Skillet-Roasted Fish Fillets

By DreiFromBK

Pan-roasted fish seems like a simple dish, but in reality it is usually only well executed by practiced chefs. At home, the dish often results in dry, overbaked fillets. We set out to develop a foolproof recipe for producing succulent, well-browned fillets. From an initial round of testing, we knew we needed thick fillets; skinnier pieces end up overcooked by the time they’ve achieved a serious sear. We then turned to a common restaurant method to cook the fish: Sear the fillet in a hot pan, flip, then transfer it to a hot oven to finish cooking. The technique was sound, but to brown the fish quickly before the hot pan had a chance to dry out the fish’s exterior we turned to a sprinkling of sugar. The idea is that sugar commingles with exuded juices from the fish, accelerating browning and giving the fish a rich color and deep flavor that’s anything but sweet. We dusted a few fillets with a touch of granulated sugar and placed them in a hot skillet. A well-browned crust formed almost immediately, leaving no time for the interior to dry out. And after a short stay in the oven to finish cooking through, the fish emerged well-browned, tender and moist, and best of all, not one taster detected any out-of-place sweetness.

Ingredients

• 4 4
• Ingredients
• 4 4 1 to 1 1/2 6 to 8 1 1/2 inches thick (about 6 to 8 ounces each) (see note)
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Lemon wedges

Preparation

Step 1

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Dry fish thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle very light dusting of sugar (about 1/8 teaspoon) evenly over 1 side of each fillet. Heat oil in large ovensafe nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Place fillets in skillet, sugared sides down, and press down lightly to ensure even contact with pan. Cook until browned, 1 to 1½ minutes. Using 2 spatulas, flip fillets and transfer skillet to oven. Roast fillets until centers are just opaque and register 135 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 7 to 10 minutes. Immediately transfer to serving plates and serve with lemon wedges.