The Food Gene

Crispy-Skin Salmon with Brown Butter

Glass-crisp skin, soft pink middle, and a two-minute brown butter sauce.

By The Food Gene · https://thefoodgene.com/recipe/crispy-skin-salmon/

Prep
10 mins
Cook
15 mins
Serves
2
Level
Beginner

Salmon

  • 2 salmon fillets, skin on (about 150 g each)
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt, plus a pinch for the flesh side
  • Black pepper
  • 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil

Brown butter

  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • ½ lemon
  1. Dry the skin. Pat the fillets very dry with kitchen paper. Salt the skin and leave for 10 minutes, then pat dry again. Season the flesh side with a pinch of salt and pepper. (10:00)
  2. Heat the pan. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until it just starts to shimmer.
  3. Skin side down. Lay the fillets in, skin down. Press gently for 30 seconds, then cook for 6–7 minutes without moving them. (7:00)
  4. Flip and baste. Turn the fish. Add the butter, garlic and thyme. Spoon the foaming butter over the fish for 1–2 minutes, until the butter smells nutty and turns golden brown. (2:00)
  5. Rest and serve. Rest for 2 minutes. Squeeze over the lemon and serve skin side up so it stays crisp. (2:00)

Chef’s tip

Press each fillet flat with a spatula for the first 30 seconds. The skin shrinks as it heats, and pressing keeps it touching the pan.

Storage

Best eaten straight away. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 1 day; flake cold into a salad rather than reheating.

Swap it

Trout or sea bass work the same way. No thyme? Use rosemary or a few sage leaves.

Nutrition

Approximate values per serving
Energy 516 kcal 2,159 kJ
Fat 43.3 g
of which saturates 15.9 g
Carbohydrate 0.6 g
of which sugars 0.3 g
Fibre 0 g
Protein 30.9 g
Salt 1.98 g