Do You Air Fry Salmon Skin Side Down? A Detailed Guide

The Air Fryer Version

If the fish hasn’t been de-scaled you will need to do this first, but this has normally already been done for store-bought or packaged salmon. Otherwise, you might want to ask your fishmonger to do this for you, or give it a go yourself, using the back end of a knife or a fish de-scaler, scraping away from you gently so as not to damage the skin itself.

Next, remove the skin from the salmon. You can use fish tweezers or a sharp knife to cut it off, although I normally just do it with my fingers. Peel it off very gently so you leave as much of the flesh behind as possible.

Try to scrape off any remaining pieces of flesh, then pat the skin dry on kitchen paper. The less flesh left attached to the skin, the crispier the end result will be.

Season the skin on both sides with salt and pepper then add it to your air fryer.

I like to use a silicon basket for this to try and stop any excess fat from dripping to the bottom of the air fryer and burning. Spray a tiny amount of oil to stop the skin from sticking to the silicon but not too much. There is enough fat in the skin that will melt and do the rest of the work.

It can help if you have a wire wrack that fits the air fryer because this can help hold the skin in place and stop it from blowing up onto the heating element, which can cause more smoke.

Pre-heat the air fryer to 200°C (392°F) then add the salmon skin and cook for about 6 minutes. Check on it and make sure it hasn’t stuck to the bottom. A gentle shake of the air fryer basket might be all you need.

Add it back to the fryer and cook for another 5 minutes, check again and either stop cooking there or keep going, checking every 2 minutes to make sure the skin isn’t burning.

When it’s lightly browned, curled and crispy, place the cooked skin on the same wire wrack to cool down.

You can either serve as soon as you can, when it’s warm, crunchy and tasty, although it might be worth letting the smoke clear and cleaning the kitchen as much as possible before you serve so you can sit down with a cold martini and the salmon skin with a sense of completion and relaxation but try to be quick!

Alternatively, if you let the skin cool completely, you can store it in an airtight container for at least 48 hours but bear in mind that it can lose some of its crunch from then on, plus the fishy taste will become stronger.

I would recommend doing it 1-4 hours before you intend to serve, let it crisp up and cool down, go about your day, then serve it with your end of the day martini as a nice, satisfying reward.

Martinis for the masses; a manifesto

This is one of the most popular recipes on my site.

Both turn out with good results, and obviously both go very well with a nice, cold martini!

A lot of people don’t eat fish skin – and I get it. It’s a completely different texture to the flesh. The skin is more likely to harbour bacteria. Some people just don’t find it appetising.

Nonetheless, if it’s fried and crunchy, some people who might otherwise leave it aside may have their minds changed.

This is a recipe that’s just for the skin. Some people might even refer to it as salmon ‘bacon’.

It’s very much what I would consider izakaya fare, which means it’s very suitable for serving alongside a nice cold martini, like a classic, a hot ‘n’ dirty or a filthy or some of the other classic variations. I make it when I’m using salmon flesh for something else (like onigiri for example).

The fat of the fish renders and the skin can even puff up with the crispiness. Seasoned with a little salt it can be an absolutely delectable bite. You’ve maybe had it in crunchy sushi rolls. I had it in a delicious salad at Eat Tokyo in Soho, London. If nothing else, I recommend giving it a go, because this little bite is very tasty.

Beware that it can get quite smokey, so turn on the extractor fan and open your windows before you start cooking.

Because of the smokiness, I’ve actually started preparing it a different way since I posted this. I now prefer preparing my salmon skin in a pan, and you can read about it at the bottom of this post. The end result of both methods is tasty, but I find the pan version easier and just as good.

Crispy Skin Salmon in the Air Fryer

FAQ

Do you air fry salmon skin side up or down?

Do you fry salmon skin side up or down?

How do you cook salmon in an air fryer with skin?

Start the salmon skin-side down. Cook. Air fry salmon at 400°F for 6 to 11 minutes.Apr 29, 2025

How long do you cook salmon in the air fryer?

Can You air Fry salmon if it is too dry?

You see, if you leave the salmon in there for as long as it takes the skin to crisp up, the salmon will be too dry. Here’s what you do for extra-crispy salmon skin in the air fryer. Once the salmon reaches your desired internal temperature, remove it from the air fryer with the skin still up.

How do you cook salmon skin in an air fryer?

If crispier skin is desired, use tongs to carefully remove skin from top of salmon portions. Transfer skin back to the air fryer. Top the skin pieces with a heat safe trivet (to prevent skin from flying around the air fryer). Cook at 400°F for 2-4 minutes, or until desired crispness is achieved.

Can you fry salmon in an air fryer?

Other than a really nice piece of fish, the only real trick to salmon in the air fryer is patting it down so it’s really dry. Then coat it with just a touch of olive oil. A teaspoon is all you need. That’s the great thing about the air fryer, you don’t need a lot of oil.

Is air frying salmon a good idea?

Thanks to the circulating hot air of the air fryer, these salmon fillets cook up perfectly on all sides in minutes, and the resulting salmon is crisp on the outside and juicy and flaky on the inside. In short, air frying salmon is a fail-proof way to get perfect salmon every single time.

How long does it take to cook salmon in air frying?

You can count on two, six-ounce fillets taking about 8 minutes to cook to medium rare (about 135 degrees). If you prefer salmon that is cooked more well done, add another 2 to 4 minutes to the cook time. Do you put the salmon skin up or down when air frying?

How do you fry salmon skin?

To avoid oil splatter and ensure the skin gets crispy, it is important that the salmon is completely dry. In a frying pan or wok, add enough vegetable oil to be about 3/4 inch up the sides. Add the sesame or flavored oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add the salmon skin to the oil, and fry over medium-low heat.