Pan Seared Salmon (2024)

FAQs

How do you know when salmon is cooked enough? ›

Internal temperature: Use an instant-read meat thermometer; the salmon should register 145°F (63°C) at its thickest part. Flakiness: When gently pressed with a fork, the fish should easily flake apart. Avoid overcooking, as it can dry out the salmon. Cook with the skin side down for best results.

The easiest way to see if your salmon has finished cooking is to gently press down on the top of the fillet with a fork or your finger. If the flesh of the salmon flakes—meaning, it separates easily along the white lines that run across the fillet (strips of fish fat)—it's finished cooking. Take it off of the heat!

Perfect pan-seared salmon should have crisp skin; moist, medium-rare, and tender flesh; and fat that has been fully rendered.

How Can I Tell When It's Done? Salmon will change from translucent (red or raw) to opaque (pink) as it cooks. After 6-8 minutes of cooking, check for doneness, by taking a sharp knife to peek into the thickest part. If the meat is beginning to flake, but still has a little translucency in the middle, it is done.

Can You Eat Undercooked Salmon? It is never completely safe to eat undercooked salmon. That's because foodborne illnesses are much more likely to be passed on through salmon that has not been cooked thoroughly to a recommended internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, without moving, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more.

One note: You don't actually want your salmon to be cooked all the way through—you want a bit of translucent pink going on in the middle, like a medium to medium-rare steak. Yes, it's safe, and yes, this will make sure it's juicy and delicious rather than dry and chalky.

It's important to note that overcooking salmon can cause the flesh to become dry and tough, so it's best to remove the salmon from the heat, slightly before it's fully cooked and allow it to rest for a few minutes to finish cooking.

Use a cooking oil with a high smoke point, like canola oil, sunflower oil, or avocado oil. Using an oil with a low smoke point, such as extra virgin olive oil, will cause that oil to burn in the pan & will not allow you to get a proper sear on your salmon.

What is the best temperature to pan sear salmon? ›

Cooking Crispy Skin Salmon in a Pan

Start by placing the skin side of the salmon down onto the preheated pan and crisping for 1 minute at 450°F (232°C). Then reduce the temperature to 400°F (204°C) and follow the guide for the recommended times to cook each side, based on the thickness and your desired doneness.

Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and gently place the salmon into the pan, skin-side down. Cook for 6-7 minutes, turning occasionally.

The white stuff that oozes out of salmon is called albumin, a type of protein in the fish (other foods with albumin include eggs, beef and milk). You can't see albumin when the fish is raw—it only appears when the salmon is exposed to heat. As salmon cooks, the albumin turns from its liquid state into a semi-solid one.

That liquid protein escaping is a sign your fish is being cooked at too high a temperature, which also means you are likely drying it out. Keep things stovetop to a medium low, or even better sear on the stovetop then transfer to a hot oven to finish cooking in a more steady, even-heated environment.

Use a food thermometer: The most accurate way to determine if salmon is cooked to the correct temperature is to use a food thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the fish and make sure it reads at least 145°F (63°C). Watch the color: As salmon cooks, its color changes from translucent to opaque.

While the fish should be an opaque white, beige, or brown on the outside depending on the cooking method, it should still be a slightly translucent pink in the center. If the center of the salmon is opaque, it's likely overcooked. If the center is completely translucent, it likely needs to cook further.

Medium-rare salmon is a popular choice in restaurants and can be achieved by cooking the meat to an internal temperature of 125°F. Salmon cooked to medium-rare doneness will have an opaque and slightly pink center with a fully cooked exterior and skin.