Perfectly crisped skin is a must whenever you are severing fish with skin-on. It seems so easy when served at a restaurant, but for most, when cooking fish at home, something usually goes wrong. The fish sticks to the pan, the skin rips, the flesh is overcooked. So, how does Gordon Ramsay get perfectly crispy salmon?

To get perfect crisp skin-on salmon, Add salmon to the pan skin side down when the oil starts to smoke lightly. Press down on top of the salmon with your fingers to get the fillet flat, season it with salt, and don’t move it anymore! This will ensure the oil starts searing the skin instantly; finish cooking skin-side down for 4 minutes.

This guide will go through the steps of how to cook Crispy Skin Salmon. Now gather your equipment, and let’s start cooking.

My favorite pan to sear Salmon skin crispy is a Non-Stick Fry Pan from All-Clad, Non-Stick Pan available at Amazon. Great for cooking at higher heat with oils to develop foods with full, rich flavor, color, and crisp texture.

How to Make Gordon Ramsay Crispy Skin Salmon

1. Searing Salmon Skin: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Place the fish skin-side down in the pan and cook until seared on one side, about 4 minutes (see also ‘Sea Scallops with Coconut Lemongrass Cream Sauce‘). Turn the fish over, reduce the heat, and cook for 3 minutes more until the salmon is almost cooked but still a bit pink inside. Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper.

2. Searing Shrimp: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add shrimp cook until sear about 2 minutes. Remove and place to the side.

3. Making Fennel Puree: Sauté fennel, fennel seed, 2 oz. Butter and salt in a saucepan with a lid on. Add lemon juice and peel to the pan. Continue to cook/stir till the fennel is soft with the lid on. Once soft, take off the heat with the lid still on, blend with the extra 2 oz. Butter. Finish by passing through a fine-mesh strainer.

Pan Seared Salmon with Crispy Skin

5 from 1 vote

Course: MainCuisine: International

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

How to cook a Hell’s Kitchen classic dish, Crispy Skin Salmon recipe.

Ingredients

4 pieces 4 6 Oz. Salmon
2 Ea. 2 Confit Fennel
20 Ea. 20 16-20 Ct Shrimp
4 Oz. 4 Vegetable Stock
8 Ea. 8 Fennel Sprigs (Garnish)
Fennel Puree:
2 Ea. 2 fennel sliced on mandolin
1/4 Tbsp. 1/4 fennel seeds
1 Ea. 1 lemon juice, zest peel
2 Oz. 2 butter + 2 Oz. extra butter
1 tsp. 1 salt to taste

Directions

Searing Crispy Salmon
Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place the fish skin-side down in the pan and cook until seared on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over, reduce the heat, and cook for 3 minutes more until the salmon is almost cooked but still a bit pink inside.
Searing Shrimp
HEAT 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-heat. Add shrimp cook until sear about 2 minutes. Remove and place aside.
Making Fennel Puree
Sauté fennel, fennel seed, 2 oz. Butter and salt in a pan with a lid on. Add lemon juice and peel to the pan. Continue to cook/stir till the fennel is soft with the lid on. Once soft take off the heat with the lid still on, blend with the extra 2 oz. Butter. Finish by passing through a fine-mesh strainer