Why salmon always tastes better at a restaurant (and how to recreate it at home)

You don’t need a ripping hot pan for the crispiest skin.

If I’m out to dinner and have a craving for fish, there’s a 90% chance I’m ordering salmon. It’s rich but not too fishy, and when cooked well, it’s tender and silky, flaking easily with a fork.

When you order salmon at a restaurant, you’re likely expecting a piece that’s delicate and moist. Depending on the preparation, you may also be looking forward to super-crisp skin. To achieve perfectly cooked salmon at home, that’s delicate inside and crisp where it matters, your best bet is to pan-sear it.

How To Properly Pan-Sear Salmon

Pan-searing salmon is a great way to get crisp skin and moist flesh that flakes easily. It’s a simple process, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, pat your salmon fillets dry with a paper towel before cooking. Doing so removes surface moisture and helps promote better browning. While you can certainly make a sauce or glaze for your fish, restaurant-worthy results are still possible with just a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper on both sides before cooking.

After drizzling a little oil in a skillet over medium heat (you can go as high as medium-high, but medium gives you more control), place your fillets skin-side down in the pan, and then leave them alone.

The salmon skin will begin to brown and crisp; you don’t need to constantly move the fillets. Though you may be tempted to crank the heat, moderate heat is enough to crisp the skin, as long as you give it time—and you’ll deal with less smoke and splatter.

You’ll begin to see the salmon lighten in color as it cooks. Once the color has lightened about halfway up the side of the fillets, it’s time to flip. After flipping, again, resist the urge to move it around. The first side will take about six to eight minutes to cook, and the second about half that, though you may want to adjust the time depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Read More: This Is the Best Salmon for Baking, According to an Expert

To Avoid Overcooking Salmon, Check Its Temperature

If you find yourself wondering why salmon at a restaurant is silkier and more tender than when you cook it at home, you’re likely cooking it too long. The best way to avoid dried-out salmon is simply not to overcook it.

Salmon, like beef, can be cooked to a range of temperatures based on your preference. Salmon cooked to 120°F to 125°F will be medium rare (the center may still be slightly translucent), and salmon cooked to 130°F to 135°F will be medium, with 135°F resulting in a very firm piece of fish.

For restaurant-style salmon, you likely want to aim for 125°F. (Though the USDA recommends cooking to an internal temperature of 145°F, be forewarned: That temperature will result in a much firmer and drier piece of salmon.) Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part of a fillet to get an accurate temperature.

The type of salmon you cook can also affect the temperature you want to aim for and how long you cook it. Wild salmon is typically leaner than farm-raised Atlantic salmon, which means you may want to cook it for less time and aim for the lower end of the temperature range—around 120°F—so it doesn’t overcook.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes