How to fry salmon fillets
Pan-fry salmon fillets over medium-high, then medium heat for about 7 min skin side + 90 sec flesh side (skin side down until cooked 3/4 through, then flip), until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque three-quarters of the way up. Treat the time as a starting point and confirm with a food thermometer. Fish: 145°F (63°C), or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
- Heat
- Medium-high, then medium heat
- Method
- Pan fry
- Starting time
- 7 min skin side + 90 sec flesh sideskin side down until cooked 3/4 through, then flip
- Piece size
- skin-on fillets, 150–180 g / 5–6 oz
- Done when
- the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque three-quarters of the way up
- Safe internal temp
- 145°F (63°C)
Numbers from RecipeTin Eats: Crispy Skin Salmon · safe temperature from the FoodSafety.gov chart. Celsius values are rounded.
Getting it right
- Pat the skin dry. Pour enough oil into a nonstick skillet to cover the base, then heat it on medium-high until it shimmers.
- Lay the salmon in skin side down and turn the heat down to medium straight away. Press each fillet flat with a spatula for about 10 seconds.
- Leave it skin side down about 7 minutes, until the color has crept three-quarters of the way up the side.
- Flip and cook the flesh side about 90 seconds.
Lemon pan-fried fish