Pan-Seared Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets (6 oz / 170 g each), skin-on
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (avocado or vegetable)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- 3–4 fresh thyme sprigs
- Lemon wedges, for serving
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Instructions
- 1
Pat the salmon fillets very dry with paper towels — on both sides, not just the skin. Wet salmon will steam rather than sear. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- 2
Heat the oil in a stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and just beginning to smoke.
- 3
Place the fillets skin-side down in the hot pan. Immediately press each fillet firmly with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to prevent the skin from curling. Then leave them completely alone.
- 4
Cook skin-side down for 6–7 minutes, until the cooked colour creeps three-quarters of the way up the side of the fillet and the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
- 5
Flip. Add the butter, garlic cloves, and thyme to the pan. As the butter melts and foams, tilt the pan and spoon it continuously over the fillets for 1–2 minutes.
- 6
Remove from heat. The fillets are done when an instant-read thermometer reads 125°F (52°C) in the thickest part. Rest 2 minutes, then serve with lemon.
Notes
The press at the start is the most-skipped step and the most important one. Salmon skin contracts immediately when it hits a hot pan, which curls the fillet and leaves the centre floating above the surface. Ten seconds of pressure keeps it flat and ensures even searing. Don't touch it after that until the flip.
Discover Pan-Seared Salmon
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay treats crispy-skin salmon as a fundamental test of technique — one that rewards patience and punishes rushing. His method, taught in his MasterClass and documented in Gordon Ramsay Quick & Delicious, calls for patting the skin completely dry before the fish goes anywhere near a pan, because wet skin steams instead of crisps. He places the fillet skin-side down in hot oil and leaves it completely untouched for three to four minutes, then flips it for no more than two minutes so the centre stays just translucent: skin that is fully crisp while the middle is still a little soft is, in his view, the only acceptable result.