the skin extra crispy like you can with fried chicken or cod. Whether you like your salmon with the skin on or off, there’s no doubt that it’s full of healthy nutrients straight from the sea.
Healthline says that salmon has many important vitamins and minerals, such as niacin, phosphorus, vitamins D and B, protein, and especially omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart. The news source also says that a lot of the omega-3 in salmon comes from the skin, which helps the fish keep its healthy nutrients while it’s cooking.
But the skin can also hold harmful chemicals and toxins, like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and methylmercury from dirty water, as well as pesticides from fishing from farms. So its best to eat the skin from wild-caught salmon and to avoid it entirely during pregnancy. If you want to take off the skin from that tasty and healthy piece of salmon, there’s an amazingly easy way to do it before you put it in the pan, oven, or grill.
You can scrape off the skin after cooking, but it’s messy, not very appealing, takes a long time, and tends to mess up the way your plate looks. That leaves you with the chore of removing the skin prior to cooking. Sunny Anderson, a chef on Food Network and co-host of “The Kitchen,” has a skin-off tip that uses water and heat, which are both common things in any home kitchen. She shows on YouTube that boiling hot water is the best way to get rid of salmon skin that isn’t cooked. It only takes a few minutes.
First, lay the cut salmon filets down, skin-side up, on a mesh rack with a pan on the bottom. Fill an electric kettle with water and bring it to a boil. Then, pour the hot water over the salmon skins slowly, letting the water run down into the pan below. This keeps the salmon flesh from heating up and beginning to cook. The skin will quickly soften and start curling on the edges. All thats left now is to simply grab one end of the skin and pull it right off. People still don’t agree on how to handle fish skin, especially salmon skin, but now you have an easy way to get what you want.
Preparing a beautifully seared salmon fillet can be a satisfying cooking experience. However, getting rid of the slimy salmon skin can ruin the fun. You can use a knife, but it takes longer and you might throw away good fish. Thank goodness there’s a quick trick that uses boiling water to make removing salmon skin a breeze.
In this article, we’ll walk through step-by-step how to easily remove salmon skin using just hot water and your hands. No knife work required!
Why Removing Salmon Skin is a Hassle
Salmon skin can be tricky to cut off evenly with a knife. If you’re not careful, you might cut off valuable pieces of salmon meat along with the skin. To get a clean cut between the skin and the flesh, you need to be quick with your knife.
Even for experienced cooks, getting salmon skin off in one piece can be frustrating. And sawing away with a knife also creates waste if some of the fish sticks to the skin
So while the skin can be crispy and delicious when cooked, removing it raw is often a chore most home cooks want to avoid.
How the Hot Water Hack Works
Using a simple kettle or pot of boiling water makes removing salmon skin a total breeze. The science behind it is that hot water slightly cooks and shrinks the skin, loosening it from the raw flesh.
Here’s a quick overview of the boiling water salmon skin removal method:
- Place raw salmon fillet skin-side up on a rack over a pan
- Pour boiling water over the skin for just a few seconds
- Let it sit briefly then the skin easily peels right off
The hot water causes the skin to shrivel and release from the salmon meat with zero effort. Keep reading for the full step-by-step tutorial.
Step-by-Step Salmon Skin Removal with Hot Water
To try this super simple salmon prep hack yourself, follow these instructions:
What You Need
- Salmon fillet(s) with skin on
- Kettle or pot for boiling water
- Baking/cooling rack
- Rimmed baking sheet or casserole dish
Steps
- Place cooling rack over rimmed baking sheet.
- Lay salmon fillet(s) skin-side up on top of the rack.
- Bring water to a boil in a kettle or pot.
- Once boiling, slowly pour a small stream of hot water over the salmon skin for just a few seconds.
- Let the salmon sit for about 30 seconds.
- Gently grasp a corner of the skin with your fingers and peel it off. It should lift off easily in full pieces if the water was hot enough.
- Rinse the salmon under cool water and pat dry. It’s now ready to cook skin-free!
And that’s all there is to it! The skin practically falls right off without needing to slice anything. Way faster and cleaner than using a knife.
Tips for the Best Results
Here are some tips to ensure this salmon skin removal hack works perfectly every time:
- Make sure your water is at a rapid boil before pouring. The hotter, the better.
- Don’t pour too much water. Just a light stream for a few seconds is enough.
- Let the skin sit for 20-30 seconds before attempting to remove it.
- Start peeling slowly at the edges. If it sticks, let it sit longer.
- Try thicker salmon fillets, as thinner pieces may overcook.
- Be gentle when peeling it off. If parts stick, apply more hot water.
Other Uses for the Salmon Skin
While removing it raw makes for pretty fillets, you can also cook salmon with the skin on for a crispy texture. Just score the skin before cooking so it doesn’t curl.
You can also save the skin from this hot water method to add into stocks, salmon patties, or chowders. It still has flavor to impart.
Or get creative and turn the skin into salmon skin crackers! They make a crunchy snack or garnish.
Removing salmon skin is a breeze with this clever boiling water trick. All you need is a simple setup with a rack and hot water. In just seconds, you can release the skin cleanly without any knife work. For easy skin-on salmon prep, this hack is a total game changer!
The quick hack to remove the skin from salmon!
FAQ
Can you use boiling water to remove salmon skin?
Do you take the skin off salmon before pan frying?
How to cook salmon so the skin comes off?
How to remove salmon skin without a knife?
TikToker, Rosie Reisman, gives us a crash course on how to remove the skin without even using a knife. All you need is a baking rack, a casserole dish, and boiling water. Once you have a rack over the casserole dish to catch the water, place the salmon (skin side up) on top of the rack. You can use a tea kettle or sauce pan to boil water.
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 do you remove salmon skin from a fillet?
You’ll need a baking rack, a baking dish and boiling water. Then, with the salmon positioned on the baking rack with the skin facing up, pour hot water gently onto the fillet. The skin will “shrivel up” and, after around a minute, can be easily pulled away. It’s a simple and effective way to remove salmon skin! TMB Studio
How do you soften salmon skin?
Next, bring an electric kettle of water to a boil and slowly pour the hot water over the salmon skins, which will soften and curl on the edges, making it easy to grab one end of the skin and pull it right off. This trick only takes a few minutes and you can also boil the water another way, so long as you’re careful when pouring it.