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Home » Fish » Pan Seared Cod

Pan Seared Cod

By Hank Shaw on October 7, 2019, Updated December 22, 2020 - 42 Comments

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4.81 from 36 votes
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finished pan seared cod recipe on the plate
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Pan-seared cod is one of my favorite ways to eat this fish. It’s a classic restaurant technique you can easily do at home.

Let me walk you through it. First, you need a substantial piece of fish, not a skinny fillet. Second, you need the fish to be dry. Third, you need the right pan and oil, and finally you need patience.

I know it sounds obvious, but your goal is pan-seared cod, not pan-fried cod. So no flour or batter for this one. The goal is to sear, to caramelize, one side of the fish while not overcooking the rest.

To really do this, you need a piece of fish, cod or otherwise, at least as thick as your thumb, about a half-inch or thicker. And an inch is better. Why? Thin fillets will overcook before you get that nice sear. Also, they tend to be fragile. Pan searing is a fierce method of cooking.

I’ll say it again: Any thick piece of fish can be pan seared, not just codfish.

Also, the fish can be skinless or have its skin, obviously scaled — unless it’s salmon or mackerel, which I never scale. If you are using a skin-on fish, you sear the skin side. If you are searing a skinless fish, sear the side that used to have the skin. Why? Because it is flatter. Incidentally, pan-seared cod is best skinless, at least in my opinion.

I pre-salt my fish an hour or so beforehand, to season it and bring some moisture to the surface. You then dry the fish thoroughly with paper towels before searing.

Now, the pan. Yes, you can sear fish in a non-stick pan, but it’s not ideal because the teflon doesn’t like the intense heat you need for a good sear. But, if you are dealing with a very thick piece of fish, like a block of Pacific halibut or king salmon, you will want to use medium-high heat instead of high, so you can use a teflon pan.

I prefer a stainless steel pan with slanted sides, but a properly seasoned cast-iron pan will work well, too. The ideal, what we used in the restaurant years ago, is a black steel pan with slanted sides. All are non-stick to some extent and hold heat well.

The general idea is this: get the pan hot, put a little oil in it, let that get almost to the smoking point, then place the fish down. Let this cook until you get the sear, drop the heat, add butter and baste the other side of the fish until it’s done.

Pan seared cod on plate with crunchy salad
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Your oil needs to be sturdy, with a high smoke point. In order of preference, I use avocado oil, rice bran oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, safflower oil. All are very high smoke point oils that can stand the heat.

Note that pan-seared cod, or any other fish, isn’t flipped. You sear the one side crispy, drop or even remove the pan from the heat, add butter and baste the rest of the fish with the hot butter until it’s cooked through.

Serve your fish with anything you like, really. I typically raid the garden and make a salad. Oh, and if you want a sauce, it goes under the fish — you want the crispy side to stay crispy, no?

finished pan seared cod recipe on the plate
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4.81 from 36 votes

Pan-Seared Cod

Keep in mind this recipe works with any thick block of fish, skinless or skin-on. Serve with a salad, rice, bread, whatever makes you happy.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Salting Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 15 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 271kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds cod
  • Salt
  • 1 tablespoon avocado, grapeseed or canola oil
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

  • Salt the blocks of fish well and set in the refrigerator for one hour.
  • Get your pan hot over a high heat burner, about 2 minutes. While this is happening, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Make sure it's dry. Add the tablespoon of oil and swirl it around. It will heat up very fast.
  • As soon as you see a wisp of smoke coming from the oil, lay the fish pieces down in the pan, well spaced, skin side down (or the side where the skin used to be). Turn the heat down to medium-high and let them cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, or until you see the bottom starting to caramelize. Using a thin metal spatula, ideally a fish spatula, carefully try to lift the fish from the pan. It should come up easily, or stick in only one or two spots. If not, keep cooking it -- the fish will release when it's ready.
  • When that happens, add the butter, and once it melts, drop the heat all the way to low. Use a spoon to baste the butter over the pieces of fish until they turn opaque. You will need to tilt the pan to do this properly. Serve the fish seared side up.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 703mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 0.6mg
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Filed Under: American Recipes, Featured, Fish, How-To (DIY stuff)

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for FrankFrank says

    February 4, 2023 at 2:45 pm

    If i hadn’t seen you do it I would never have tried this on stainless steel. It came out delicious!!! Thanks for the work!!!

    Reply
  2. Avatar for AmberAmber says

    January 14, 2023 at 6:50 pm

    Thanks to the genius way Hank has in explaining his recipes, I as a novice, can give them a go! I always struggled to get my fish dishes to crisp correctly in the pan and this recipe helped to educate me in the proper way. Boy howdy! What a difference. Tasty and very crisp skin yet my salmon was juicy and delicious. Salmon is my father’s favorite fish so this was a nice treat to cook him up a flavorful dinner. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for CarlaCarla says

    August 27, 2022 at 11:15 am

    I’ve never truly known the technique of this. But NOW. . . I’ll definitely try this with one of my favorite fish to eat. I do have a question: Would it be okay to use Ghee as the “butter” for basting? Thank you for filling this void in my repertoire!

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Nancy SeraphinNancy Seraphin says

    August 23, 2022 at 6:02 pm

    Wow! This simple searing technique and your recipe yielded a fantastic meal! I’ve never really succeeded at a good sear before, thank you! So simple, so delicious

    Reply
  5. Avatar for DeniseDenise says

    May 23, 2022 at 3:14 pm

    You rocked this Cod recipe and thanks to you, so did I. My fishing charter Master Captain hubby loved it. Thanks for a great, melt in your mouth recipe.

    Reply
  6. Avatar for George MurphyGeorge Murphy says

    April 29, 2022 at 7:27 am

    Hank, this is a simple but perfect way to prepare cod! It plated just as nicely as your recipe photos. I kept it simple, serving on mashed potatoes with steamed broccoli, and crusty French baguette pieces. It not only presented beautifully, everyone loved it too.

    Reply
  7. Avatar for Michael RandiMichael Randi says

    March 21, 2022 at 8:10 am

    This is a perfect recipe and technique to bring out and highlight the flavor of this fish. Easy but looks complicated and if your guest watch you it makes you look like a chef when making:)

    Served to my chef cousin and he gave it an excellent rating! THANK YOU FOR EXPANDING OUR FISH CONSUMPTION!

    Reply
  8. Avatar for Paxton StylesPaxton Styles says

    February 12, 2022 at 4:23 pm

    Great recipe. Thank you for this!

    Reply
  9. Avatar for CharChar says

    July 14, 2021 at 1:49 pm

    Very good! I only had one serving of cod to do. I cut the amount of salt but should have cut it more. Melts in your mouth!

    Reply
  10. Avatar for Lynn WilfertLynn Wilfert says

    March 4, 2021 at 9:41 pm

    Bang on. Not over cooked and delicious.

    Reply
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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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