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Home » Fish » Perfect Seared Fish

Perfect Seared Fish

By Hank Shaw on June 2, 2012, Updated June 22, 2020 - 54 Comments

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Finished pan seared fish.
Photo by Andrew Nixon

There is nothing quite so wonderful as a perfectly seared piece of fish: Crispy crust on one side,  just-barely-done meat in the center. It is one of the great tastes of the world, and it is my go-to method for cooking most any fish.

I was primarily a seafood cook for 15 years before I ever touched a piece of wild game. Fishing is in my DNA, and I am proud to say my parents taught me well how to catch all sorts of sea creatures. I did not learn this technique from them, however. I learned how to sear a fish when I was a line cook years ago. Pan-searing is a classic restaurant method of cooking fish.

The technique works on any fillet or fish steak. I am using striped bass here, but most fish will do. The only fish that don’t respond well to searing are those with lots of bones, like shad or very small fish, like sardines, or very thin fillets, like sole.

It is not hard to master this skill, but there are some tips and tricks you need to know.

A few things first. Most fish have very tasty skin if it is cooked properly. Some, like triggerfish or sturgeon or swordfish, have skin so thick or rubbery that it’s essentially leather. Others, like mackerel, have skin so thin you can’t get a decent crisp on it. But ye olde fish, such as bass, perch, salmon, flounder, snapper or rock cod, have excellent skin that crisps nicely. Be sure to scale the fish (or have your fishmonger do it), but leave the skin on the fillet.

Keep in mind this technique works with skinless fish, too. Just sear the side the skin used to be on first.

Here’s how I sear fish:

Pan Seared Fish

This method works best with boneless pieces of fish, either whole fillets or meaty portions of larger fish, skinless or not.

This method works for many of the fish recipes on this site. And if you are looking specifically for salmon and trout recipes, click here.

Serves 4.

Prep Time:  20 minutes, to let the fish come to room temperature

Cook Time: 10 minutes, for an inch-thick piece of fish

  • 4 fish fillets, about 1 1/2 pounds
  • Salt
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed, safflower or peanut oil, or clarified butter
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Lemon or limes for garnish
Salting a fish fillet
Photo by Andrew Nixon

Take your fish fillets out 20 minutes before cooking and sprinkle a little salt on them. If it is a very thick piece of fish, like swordfish, let it rest at room temperature 30 minutes.

When you are ready to start cooking, set a cast iron or steel pan (don’t use non-stick, because you can’t cook with these pans over high heat) over high heat until it is roaring hot.

Scraping moisture off skin of a fish.
Photo by Andrew Nixon

While the pan is heating up, take a butter knife and scrape down the skin side of the fish fillet to remove any excess moisture. If there is no skin, skip this part. Either way, pat the whole fish fillet dry with a paper towel.

Pour the oil into the center of the hot pan. Swirl to coat the pan and let it get hot. If it starts to smoke, take the pan off the heat until it stops. Place the fish fillets skin side down. If there is no skin on the fish, lay it down on the side the skin used to be on. The moment the fillets hit the pan, jiggle it so the fish doesn’t stick.

Salting the meat side of a fish while searing.
Photo by Andrew Nixon

Salt the meat side of the fish. Turn the heat down to medium-high; medium if it is a thick fillet.

Using a metal spatula, press down on each fillet for 30 to 60 seconds. Fish tends to arc when it’s seared like this, and you want the skin side to brown evenly.

Don’t touch the fish. Let it cook undisturbed for at least a minute, possibly as many as 7 to 10 minutes, depending on whether you have a bass fillet or a sturgeon steak. The key here is to let 2/3 of the cooking occur on the skin side. That is what crisps the skin. The thicker the fillet, the longer the cooking time, and the lower the heat.

When to turn? Sometimes never. Thin fillets, like on walleye, small striped bass, black seabass, Pacific rockfish — basically any smallish fillet — you can cook through without turning. You cook the exposed side of the fish by constantly spooning the hot oil over it until the meat turns opaque. This trick works very, very well with delicate or smaller fillets.

On thicker cuts, look at the sides of the fish and you will see the cooked portion climb up the sides; when the fish has a solid ring of browned goodness around the sides, turn. A good test is to shake the pan — if the fillet moves, you can flip. Use a metal spatula to do this flipping. Be prepared to scrape the skin off the bottom, as if it were stuck. If you have done this properly it will not be stuck entirely, but a few spots might be anyway. This is a critical step.

carefully flipping a fish while searing
Photo by Andrew Nixon

It is vital that if the fish is really stuck to the pan to let it keep cooking! It will release when the sear is perfect. Once you have the fish dislodged, turn it with the help of your free hand stabilizing the fillet on the uncooked side. Gently turn.

How long now? Again, depends on the width of the fish. But remember you did 2/3 of the cooking on the other side, so give it at least a minute for a small bass, 3 to 5 minutes for other fish. In most cases, your pan will be very hot, so you can turn off the heat and let carryover finish the job.

Basting skin of fish with butter
Photo by Andrew Nixon

Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and swirl it so it melts quickly. Tip the pan and use a spoon to baste the fish with the butter.

When the fish is done, serve at once: Unlike terrestrial meats, fish (other than swordfish and sturgeon) doesn’t like to rest. Oh, and that crispy, yummy skin? It goes on top. You worked hard for it, and you don’t want to ruin that crisp by exposing it to moisture. If you are using a sauce, it goes underneath the fish. Serve with a lemon or lime wedge on the side.

I’ve also made a video on this to help you:

 

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Filed Under: Cooking Basics, Featured, Fish, Quick and Easy, Recipe

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 Kelly CottrellKelly Cottrell says

    February 2, 2019 at 11:17 am

    So if you baste with the butter, does the skin stay crispy?

    Reply
  2. Avatar for NickNick says

    December 29, 2018 at 6:37 pm

    Can a bluegill work

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      January 1, 2019 at 10:46 am

      Nick: It’d need to be a big bluegill.

      Reply
  3. Avatar for NancyNancy says

    December 7, 2018 at 7:30 pm

    Made this on the spur of the moment tonight. Used Orange Roughy fillets from my favorite grocery store. Will make again! Finished with white wine to deglaze the pan, capers, and butter. Yummo!

    Reply
  4. Avatar for TheresaTheresa says

    August 29, 2018 at 12:17 pm

    Excellent article; thank you so much.

    How many fillets can I cook at once (assuming the pan is not “crowded”). If I am cooking for guests, can I cook four at once? Will they get hot enough, and cook and release properly??? Thank you in advance for any advice!.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      August 30, 2018 at 3:19 pm

      Theresa: yes, if they can all fit in your pan in such a way that you can get a spatula under them.

      Reply
  5. Avatar for Winona L JohnsonWinona L Johnson says

    June 15, 2018 at 10:22 am

    Best tutorial I have ever seen on how to sear a fish. Also I want to marry that man!

    Reply
  6. Avatar for VicenteVicente says

    April 1, 2018 at 4:57 pm

    Agree with Marina, this is a remarkably helpful article, thank you.

    Reply
  7. Avatar for MarinaMarina says

    January 24, 2018 at 1:15 pm

    Thank you! This was a really great read. I’ve never taken the time to explore this, but I chose the right post! Great photos too 🙂

    Reply
  8. Avatar for GilGil says

    January 2, 2017 at 9:05 am

    Thanks Hank. Great video…..nice tip about the type of oil to use and the trick about using the butterknife to help reduce the moisture.

    Reply
  9. Avatar for LukeLuke says

    March 16, 2016 at 11:01 am

    Hank,

    Do I need to worry about scales or anything else on rainbow trout before searing it? I know there skin is different, similar to salmon, but not sure if scaling is required.

    Thanks,
    Luke

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      March 16, 2016 at 12:51 pm

      Luke: On a rainbow trout you should be fine.

      Reply
  10. Avatar for Mary @ Fit and FedMary @ Fit and Fed says

    October 24, 2015 at 7:53 am

    Thanks for the tips, Hank. I cooked walleye for the first time last night, nervous because I was using my mom’s electric stove and feeding nine. I ran the knife over the skin and dried it as you suggested, and seared the fish skin side down with just a little time with it flipped. Served it with lemon juice and a dill and butter sauce. Turned out great, lots of compliments.

    Reply
  11. Avatar for adrianadrian says

    September 10, 2015 at 12:43 am

    Hi,

    will your guide work on Cod fish? I’ve tried to pan sear a Cod fish without its skin (the fish I bought are cut like steak). I wanted to make the surface of the fish solid and crips. would it be possible? any help on how to sear cod fish is welcome.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      September 10, 2015 at 5:29 pm

      Adrian: Fresh cod flakes very easily, so it’s a hard one. But you just want to sear the one side only — don’t flip it ever. Baste the side that isn’t on the pan with lots of hot oil from the pan, and you’ll get a good result. When the fish unsticks itself from the pan naturally, you’re ready.

      Reply
  12. Avatar for CraigCraig says

    August 5, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Can coconut oil and coconut butter substitute suggested oil and butter?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      August 5, 2015 at 2:19 pm

      Craig: No idea, as I never use those oils. If they have a high smoke point, then yes.

      Reply
  13. Avatar for Eiki MartinsonEiki Martinson says

    April 20, 2015 at 7:49 pm

    I’ve done this three times now, with yellowtail snapper most recently. It’s always been perfect. Thanks!

    Reply
  14. Avatar for AJAJ says

    March 13, 2015 at 3:27 pm

    You just changed my life. Thank you! 🙂

    Reply
  15. Avatar for Deanna OverstreetDeanna Overstreet says

    March 11, 2015 at 6:20 pm

    First time pan searing fish, turned out really good. I didn’t have the suggested oil so I used coconut oil. My fish of choice catfish. Delicious!!! It stuck some so I have some perfecting to do!!! Will definitely so this again,,,, and regularly!!!!

    Reply
  16. Avatar for RichardRichard says

    September 22, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    Interesting method and a 180 from the conventional. Usually the fish is seared on the flash side and finished on the skin side. I have never seen a restaurant sear the skin and blanch the flesh sides of fish but there is a first for everything. Most would pan roast a thick piece of fish and griddle a thin piece.

    Reply
  17. Avatar for SteveSteve says

    August 15, 2014 at 9:30 am

    Thank you for these tips! I used them with some thick Striper filets recently and they turned out amazing.

    I had a quick question: how do you time this for a party of 4? Two pans going at once? Or do 2 in one pan and then keep them warm (or let them finish out the cooking) in an oven? Thanks!

    Reply
  18. Avatar for MarianneMarianne says

    May 16, 2014 at 11:57 am

    FINALLY I found the details never found in most cookbooks nor passed down from Mama and Grandma who only deep fried…but it was incredibly GOOD fried, crispy fish. Can’t wait to try it myself. Thanks

    Reply
  19. Avatar for Cecil ReedCecil Reed says

    April 23, 2014 at 3:38 pm

    What about normal corn meal frying fillets with skin on the one side?thanks.

    Reply
  20. Avatar for Arthur HochsteinArthur Hochstein says

    April 16, 2014 at 7:02 pm

    Hi Hank,
    I’ve attempted to pan-sear fish many times, and have a chance to observe the technique of some of the top chefs in New York in open kitchens. Until I saw your video and blog, I had mixed results, to say the least. Today I got a piece of wild striper at the Lobster Place in NYC, and put your technique to the test. I knew about “milking” the skin and some of the other things you demonstrated, but you showed the steps with such clarity and simplicity that it really made a difference—especially with regard to when you apply seasoning, and the use of butter at the end of the process. Even with some mistakes on my part, I have to say that the results were exquisite, easily one of the best pieces of fish I’ve ever had. Skin adhered, and had the consistency your described, and added immeasurably to the taste. And the fish was done perfectly. Thanks so much for sharing it with us, and next time I’m going to to it even better!

    Reply
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Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw. I am a James Beard Award-winning author and chef and I focus all my energies on wild foods: Foraging, fishing, hunting. I write cookbooks as well as this website, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild game, fish, or edible wild plants and mushrooms, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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