The Great Salmon Searing Debate: Skin Side Down vs Flesh Side Down First

Cooking salmon to tender, flaky perfection is a delicate art. If you overcook the fish even a little, the meat will be dry and chalky. If you undercook it, your dinner guests could get sick and have to stay the night. No pressure!.

One of the most heated topics among home cooks is which side of the salmon to sear first: the skin side down or the flesh side down. Both camps are convinced their method produces superior results. As a brave salmon fan, I decided to put both methods to the test and settle the debate about crispy skin vs. moist flesh once and for all.

The Case for Skin Side Down First

This approach has long been the way of professional chefs and seasoned home cooks. Place the salmon fillet skin side down in a hot pan and sear until the skin gets super crispy. Then flip and briefly cook the flesh side just until done.

Pros

• Crispy salmon skin is delicious! When seared correctly, it becomes a crackly, bacon-like taste sensation.

• The skin insulates the delicate flesh from overcooking. As the bottom skin turns crispy, the heat slowly moves up, cooking the meat without drying it out.

• Less risk of overcooking. With the skin side taking the brunt of the heat, it builds in a slight cushion against overcooking the inside as you monitor for doneness.

• Moist tender meat. The flesh cooks more gently and evenly, resulting in ideal moistness and tenderness.

Cons:

• Requires vigilance. You must carefully watch the doneness on the sides and top to avoid over or undercooking since the skin hides the visual cues.

• Uneven browning. The skin can overbrown or even burn while the inside still needs more time if your heat is too high. Controlling temperature is key.

• Potential sticking. Fish skin can fuse to the pan if the pan is not hot enough or oil is not used. Proper preheating and oil prevents this.

The Case for Flesh Side Down First

While less popular than skin side down, some cooks insist searing flesh side first is best. They argue putting the delicate flesh against the pan first yields superior texture.

Pros:

• Better texture. Direct heat exposure firms and browns the fragile flesh nicely.

• Visual cues. You can better monitor the doneness of the flesh as it cooks. Once opaque 2/3 up the sides, flip.

• Shorter cooking. The exposed flesh sears faster so the total cooking time is reduced.

Cons:

• Dry flesh. Too much direct heat on the flesh can quickly make it dry and overcooked.

• Skin may not crisp. By the time the inside cooks, the skin only gets partially crispy.

• Higher sticking risk. The flesh can more easily fuse to the pan without the skin’s protection.

The Definitive Test:

To settle this salmon searing showdown, I carefully executed side-by-side tests of skin-side-down and flesh-side-down salmon cooking. For consistency, I used wild-caught salmon fillets of similar shape and weight. I cooked all samples in a hot, lightly oiled stainless steel skillet.

Skin Down First Salmon:

• Skin browned and crisped nicely after 4 minutes skin-side-down.
• Flipped and cooked flesh side just until opaque in center, about 2 more minutes.
• Flesh was moist, flaky and tender throughout.
• Skin was crispy and flavorful without any bitterness.

Flesh Down First Salmon:

• Took only 3 minutes flesh-side-down to achieve browning and 2/3 opaque flesh.
• Flipped and cooked skin-side down for 2 minutes to crisp skin.
• Flesh was firmer but Lost more moisture, especially on the seared exterior.
• Skin was less crispy and had some burnt bits.

The Verdict:

While flesh-side-down was faster, the skin-side-down salmon was superior in both texture and flavor. The flesh was noticeably more tender, moist and evenly cooked when seared skin-side first. And of course, the crispy skin was the clear winner in taste and mouthfeel.

So after much sizzling, searing and tasting, I declare skin-side-down to be the definitive technique for pan searing salmon to succulent perfection! For the juiciest, flakiest, crispiest salmon, let that skin work its insulation magic before giving the flesh its quick turn in the pan. Just be sure to watch the sides for doneness cues so you don’t overdo it.

Now that you’re armed with the secrets to salmon searing success, its time to wow your family and dinner guests with your impressive salmon cooking skills. Here are some handy tips for putting your new expertise into action:

Tips for Perfect Pan-Seared Salmon:

• Choose fresh wild salmon for best flavor, texture and nutrition. Coho, sockeye and king salmon are excellent choices.

• Dry the salmon well and brush both sides with a little oil – this prevents sticking.

• Get the pan very hot before adding oil and salmon – this speeds searing and crisping.

• Use a heavy pan – cast iron or stainless steel work best to evenly brown the fish.

• Add just enough oil to coat – too much will steam instead of sear.

• Press salmon fillets down firmly in pan to maximize contact. This prevents curling.

• Resist flipping too soon – the skin needs time to crisp and release before turning.

• Cook on medium-low heat – high heat risks burning the exterior before the inside cooks.

• Watch the sides not the skin for doneness cues to tell when to flip.

• Let carryover cooking finish it off by removing from pan just before opaque throughout.

Salmon Searing Inspiration:

Now that you’ve mastered the method, get ready to enjoy an endless array of delicious seared salmon meals. Try coating or topping your salmon with one of these flavorful ingredients before or after searing:

• Lemon-Dill Butter

• Blackening Seasoning

• Teriyaki Glaze

• Pesto

• Soy Sauce & Ginger

• Balsamic Reduction

• Salsa

• Honey-Mustard Sauce

Take your seared salmon to the next level by serving it over fresh greens or grains, with roasted veggies, or in lettuce wraps or tacos. The possibilities are endless once you’ve achieved salmon searing perfection!

So go forth and conquer your salmon searing fears. May your fish be forever flaky, your skin crispy, and your dinner guests impressed with your impressive salmon cooking skills. Just be warned – once you master this technique, you may find yourself voluntarily offering to cook salmon at every opportunity. But that’s not really a bad thing when the rewards are so incredibly delicious.