How to Cook Fish with Skin

Here’s the thing about fish skin—it has to be ultra-crispy; otherwise, it’s going to have a limp texture that could turn you off of it for a long time! It’s a cooking technique that, understandably, intimidates a lot of people. With a few tips and tricks, you’ll feel like a pro in the kitchen and confidently make tasty skin-on fish fillets. In this article, we’ll walk you through the most popular way to make this type of fish—pan-frying. We’ll also give you an alternative for broiling the fish if you don’t want to deal with a hot pan, and we’ll address a popular technique for making a whole fish on the grill in the warmer summer months.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Fillets on the Stovetop

1. Dry the fish skin-side up in the fridge for 1 hour before cooking it. Put the fish on a clean dish and leave it uncovered in the fridge. This process dries the excess moisture so that the skin gets super crispy.^[1]
   
   • This process works for all kinds of fish, but salmon, branzino, sea bass, mackerel, flounder, or snapper will taste the best. Their skin gets ultra-crispy under high heat and has a great flavor.^[2]
   • Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin. If the fish is too wet when it hits the pan, your fillet will steam and potentially stick and rip when you try to flip it.
   • You can also pat the skin dry with paper towels if you forget to prep it in time.^[3]
2. Let the fish come to room temp for 15-20 minutes. A cold fish makes more steam when it hits the pan, making it harder for the skin to crisp up. After drying the fish in the fridge for an hour, transfer the plate to the counter so it can warm up.^[4]
   
   • Go ahead and dab the fish with a paper towel, too, to absorb any moisture that releases while it’s resting.
3. Heat a stainless steel skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Don’t put anything into the skillet, and don’t worry—you’re not going to hurt the pan. If possible, use a pan, even if your fillets are a lot smaller. The more surface area you have, the easier the steam releases as you cook, and the crispier the skin gets.^[5]
   
   
   • Some people prefer cast iron for fish. These pans are a little more “non-stick” than stainless steel but still provide a great surface to fry fish on.^[6]
   • You can try using a non-stick pan if you want to! Just keep in mind that it’s harder to get crispy skin with one. Also, using high heat, like you will for the fish, can damage non-stick coating.^[7]
4. Make a non-stick surface by spreading hot oil and salt around the pan. If you’re using a cast-iron pan, you don’t need to worry about this. Add of vegetable oil and a large pinch of salt to the already-hot pan. Remove the skillet from the heat once the oil starts to smoke. Wipe the oil and salt around the pan with paper towels. Hold the pan with a hot pad and keep your fingers away from the surface of the pan.^[8]
   
   
   • Lots of people (even professional chefs!) skip this step, so it’s totally optional. It can help if you’re nervous about your fish sticking to the pan, though, as it gives the skillet a thin layer of a “non-stick” coating.
5. Heat a second tablespoon (15 mL) of vegetable oil in the skillet. The goal is to create a thin barrier between the fish and the skillet's hot surface. Double-check that the heat is still turned to high, and rotate the pan to help the oil evenly coat the bottom.^[9]
   
   
   • Vegetable oil has a smoke point of , which means that it can get pretty hot before it starts to release certain chemicals that negatively impact your food’s flavor. Other oils with a similar smoke point are sunflower oil, refined olive oil, and soybean oil.^[10]
6. Season both sides of the fish and put it skin-down in the hot pan. Hit both sides of the fish with salt. Always lay the fish down from the front of the stove to the back of the stove, or away from you, so that splattering oil doesn’t hit you. The skillet is hot, and that oil will pop as soon as the fish touches it, so be careful.^[11]
   
   
   • It’s important to wait to season the fish until right before you cook it. Salt draws moisture out of the fish, and you don’t want moisture leaking out while the fish rests, ruining all the work you did to dry it out.^[12]
   • Consider cooking 1 fillet at a time, especially if they are large or if your pan is small. Overcrowded fillets will steam rather than fry.^[13]
7. Press down on the fish with a fish spatula until the edges stop curling. When the fillet hits the pan, the edges immediately start curling away from the heat. Use the spatula to gently but firmly push those edges down so the skin cooks evenly around the fillet. It takes 10-20 seconds for the fish to lay flat.^[14]
   
   
   • A fish spatula is a very thin, long spatula specially made to slide under delicate pieces of fish easily.
   • If you don’t have a fish spatula, use a metal spatula.^[15]
8. Fry the fish on high heat for 30-60 seconds, then lower the heat. High heat crisps the skin nicely, but you don’t want it to burn. So after those initial 30-60 seconds, reduce the heat to medium-high. Don’t attempt to move the fish at this stage.^[16]
   
   
   • If you try to move the fish too soon, the skin will stick to the pan and rip.^[17]
9. Cook the fish for 7-9 minutes until there is a small, raw section left. Don’t try and lift the fish to see how it’s coming along—that will just rip the skin. Instead, pay attention to the flesh of the fish. Watch it become more opaque as it cooks through. Let it cook that way until almost the entire fillet is done.^[18]
   
   
   • How long it takes your fish to cook to this point will depend on the fish's size and thickness. For example, the cooking time listed in the step above is perfect for a salmon fillet.
   • A piece of branzino takes 6-7 minutes.^[19]
   • A sea bass fillet takes 8-9 minutes.^[20]
   • A piece of snapper takes about 5-7 minutes.^[21]
10. Flip the fish, remove the pan from the heat, and cook for 1 more minute. Slide your fish spatula under the fillet and carefully flip it over. It’s okay to remove the pan from the burner—the residual heat is enough to finish cooking the fillet.^[22]
    
    
    • If you can’t get your spatula under the fish, wait another 15-20 seconds.^[23]
    • Chefs call this process “kissing” the pan because it’s such a brief flash of heat.
    • If you take an internal temperature reading, the middle of a medium-rare fillet should read . For a more well-done piece, aim for .

[Edit]Oven-Baked Fish

1. Dry the fish in the fridge for 1 hour before cooking it. Getting rid of excess moisture is a super important part of making fish with deliciously-crispy skin. Place the fillets skin-side up on a plate and leave them uncovered in the fridge while they dry.^[24]
   
   • If this doesn’t fit into your timeline, use paper towels to gently dab away moisture before cooking the fish.
   • Crispy fish skin tastes great on salmon, bass, snapper, flounder, and mackerel. Steer clear of tuna and swordfish, though.^[25]
2. Take the fish out of the fridge and season both sides with salt and pepper. You can use other seasonings, too, if you prefer. Garlic and parsley are great accompaniments to any kind of fish.^[26]
   
   
   • Salted and crispy fish skin is delicious! It’s a great way to flavor the entire dish.
3. Place an oven rack about from the broiler. To get crispy skin on your fish fillets with the broiler, the fish needs to be close to the heat source, but not so close that it’ll burn.^[27]
   
   • Broiling fish is an excellent hands-off cooking method. And it’s great if you don’t want to deal with hot oil in a skillet!
4. Turn the broiler to high and let it preheat for several minutes. You’ll get a more even cook if the broiler is hot and ready when the fish goes into the oven.^[28]
   
5. Broil the fish skin-side up for 7-8 minutes until it’s cooked through. Put the fish onto a sturdy sheet pan. Keep a close eye (and nose) on the fish as it broils, just to make sure it doesn’t start to burn. When it’s done, the flesh should be fully opaque.^[29]
   
   • This time estimate is for a piece of salmon that is about thick.
   • A piece of snapper or bass takes about 10 minutes.^[30]
   • A mackerel fillet takes about 6-8 minutes.^[31]
   • For a medium-rare fillet, cook the fish to . For a well-done fillet, cook it closer to .^[32]

[Edit]Whole Fish on the Grill

1. Rest the fish at room temperature for 20 minutes while you prep the grill. Cold fish produces more steam and a less-crisp exterior, which is not what you want.^[33]
   
   • Branzini, red snapper, sea bass, and arctic char are all popular fish to cook whole on the grill.
2. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Keep dabbing at the fish until all the excess moisture is gone. The drier the fish, the crispier the skin gets.^[34]
   
   
3. Brush the fish with extra-virgin olive oil and season it with salt and pepper. You can, of course, alter the seasonings based on your recipe or preferences.^[35]
   
   
   • Some people stuff the inside of a whole fish with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon wedges! This helps keep the inside of the fish moist as it grills.^[36]
4. Sweep more extra-virgin olive oil over the grill grates. Between brushing both the fish and the grill grates with oil, the fish hopefully won’t stick or rip. Use a pastry brush or something similar to apply the oil.^[37]
   
   • You could also put the oil on a paper towel and rub it over the grill with a pair of tongs.
5. Grill the fish over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, uncovered. Since there isn’t much to do now but wait, use this time to work on a side dish. Resist the temptation to move the fish or pick it up to see how it’s doing. Moving it too soon will rip the skin.^[38]
   
   • These instructions for cooking times are based on grilling a fish, like branzino. If your fish is larger or smaller, adjust the cooking times as needed.
   • For example, a fish would only need 5-7 minutes on each side.^[39]
6. Flip the fish and grill it for 10 more minutes until the flesh cooks through. Use a large spatula or a pair of tongs to flip the fish carefully. If you need to, ask someone to help! When the flesh of the fish is completely opaque, it is cooked through.^[40]
   
   • If the fish sticks when you try to lift it, leave it for a few more seconds before trying again. Once the skin is completely seared, it will release from the grill without ripping.^[41]
   • The flesh of the fish should flake easily when it’s fully cooked. If you take an internal temperature reading, it should reach at least . It’ll continue to cook while it rests during the next step.^[42]
7. Remove the fish from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.^[43] Letting the fish rest allows the internal temperature to continue rising for a little while, which is perfect if you took it off the grill a bit before the temp hit .^[44]
   
   • Some people like to drizzle the fish with oil at the end, but that’s up to you. High-quality olive oil can accentuate the flavor of the fish nicely.
   • Put leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 3-4 days.^[45]

[Edit]Tips

• Plan on making one fillet for each person you’ll be serving.^[46]
• When serving fish with the skin still on, place sauces on the plate first. Put the fish skin-side up on top of it. If you put sauce on top of the fish, it’ll just soften the skin and ruin that texture you worked so hard for.^[47]
• Not all fish skin tastes great! Tuna, swordfish, and mahi-mahi tend to have tougher skins with a leathery consistency that’s not so pleasant to eat.^[48]
• Store leftover fish in the fridge for 3-4 days. Put it into an airtight container, and mark the date so that you remember how long you have before you need to throw it out.^[49]

[Edit]Things You’ll Need

[Edit]Fillets on the Stovetop

• Plate
• Paper towels
• Skillet
• Fish spatula

[Edit]Oven-Baked Fish

• Plate
• Paper towels
• Sheet pan

[Edit]Whole Fish on the Grill

• Paper towels
• Pastry brush
• Spatula

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/crispy-skinned-fish
2. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/why-you-should-eat-fish-skin-and-how-to-cook-it-article
3. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1529842/fish-skin-cook-crispy-remove
4. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-perfect-salmon-fillets-230150
5. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-get-crispy-fish-skin-pan
6. ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/10/how-to-crisp-fish-skin.html
7. ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/10/how-to-crisp-fish-skin.html
8. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/crispy-skinned-fish-56389401
9. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/clap-crispy-fish-donald-link
10. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cooking-oils-and-smoke-points-what-to-know-and-how-to-choose#why-is-oil-smoke-point-important
11. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/crispy-skinned-fish-56389401
12. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1529842/fish-skin-cook-crispy-remove
13. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1529842/fish-skin-cook-crispy-remove
14. ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/10/how-to-crisp-fish-skin.html
15. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-get-crispy-fish-skin-pan
16. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1529842/fish-skin-cook-crispy-remove
17. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-get-crispy-fish-skin-pan
18. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/clap-crispy-fish-donald-link
19. ↑ https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/pan-fried-branzino-3101320
20. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/danny-boome/pan-fried-sea-bass-recipe-1938668
21. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/314174/sauteed-red-snapper
22. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/crispy-skinned-fish-56389401
23. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-get-crispy-fish-skin-pan
24. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/crispy-skinned-fish
25. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/why-you-should-eat-fish-skin-and-how-to-cook-it-article
26. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/crispy-skinned-fish
27. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-cook-salmon-so-it-always-comes-out-perfectly-article
28. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-cook-salmon-so-it-always-comes-out-perfectly-article
29. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/crispy-skin-salmon-recipe-1923972
30. ↑ https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/broiled-sea-bass-with-pineapple-chili-basil-glaze
31. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/broiled-mackerel-scallions-lemon?intcid=inline_amp
32. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-get-crispy-fish-skin-pan
33. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-whole-fish
34. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-whole-fish
35. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-whole-fish
36. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1004090/grilled-whole-fish
37. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1004090/grilled-whole-fish
38. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-whole-fish
39. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1004090/grilled-whole-fish
40. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-whole-fish
41. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1004090/grilled-whole-fish
42. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/the-right-internal-temperature-for-cooked-fish-221164
43. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-whole-fish
44. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/effed-it-up-oven-baked-salmon
45. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/media/74435/download
46. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-perfect-salmon-fillets-230150
47. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/clap-crispy-fish-donald-link
48. ↑ https://www.marthastewart.com/1529842/fish-skin-cook-crispy-remove
49. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/media/74435/download