Salmon is a great source of protein that can be paired with virtually anything. It’s also incredibly speedy to cook, making it a great option for a quick midweek dinner.
However, it can be difficult to achieve the perfect crispy skin if it’s not properly prepared. hef Charles Kim, more popularly known as Chef Fatty on TikTok, revealed the easiest way to achieve crispy skin when pan-searing salmon. It requires virtually no effort and just a little bit of patience.
In a video from June, Chef Fatty said: “The reason why restaurant salmon has a crispy skin and a juicy pink centre isn’t the pan or the fish.”
How to cook crispy salmon skin
The answer to crispy salmon skin is actually a lot simpler than how it’s cooked or the quality of the fish itself. All you need is a helping of salt.
Season your salmon fillet with salt, before using a piece of kitchen roll to dab off any excess moisture. Then allow the salmon to air dry in the fridge for half an hour.
You want to make sure the salmon is dry as possible, as moisture will make the fish sweat. Moisture in the fish will leave the skin flabby.
The chef explained: “The salt pulls water out of the cells and right onto the surface, creating a concentrated brine that sits right on top of the flesh. Then that brine diffuses right back into the flesh.
“And that does two things. It helps the salmon hold onto water, and also albumin, which is that white stuff that you sometimes see seep out of the salmon.
“And second, the cold, dry air of the fridge helps pull water out of the skin of the salmon, and less moisture means better browning.”
You can also use a technique called cold searing. Put the salmon into a cold pan and turn it up to a medium heat.
Chef Fatty continued: “The cold sear helps because as the pan slowly warms up, the fat in between the skin and the pan will begin to melt, creating a natural nonstick layer.
“Once that fat is fully melted, that’s when you also know the skin is crispy, and it’ll naturally lift off of the pan.”
Once the skin is crispy enough, flip the salmon over and give it a quick sear and cook to your preferred temperature.