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Pan-Seared Salmon

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The Key Ingredient to this salmon recipe success is a quick 15 minute soak in brine and keeping the skin on the salmon while frying, the skin will release some fat into the pan so no olive oil is needed to achieve a golden crisp. If desired, you may remove the skin before plating. Serve with lemon wedges or mango salsa and enjoy!


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Ingredients

  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 4 (6- to 8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
  • Lemon wedges

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from americastestkitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Dissolve 1/2 cup salt in 2 quarts water in large container. Submerge salmon in brine and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Remove salmon from brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Sprinkle bottom of 12-inch nonstick skillet evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place fillets, skin side down, in skillet and sprinkle tops of fillets with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and cook fillets without moving them until fat begins to render, skin begins to brown, and bottom 1/4 inch of fillets turns opaque, 6 to 8 minutes.

Using tongs, flip fillets and continue to cook without moving them until centers are still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and register 125°F, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer fillets skin side down to serving platter and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Note:

To ensure uniform cooking, buy a 1 1/2- to 2-pound center-cut salmon fillet and cut it into four pieces. Using skin-on salmon is important here, as we rely on the fat underneath the skin as the cooking medium (as opposed to adding extra oil). If using wild salmon, cook it until it registers 120°F. If you don’t want to serve the fish with the skin, we recommend peeling it off the fish after it is cooked. Serve with lemon wedges or Mango-Mint Salsa.

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