Grilled Salmon On The Stove

Perfect Salmon Tip : Break Out The Thermometer

How to Cook Salmon on a Stove Top Cast Iron Grill~Easy Cooking

You just knew this one was coming, right? If you’ve been following my work at all, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of the Thermapen instant-read thermometer. Get yourself one and you will never, repeat never overcook your meat again.

That is, unless you are like me and stop to take photos while the salmon is in the skillet thereby letting it come all the way up to 137°F when you were aiming for 120°F. Let me rephrase that to say, you will rarely, repeat rarely overcook your meat, and when you do, you’ll know it’s overcooked before it ever reaches your mouth. Better?

Trust And The Waiting Game

This is arguably the hardest part of cooking pan-seared salmon. Once the fish hits the pan, the very best course of action is to step away and let it do its thing. It might take some serious willpower, but you need to trust the process no touching, no poking or prodding, and no moving the fillet around. Youll be tempted to lift the fish or move it around the pan to see how its coming along, but the very best thing you can do is to keep your hands off and wait.

How To Make Pan Seared Salmon

Begin by seasoning the salmon with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Dont skimp on the salt!

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Resist the urge to fiddle with the fillets as they cook. Letting the fish sear untouched in hot oil creates that lovely, flavorful, golden crust that makes this dish restaurant-worthy.

Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more.

Transfer to a platter and serve. Enjoy!

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Other Delicious Salmon Recipes To Try:

For a little more heat, try my Easy Cedar Plank Salmon. Its made on the grill instead of the stove but is just as simple as this recipe. Otherwise, here are some other salmon dishes made with a variety of flavours:

  • Dijon Mustard Salmon: Dijon mustard salmon is quick, easy, and full of flavor. Make this recipe tonight for a meal that goes from oven to table in just 15 minutes and it only requires few ingredients.
  • Spicy Salmon Sweet Potato Skillet: This Spicy Salmon Sweet Potato Skillet recipe features perfectly seasoned and crispy salmon that is a great partner for the sweet potato and milted kale.
  • Pomegranate Glazed Salmon: The easiest 4-Ingredient Pomegranate Glazed Salmon you will ever make. It only requires 4-ingredient and the glaze has no added sugar, but has a delicious tangy flavor!
  • Cajun Salmon with Strawberry Salsa: This Cajun Salmon with Strawberry Salsa is a perfect summer lunch or light dinner to enjoy during the week. Its easy to make, gluten-free, Whole30, and paleo-friendly.

Delicious Quick Easy Broiled Salmon Recipe

Oven Grilled Salmon

The high heat cooks it quickly and evenly, giving the fish a crispy texture. Oh, and theres no need to flip the fish! The secret here is to place a cast iron skillet under a pre-heated broiler for about ten minutes. When the cast iron is fully heated you place the salmon.

The contact of the cold salmon skin with the skillet will sear the skin and make it crispy and delicious. But if you dont enjoy eating fish skin, you can easily remove it when you are eating.

Its extremely important to use a well seasoned, good-quality pan. This ensures that the fish wont stick to the pan. The cast iron skillet is oven safe so you can safely place it under the broiler. If you dont have a cast iron, you can line a sheet pan.

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When Do I Know My Salmon Is Ready To Come Off The Grill

Your salmon steaks should be pink and somewhat translucent before you attempt to take them off the grill. You can also put a spatula underneath one steak and lift it slightly. Is it holding itself together well? If so, its a sign that its ready to come off. If the fish is still falling apart, then its probably not cooked enough yet.

Salmon will continue cooking for a few minutes after you pull it from the grill, just like steak does. Youll want to take it off the grill before its completely done to avoid cooking it too much. The final cooked temperature of salmon and other fish, according to the United States Department of Agriculture , is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. So, you should remove the grilled salmon when it reaches about 125-130-degrees. Allow it to rest for another five minutes before rechecking the temperature with a digital meat thermometer to see if it reaches 145 degrees.

How To Pan Grill Salmon

  • First pat salmon dry with paper towels. This will help create a nice crust on the fish.
  • Mix seasoning and rub all over the fish. You need about a teaspoon of seasoning per fillet. Rub the seasoning all over the fish making sure to rub the sides as well.
  • Heat oil in a pan .
  • Add seasoned salmon to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until opaque.

Read Also: How To Grill Frozen Salmon

How To Cook Salmon On The Stove

Before you start making sautéed salmon fillets, it’s important to understand the difference between the varieties of salmon available at your grocery store. Most varieties of wild salmon are available fresh from May to October and frozen year-round. Wild salmon typically comes in Pacific Coast varieties such as coho , sockeye , Chinook , pink, and chum. Atlantic salmon is usually farmed and more readily available for a lower price.

How To Cook Swordfish Steaks

How to make the perfect stove top Grilled Salmon

Salmon is one of the healthiest fishes to eat, providing plenty of omega-3s, fatty acids necessary for health according to the American Heart Association. You can cook salmon just before serving or prepare it ahead of time and serve it cold over green salad, or flaked in a salad of whole grains. Two of the simplest ways to cook salmon are baking and grilling. The key is to cook the salmon for about 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

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Cooking On The Stovetop

Cooking salmon on the stovetop is the ultimate in ease: if you dont want to heat up your oven or spend too much time in front of it, sautéing a fillet is the way to go. Or if youre looking for a low-fat option, poaching salmon produces tender, clean-tasting fish.

  • Sauteing

    Sautéing salmon means to cook it quickly in a little fat over fairly high heat. The method is easy and fast, and it works best for fillets, making it a great way to get a delicious weeknight dinner on the table.

    Heres how to do it:

    In a nonstick skillet, melt about 1 tablespoon butter over medium high heat and cook until foam subsides and turns deep gold in color, about 3 minutes.

    Season the fillet with salt and pepper and add to pan, skin side up. Cook without turning for about 6 minutes, until fish turns deep brown. Flip the fish and cook until done to taste, 2 to 4 minutes longer.

  • Helpful Tips For Grilling Salmon Fillets

    Weve talked about how to grill salmon steaks, but we also want to give you some pointers to help you make the perfect grilled salmon steak every time:

  • Choose salmon with its skin on, if possible. The skin is an extra layer between your grill and salmon, which gives you additional protection from having the salmon stick to the grill. The heat of the grill will also crisp the skin beautifully when you drizzle a little olive oil or unsalted butter on the grates and salmon.
  • If you buy packaged salmon, choose some with no liquid. Air-tight packaging is best for salmon youll cook on the grill. Salmon covered in liquid will get mushy instead of browning nicely on the grill. If your salmon does come packaged with some liquid, be sure to dry each steak with paper towels before cooking.
  • Dont grill salmon directly over heat. Salmon, like most fish, cooks quickly, so you dont want it directly over heat where it might cook too rapidly and possibly burn.
  • Use indirect heat and the grill lid. Take advantage of the grills lid while your salmon cooks. The cover keeps the heat inside the grill instead of releasing it into the air, helping it cook thoroughly and lock in natural juices.
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    Sauce And Other Ingredients That Pair Well With Grilled Salmon

    When it comes to a sauce for salmon, light and buttery is usually best. While a rich, creamy sauce can overwhelm your dish, a buttery, thin sauce can elevate it just enough for delicious flavor without outshining the salmon.

    Think unsalted butter mixed with a little minced garlic or a sweet brown sugar and honey sauce drizzled over your salmon steaks. Honey mustard drizzle, lemon butter sauce, or a spicy lime chipotle sauce are perfect choices for grilled salmon steak.

    Hebs Salmon Pinwheels: Easy Delicious And Fast

    Let

    Heb believes that salmon pinwheels should be simple, tasty, and fast to make. Our goal is to make it simple to prepare salmon pinwheels by providing a simple cooking guide. If you want to cook the salmon on the stovetop, preheat the oven to 400F, brush it liberally with olive oil or butter, and sprinkle it liberally with salt and pepper. Depending on how fancy you want to make it, you can prepare a meal in as little as 15 minutes.

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    The Best Pan For The Job

    While its certainly not the only way, we prefer sticking with a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet when cooking pan-seared salmon make sure its a pan thats large and wide enough to accommodate the fillets without overcrowding. And because the best results happen when the fish is cooked on a super-hot surface, its best to skip the nonstick cookware this time around.

    Cast Iron Skillet Seared Salmon

    Probably the best seared salmon you will ever taste, and the easiest to cook! Make this for a fast but healthy dinner and watch everyone ask for it again and again!

    This must be one of the easiest recipes Ive made in a long time, and thats cool because seared salmon or any seafood should never be complicated. Another great way to cook salmon is on the grill, so easy and loaded with flavor. I added some cherry tomatoes and fresh tarragon to my cast iron skillet. Perfectly cooked salmon in only a few minutes.

    Salmon is always my go to protein for any time of the week. My kids love it and its the kind of fish that will take on so many different seasonings and flavors. Some of my favorites are Cajun style salmon and lemon pepper. Salmon cooks quickly and benefits from being slightly undercooked, so dont be too worried about over or undercooking your salmon. It has enough essential fatty oils in it that it remains juicy and moist!

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    How To Bake Salmon

    If youd rather avoid all the flipping and prefer dinners you can toss into the oven and let cook while you get on with your life, give baking Copper River salmon a try.

    Baking salmon is a very easy cooking method. All you have to do is preheat your oven to 450 degrees, season your salmon as desired and place it skin-side down on any greased or non-stick oven-safe dish or baking sheet. Place your salmon in the oven when your oven is ready. Bake the salmon for up to 15 minutes. Literally, thats it. For tips on how to check if your salmon is perfectly cooked, see our detailed tips below.

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    Crispy Pan Seared Salmon Recipe

    Oven Grill Salmon | Everyday Gourmet S7 E66

    How to Pan Sear Salmon with Skin or Without in 10 Minutes

    This irresistibly crispy pan seared salmon recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prepare! Simple, flavorful salmon filets that taste like a restaurant mealperfect for serving with your favorite sauces and sides. Learn how to pan sear salmon with skin or without skin for an easy weeknight dinner.

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    Perfect Salmon Tip : Don’t Flip Until It’s Ready

    If there’s one most important trick I’ve learned about pan-roasting foods in all my years cooking, it’s this one: never force your food out of the pan. It’ll come on its own when it’s good and ready. I use a thin, flexible metal fish spatula for all of my flipping, but if I find that after some very gently prying the fish doesn’t release, it means that it’s not ready to come yet. Let it continue cooking and once the skin is completely rendered and crisp, it should detach itself from the pan quite easily.

    How Do You Fry A Salmon Burger

    Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Gently lay burgers in skillet and cook until crisp and well browned on first side, 4 to 5 minutes. Gently flip burgers and continue to cook until golden brown on second side and burgers register 125 to 130 degrees, about 4 minutes.

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    Prep The Fresh Salmon

    Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and place the steaks on paper towels. Use another paper towel to dry the top of each steak off. Then, brush each steak with a bit of olive oil or unsalted butter to keep it from sticking on the grill. Now is the time to toss some salt, pepper, and your other choices of seasoning onto both sides of each salmon steak.

    Cook Through On Skin Side Before Flipping

    Healthy and Savory grilled salmon recipe on stove &  healthy options ...

    J. Kenji López-Alt

    This is the big trick for salmon. Salmon skin typically has a thick layer of fat underneath it. This fat needs to be rendered to get the skin crisp and pleasant. Fat is also a great insulator, which means that cooking the salmon skin side down is much gentler on the flesh than cooking it with the skin facing up. I like to cook my salmon about 90% of the way through with the skin side down, in order to take advantage of the skins insulating properties and render fat in the process.

    For salmon with a nice, translucent medium-rare center, cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the very center of the fillet registers 120°F . This will take about six minutes for a large fillet like the one pictured.

    If your heat management was on point, the salmon skin should be nice and crisp by the time the center of the fish has reached 120°F. This should make it easy to lift and flip. I like to use that same flexible spatula to turn the fish, and use a second spatula or a fork to help get leverage. Be gentle when flipping the fish: You dont want to damage it, nor do you want it to splash down and splatter hot oil.

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    How Long To Pan Sear Salmon

    The exact length of time will depend on how thick the fish fillets are. However, its easy to tell when salmon is cooked through by following these simple tips:

    • Flakes easily: Insert a fork at an angle just below the surface into the thickest part of the fish and twist. The layers of the salmon should easily separate from each other.
    • Looks opaque: Raw fish has a translucent and somewhat transparent appearance. When cooked, the meat becomes less see-through but should still glisten.
    • Internal temperature: Fished should be cooked until a thermometer inserted in the middle reaches 140-145 degrees F. Any more than that and it will be dry and overcooked.

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    Perfect Salmon Tip : Dryer Is Better

    Nothing cools down oil faster than wet stuff being added to it. Rather than working towards searing your meat, the energy from the hot oil ends up getting used to evaporate excess moisture. The dryer your meat before it goes in the pan, the better. I press my salmon fillets firmly between paper towels before I transfer it to the pan skin side down.

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    How To Choose Salmon For Pan Frying

    The best pan seared salmon recipe doesnt have to be complicated, so Im going to break down how to pick out the best salmon for you.

    • Salmon variety: There are seven species of salmon this searing method will work with all kinds, but the higher quality your fish, the better the result. This USGS salmon guide covers more about the different varieties.
    • King salmon, also called Chinook, is known as the best salmon and has a high fat content. Its my top choice for searing salmon.
    • Coho salmon, also called silver salmon, has a bright pink-red flesh. This is my second favorite.
    • Pink salmon has you guessed it light pink flesh! Its also lower in fat, but still very delicate.
    • Sockeye salmon is a brighter red flesh and has a stronger flavor.
    • Atlantic salmon is always farmed and has a milder fish flavor.
    • Chum salmon is a smaller fish and usually sold in cans.

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