Attention salmon lovers for whom steak is a guilty pleasure. If you’re cooking in a pan, you may be doing it wrong. You are probably one of those who remove its skin, or sear it straight out of the refrigerator or even prepare it in butter.
These preparation reflexes are common and yet not very favorable for obtaining very tender salmon. We explain how to make a successful salmon steak without drying it out, with these 3 things to avoid.
Prepare the salmon as soon as it comes out of the refrigerator
When it’s time to cook, we open the refrigerator, collect our fresh salmon steaks and place them directly in the hot pan. Only, error. There is nothing worse for salmon flesh than thermal shock. For good reason, fresh flesh brought into contact with too much heat will stiffen it, to the point of cooking the exterior of the salmon more quickly than its interior. Result: salmon that is overcooked on the surface or not sufficiently cooked in its heart. For even cooking, take it out of the refrigerator half an hour before frying.
Remove the skin from the salmon before cooking
Although it is not very tempting, the skin of the salmon fillet is nevertheless its best anti-dryness barrier. By preserving the flesh from contact with the hot pan, the skin retains the tenderness of the salmon. If your fish is often dry, perhaps it is due to the absence of this skin during cooking. We therefore let the salmon steaks cook on the skin side before turning them over.
Salmon skin, the unloved one with unsuspected virtues
Salmon skin is the one that many reject and yet it contains the highest concentration of omega-3 and heart-healthy fats. Once put in the pan, its texture becomes crispy. So, provided that it is high quality salmon, from clean and unpolluted waters, do not hesitate to consume it. A little precaution though if you are a pregnant or breastfeeding woman, in which case it is better not to eat it.
Cook the salmon in butter
Preparing fish in butter is tempting but very restrictive. If the butter provides a very tempting taste, it will darken your chef’s meal even more. Enough to end up with a burnt pan and salmon in poor condition. Instead, choose a nice olive oil and reserve your butter for seasoning, to pour directly onto the salmon once ready.
By avoiding these actions and not cooking the salmon for too long, over heat, neither too low nor too high, you will ensure a tender and moist meal.
