Do You Cook Salmon Skin Side Up or Down in the Oven?
Salmon is a delicious and healthy fish that can be prepared in endless ways. When cooking salmon in the oven, one of the biggest questions home cooks face is whether to place it skin side up or skin side down. So which is better – salmon skin up or down when baking? After much testing and tasting, I’ve determined the best method for ensuring moist, flaky salmon with crispy skin every time. Keep reading to find out if you should bake salmon skin up or down!
Skin Side Down Benefits
Baking salmon skin side down offers several advantages:
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Protects the flesh – The skin acts as a barrier between the delicate salmon flesh and the hot pan, preventing it from drying out This allows the fish to cook gently and evenly.
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Moisture retention – Salmon contains natural oils and fats that render out during cooking. With the skin down, these fats baste the fish and keep it incredibly moist and tender.
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Easy removal – The skin often sticks to the pan, so it’s simple to slide a spatula underneath the fillet once cooked and transfer it seamlessly to a serving platter.
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Presentation – Since the skin remains on the pan, your beautiful salmon fillet is ready to serve skin-side up with no further effort.
I highly recommend cooking salmon skin side down, especially for leaner varieties like sockeye that are prone to drying out. The skin protects the flesh magnificently.
Skin Side Up Benefits
While skin down has its advantages, skin up does result in supremely crispy salmon skin:
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Direct heat exposure – With the skin facing up towards the heating element, it crisps up incredibly well. The skin renders its fat and turns deliciously golden brown and crunchy.
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Scoring – Lightly scoring the skin before baking allows the fat to render more efficiently. It also prevents the skin from buckling.
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Lower temp – A moderately low oven temp of 375°F is perfect for achieving crispy skin without burning it.
So if crispy skin is your top priority, bake salmon skin side up. Just keep a close watch to prevent burning and remove it as soon as it’s cooked through.
Salmon Varieties Matter
Fattier salmon like King and Coho are great candidates for skin up baking. Their higher fat content keeps the flesh moist while the skin crisps. Leaner fish like Sockeye need the protection of skin down baking.
Parchment Paper vs Baking Sheet
Baking salmon on parchment paper makes removal easy since it won’t stick. But for ultimate crispiness, direct contact with the hot pan is best. If baking directly on a sheet, lightly oil it first.
Step-By-Step Guide
Follow these tips for perfect oven baked salmon:
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Pat the fillets dry thoroughly with paper towels. Damp fish won’t brown well.
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Generously season both sides with salt, pepper, herbs, spices, etc. This adds lots of flavor.
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Arrange fillets skin side down on an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet. Or skin up for extra crispy skin.
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Bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes until opaque and flaky. Thicker cuts take a bit longer.
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Check doneness by inserting a fork and twisting gently. The fish should flake easily when ready.
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Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute evenly.
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Serve garnished with lemon wedges, fresh dill, compound butter – whatever you love!
Troubleshooting
If your salmon turns out dry, burnt or stuck to the pan, here are some tips:
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Dryness – Don’t overcook! Use a meat thermometer and stop baking at 145°F. Skin down baking also prevents dryness.
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Burnt skin – Lower the temp to 375°F max. Watch closely and tent with foil if browning too quickly.
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Sticking – Use parchment paper or grease the pan lightly with oil before baking. Gently loosen the skin with a spatula after cooking.
Beyond Baking
While oven baking is easy and effective, salmon is also delicious grilled, pan seared, poached or broiled. Each method gives unique textures and flavors. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different cooking techniques to discover your favorite!
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A must try recipe for crispy skinned salmon! It’s so easy and quick to prepare and cook, it will become a weekly regular. Salmon is one of the types of fish we eat the most at home and my kids especially love it. My eldest says the salmon skin is as crispy as a potato chip.
Salmon is well known for its rich natural source of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, which play a very important role in brain and heart health. The skin actually contributes to a lot of those benefits, which is why it needs to be eaten. And of course crispy skinned salmon is the only way to go!
The flavourings I use on the salmon flesh are very simple and each time I cook it I change the types of spices I use. My top 3 choices though include: lemon pepper, sumac and dry rosemary. Lemon pepper and sumac are both tangy options, which I absolutely love since I also tend to add a good drizzle of lemon juice on fish before I eat it. The choice is yours depending on what you enjoy it.
Salmon is so versatile to cook, with method options including: frying, grilling, steaming, poaching and even cooked on the barbecue. The recipe for this quick and easy crispy skinned salmon actually requires you to bake it! I love using the oven as much as I can when cooking. Out of sight out of mind kind of thinking! It just means I don’t need to worry about checking it all the time like I would if it was on a stovetop. Furthermore there is less mess with no oil splashing when frying.
When baking the salmon fillets the oven needs to be preheated using the grill and fan setting, otherwise known as broiler. The salmon skin should be about 8-10cm away from the grills, close enough to cook it without burning.
For me it’s a successful execution when the salmon flesh is not dry, but rather firm and moist. And of course when I end up with a crispy skinned salmon. To get the best results when making this recipe, please follow the following tips:
1. Use salmon pieces that are equal in size so that they cook evenly. 2. Use paper towels to dry the skin very well. Sometimes I even add the salmon the fridge unwrapped, skin side up to airdry for an hour. That will remove any moisture to make the skin crispier during baking. 3. Use a brush to add extra virgin olive oil on the skin to help get some colour and crispiness. 4. Sprinkle some fine salt all over the skin after you brush with the extra virgin olive oil. That will provide flavour but more importantly result in crispy skin. That is due to the removal of any excess moisture due to the difference in concentration. 5. Place the salmon skin side up to cook. Do not turn the salmon over! 6. The salmon will need between 15-20min cooking time depending on the width of the pieces. The four pieces I used in these photo were 7-8cm wide and were a total of 1kg in weight. I cooked them for 17min.
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The Food Lab: How to Make Pan-Fried Salmon Fillets With Crispy Skin
FAQ
Should you bake salmon with skin up or down?
If you cook salmon with the skin left on it, then the proper way to bake it is to put the skin side down. The skin is more durable than the flesh and should be used as the base.
Is it better to bake salmon at 350 or 400?
How do you cook salmon in the oven?
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush each salmon fillet with the oil or butter and season well.
- Put the salmon fillets in an ovenproof dish. …
- Roast for 10-15 mins (or about 4 mins per 1cm thickness) until just opaque and easily flaked with a fork.
Which side down do you cook salmon?
Always start with the fillets skin-side down.
While the salmon will cook on both sides, the process should always start by adding the fish to the pan skin-side down. The skin is tough and durable, and can withstand more time on the hot surface of the pan without overcooking the salmon.