The Best Salmon You'll Ever Make (Restaurant-Quality) | Epicurious 101

In this edition of Epicurious 101, professional chef and chef instructor Frank Proto demonstrates how to cook the best pan-seared salmon fillet you've ever made at home.
Check out chef Frank on his KZbin Channel, ProtoCooks!
/ @protocookswithcheffrank
Follow him on Instagram at @protocooks
Director: Parisa Kosari
Director of Photography: Ben Dewey
Editor: Boris Khaykin
Host: Frank Proto
Director of Culinary Production: Kelly Janke
Culinary Researcher and Recipe Editor: Vivian Jao
Culinary Producer: Young Sun
Culinary Associate Producer: Leslie Raney
Line Producer: Jen McGinity
Associate Producer: Amanda Broll
Production Manager: Janine Dispensa
Production Coordinator: Elizabeth Hymes
Camera Operator: Carlos Araujo
Sound Mixer: Mariya Chulichkova
Production Assistant: Emmanuel Dominguez
Culinary Researcher: Vivian Jao
Post Production Supervisor: Andrea Farr
Post Production Coordinator: Scout Alter
Supervising Editor: Eduardo Araujo
Assistant Editor: Justin Symonds
--
0:00 Slammin’ Salmon
0:15 Chapter One - Selecting Salmon
1:19 Chapter Two - Cooking Salmon
4:59 Chapter Three - Plating Salmon
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[@samrai78]

Love how Chef Frank always explains WHY he does stuff. This series is awesome, keep it coming!

[@Hexinvir]

That's the culinary instructor in him

[@samrai78]

Yep and as a self-acclaimed food and cooking nerd I’m all for it!

[@alquinn8576]

it's hilarious that he is looking at the color of farmed salmon when that is often adulterated via coloring added to their feedstock, and you can get fatty wild salmon (king salmon is great), but go ahead and eat your dioxin glop; keeps demand down for the wild salmon

[@godlygamer911]

Ramsay was never a culinary instructor, he does it too... @@Hexinvir

[@godlygamer911]

I can't tell if you are white and privileged or just stupid and stupid@@alquinn8576

[@ZacCostilla]

Having lived in Alaska, I gotta respectfully disagree on the farm raised salmon. There’s absolutely no comparison in flavor between fresh caught and farm raised.

[@BrodyYYC]

100% and it goes way beyond that for reasons to never eat farmed salmon.

[@waveydavey]

You lost me at farm raised 🙄

[@b01tact10n]

You hit the nail on the head. I'm glad moose cannot be farm-raised or any of the food I gather throughout the year here in SWestern Alaska!

[@jwmmitch]

​@boltactionalaska8834 why can't they raise moose on a farm?

[@marklevy2092]

facts

[@merry3733]

I have been cooking salmon for years, but mostly in the oven. I have failed miserably at attempts to cook it in a pan. This was perfect!!

[@mst1052]

First time I ever cooked salmon, I follewed your advice to the letter and it was better than I could have imaqined. The skin was truly "bacon of the sea". The wild caught salmon was excellent. Thank You for inspiring me!

[@emh8861]

Love the skin !

[@Coolarj10]

I could watch Chef Frank all day. Absolutely love these videos!

[@carolynp3114]

Excellent series. Clear demonstration and explanation of steps.

[@fennecfox8291]

I just tried pan searing salmon your way and it turned out AMAZING. Crispy thin fish skin and the middle is still juicy and tender. Such easy and clear instructions with the best salmon everrrr.

[@privadacoffee8376]

Love your videos Chef! Such a great education on cooking all the best basics!

[@Showmetheevidence-]

I must say… a beautifully cooked piece of salmon is definitely a treat worth having once in a while… so yummy.

[@radamanthys0223]

1 thing to add Chef Frank, let us know the preferred/recommended timings; I personally go ~6mins on skin side and a further ~3 on the other side. awesome everytime

[@Eric-xh9ee]

Thank you! I've never cooked fish before and I was wondering this after watching the video

[@TheDeconstructivist]

Yeah! It was the only thing missing in the video!

[@decomposedcorpse5186]

How long do you let it rest?

[@radamanthys0223]

@@decomposedcorpse5186 about 4 mins or so, basically the time it takes to plate

[@CoyMcBob]

I think he literally said in the video to wait until the salmon is easy to move, that the salmon will tell you when it's ready. I think it was intentional, that these fixed times are what may cause the dish to be inconsistent

[@johnbgriffinjr116]

Best salmon instructional video I’ve seen…. Excellent job! 👍🏼

[@MysteryMan159]

Love this! I pretty much do this, except that I use a higher heat, cast iron, brown all Sides, then pop in the oven to bring up to internal temp.

[@DaddyYardie]

I've always been intimidated about cooking fish, but this video makes it look so easy. I love Red Snapper and Salmon. I think I'll try cooking salmon this weekend. Thanks for inspiring a dad who is trying to expand his dinner menu.

[@coopercoming8524]

Try mangrove snapper , makes a great fried fish sandwich 🥪 and sockeye salmon in my opinion has a lighter taste compared to Atlantic salmon

[@McCulleyJr]

Great tutorial as always, thanks.

[@naejin]

I heard farm raised salmon flesh is naturally more grey & not pink, because they aren't fed krill (whose carotenoids provide their color) like those in the wild. Supposedly, farm raised salmon get their color added. There appears to be mixed discussions whether the added color is for better or for worse.

[@YodasPapa]

Well it's just carotenoids that are added to their feed, so it's chemically the same and no better or worse than wild in that respect.

[@H3XIUS]

Wild salmon (at least up here in Alaska) is very dark pink to red. Farmed salmon is a joke up here.

[@nathangerrard9792]

@@YodasPapa what is very different is the nutrient profile anybody suggesting farmed over wild really needs educating

[@ryanwilliamson5714]

Farmed very VERY cheap, both in cost and quality its closer to trout than proper salmon tbh

[@ryanwilliamson5714]

​@@H3XIUSsame here in the scottish highlands

[@river7371]

i followed this tutorial for my first time cooking salmon just now, turned out perfect, 12 out of 10, thanks so much

[@Leomerya12]

Bravo, Chef. You nailed the temperature on that thing.

[@Houtaroudesu]

Awesome! I also wanna see you do one for Fish and Chips 😄

[@robstevens9667]

Proper cooking 🧑‍🍳 👌 thank you 🙏

[@olegvartanov5906]

Brilliant! I've made it perfectly first time, like I've done it a lot before) Thanks! Loved the tips and details.

[@brianmata916]

One thing to keep in mind is that skin on fish has a tendency to curl up because the skin shrinks when it hits hot oil so sometimes you’ll want to apply a bit of weight upon putting it in the pan whether with a press or your hand for a few seconds.

[@Chris-de2qc]

Or cut some small slits

[@Bud_nkd]

@@Chris-de2qc yes but it will still curl up a bit. i just cooked some red mullet recently and it curled up into almost a C shape :D added some weight and it was fine. but i think it depends what type of fish it is.

[@lukassorowka2672]

And get the fish out of the fridge at least 20 minutes before cooking it, that way the skin will curl up less too

[@John-rz4cu]

Get my salmon skin crispy cooking in cast iron on the grill. Skin side down, never turning. Another way to skin the cat.

[@swtt1627]

@@John-rz4cu skin the what 💀😭

[@Jasonrfeliz]

He lost me at farm raised salmon

[@trumpsawussygrabbingbirther]

Salmon sushi is the best.

[@Viper-ms9eg]

Exactly

[@TheWorld_2099]

Your cooking instruction makes my life BETTER…! Between the salmon, potatoes and the chicken, I’m a happy guy.

[@sandranynj7118]

Thank you! I followed your instructions, and it came out perfect!

[@pjwulfman]

Thank you. I haven’t cooked salmon in over 20 years and I just bought two fillets yesterday. Looks like I found my method.

[@frogstock2597]

Awesome story

[@jakebeckmann9372]

@@frogstock2597how tf is that an awesome story literally the only thing he said was that it has been 20 years

[@tomtalley2192]

I make my salmon like this, but brown the butter first. After I turn, add a couple of ounces of fresh lemon juice for the final two minutes. Family begs me to make it couple times a week.

[@JackCarver_Reporting_in]

Chef Frank is such a star.

[@132411guy]

This series is such a great idea.

[@TheGlamorousLifeofNae]

Thanks Chef Frank! 😊

[@cvm6854]

I starting making my salmon in cast iron because I couldn’t figure out how to make it not stick in the stainless steel. You’re a life saver.

[@julianvickers]

Absolutely nothing wrong with doing it in cast iron.

[@ElSuperNova23]

Yeah all the same principles apply. The key to non stick in stainless steel is similar enough too, moderate preheat that pan and plenty of oil.

[@FamilyManMoving]

@@ElSuperNova23 Yup, preheat stainless before adding any oil.

[@radamanthys0223]

the trick with stainless is easy, heat up your pan before applying anything on it, same applies for pots (making rice for example) heat it up first then start cooking. also dont bug whatever you are cooking, move it slightly, if it still sticking it's not ready to be turned

[@BrodyYYC]

I have a $200 All-Clad stainless frying pan and a cast iron pan I got on sale for $25. I never even touch my stainless steel. But I use my cast iron every single day. I'll never go back.

[@coopsdad1139]

The finished product was AMAZING. Thanks a ton!

[@jrshaul]

I've been to a lot of restaurants that can't cook the salmon properly. This is spot on.

[@daveandreannon]

It would be great if the video also told us how to know when the salmon has finished cooking

[@TheGodYouWishYouKnew]

Use a meat thermometer for best results but also, salmon flesh turns opaque and white when it’s cooked.

[@kylebeatty7643]

​@@TheGodYouWishYouKnewwhite salmon sounds so wrong

[@TheGodYouWishYouKnew]

@@kylebeatty7643 The sides of the salmon turn white. It’s just what happens.

[@cwg73160]

Jfc learn how to do things for yourself. Do you need the internet to wipe you, too?

[@AidanXavier988]

He’s the salmon whisperer… It tells him when it’s ready.

[@LouTheGoober]

finally get to see one of these videos when its uploaded!!

[@georgethomas2004]

Simple and perfect.

[@jeremylow7757]

Take a bit of the hot oil, pour in some soy sauce (about 2:1 to 4:1 soy sauce to oil ratio) while oil is hot, to use as dipping sauce. It's amazing. Add a bit of garlic or pepper if you want.

[@godiswithyou.5358]

Thank you!

[@johnbgriffinjr116]

Nice! I’ll give that a try! 😊

[@philipp594]

This video should mention checking for pinbones / scale before seasoning. Best salmon is dry brined with salt and sugar 30-45 min ahead. Gives the fish a firmer nicer texture and intensifies the flavor.

[@batuTM]

if ur buying fillets, pinbones are already extracted and the fish is scaled

[@beandispenser6971]

@@batuTM that's what i first believed, never again

[@Lightningrod75]

You didn't see Frank's video on altering DNA.

[@Eric-xh9ee]

​@@batuTMno true. I've seen them in the store with the bones in them. They cut the fish in half and leaves the scales on one side and the bones on the other side

[@paisastic]

Very nice explanation. Straight to the point.👌

[@weezlebodeezle4831]

Perfect recipe! Thank you so kuch

[@lizoconnor2752]

This is awesome technique ❤ few eaters know that crispy salmon skin is delicious ❤

[@BrodyYYC]

my German Shepard knows for sure. It's his treat every time I make salmon. It's his favourite.

[@admiralcapn]

On the flesh side I layer on kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, granulated garlic, cayenne, and paprika. Makes a sort of crust (not quite a bark) that has great contrasting mount feel against the creamy salmon flesh.

[@lasandralucas7314]

Thanks Chef Frank for my ideas for dinner tonight.

[@milenamichaelidis7900]

Omg love your videos! I will try this and hoping it comes out as you explained. 🥰

[@gilbertjacobs3705]

I don't think stores will just let me randomly touch their fish

[@ntq1ty]

and if they did, they also let other people touch your fish before you got there…

[@SPQR_14]

He's talking about fish mongers, not supermarket chains.

[@JohnOhkumaThiel]

I wish to bring you to my local grocery stores in Japan, and make a meal in my kitchen, with whatever equipment and additional ingredients this American and his native Japanese wife may have. I think you would be overwhelmed by the quality of available ingredients in the average grocery store in Japan.

[@mkeys1233]

Wow never tried pan seared salmon that’s crazy I’m going to try this looks delicious

[@schishne7546]

This is way easier than I thought with some decent instruction and explanation

[@justjibsy]

The best thing I have started to do when cooking salmon is a dry brine. Makes such a difference in texture!

[@williamakers1101]

by definition, a brine is water based. Do you just mean you have it sit out with salt on it for a while?

[@justjibsy]

@@williamakers1101 yeah, coat it in kosher salt for a while, rinse off, pat dry, season with anything but salt. I bake at 375 usually.

[@cwg73160]

@@justjibsyThey’re just someone who doesn’t accept that combining dry and brining is an actual thing.

[@BrodyYYC]

@@williamakers1101 you can and SHOULD dry brine all of the meat you cook. It's just coating it in salt and letting it sit uncovered in the fridge.

[@BrodyYYC]

@@justjibsy I personally wouldn't rinse it off after. Just pat it dry with a paper towel.

[@kellefc3545]

In Chef Frank We Trust

[@gfrizzleshizzlemanizzle]

In dogs we thrust.

[@user-wk1qs8sy3b]

Loved this! Just starting out and I had no idea how to cook a filet! my salmon was delicious! love the tip of padding dry!!!

[@obsidian00]

Thanks Chef! This was exactly what I was looking for!

[@Echosinfireify]

Don’t buy farm raised salmon! The wild salmon market is successfully regulated, farm raised salmon is actually really hard in the environment. Plus it’s more flavorful!

[@TheSauxyFxcker]

I’ll stop buying farmed when wild costs the same 👍🏽

[@Johnpvb]

Most Farm raised fish is trash…I avoid it

[@TheSauxyFxcker]

@@Johnpvb the difference is minimal 😂

[@Echosinfireify]

@@TheSauxyFxcker not to the environment! But the difference in price is pretty minimal.

[@TheSauxyFxcker]

@@Echosinfireify not in the UK isn’t 😂 and there are plenty more harmful practices going on in the world, salmon farming is pretty low down on the scale

[@Showmetheevidence-]

You can’t always smell the fish… most places near me keep it behind clear windows/screens/display shelves you can’t get to without someone behind the counter.

[@kevinfishburne]

"...and that means there's no slime on it." Never truer words. Fresh as possible.

[@jony93]

I would always cook it to this point but used to think it was still RAW so I would overcook it. Glad to know it's ok being that color!

[@bert8263]

my mom cooks them in the oven with pepper and lemon pepper on the top and lemon juice its the best!

[@rimaswedan2654]

Could you please tell me on what temperature and for how long?

[@user-yx6nb3jc1h]

C’mon Frank. Wild caught Alaskan every time.

[@bluesdawg8014]

I question that as well. Cold water, wild caught for me. Coho or Sockeye Alaskan

[@ianentwistle5052]

Thank You! It came out perfect thanks to you.

[@richarddaluz7112]

Wow simple but delicious thanks for the tips to ensure I have crispy salmon skin

[@Twitchi]

here for CHEF FRANK!!

[@HappilyAlways]

Love ya Chef Frank, you're literally the best doing it. Epicurious, I'm sure chef is paid well, but he is def due a raise.

[@guitar9310]

Great suggestion on the tongs! Honestly great vid. I made salmon and it was fantastic because of you!

[@prescillageorge6916]

Today I made for my family ...they thoroughly enjoyed ..thank you Chef ,especially my son enjoyed crispy skin ..

[@micah1754]

Perfect . This is exactly how I do it too. Glad to see someone not overcook it !

[@cwg73160]

Get rid of the space between the last letter of the sentence and the punctuation mark.

[@micah1754]

@@cwg73160 get a life and be less unnecessarily critical? Yeah, cool !

[@jonathancormack]

​@@cwg73160get rid of your attitude and ego problem

[@johnzadkovich2990]

For novices like myself, I cook the salmon in the pan using non-stick baking paper with a little oil; crispy skin and it NEVER sticks!

[@WhatALoadOfTosca]

I do the same :) my skin is never as black as it is here which I think looks better.

[@drewwhy5541]

Thank you all the info I was looking for. ❤

[@Chef_noorjahan]

Oh wow Frank ! This looks pretty much tasty and delicious . I will try on my channel

[@philhersh]

Love me some crowded antibiotic fed fish.

[@SPQR_14]

It 100% tastes better than wild.

[@cringeginge7663]

@@SPQR_14i gotta disagree on that

[@tpower1912]

​@@SPQR_14 If you have no taste.

[@AmberU]

This guy is great ! I just made his pancake recipe again! My new go too pancake recipe since im a self professed pancake expert !

[@finishme2753]

I loved his pancake one

[@canebro1]

Same, my Saturday morning is usually either his pancakes or his eggs in sauce

[@SmellMyKnee15]

This is very informative thank you so much ❤

[@rootbeer6634]

I cook salmon every year on Thanksgiving and this was a big hit and cut down on oven use. Thanks!

[@NR-rv8rz]

Sorry mate but I don't want to shop at any fishmongers who allows a bunch of people to hover their nose an inch above the foot and snort over it.

[@evanchristian1751]

Whenever I need to wipe my nose I just go to a fishmonger and wipe it on some salmon

[@NR-rv8rz]

lol @@evanchristian1751

[@59squares]

That editing at 4:00 lmao, just noticed it's spliced together

[@MoRiley9]

Yes, because the fish has already been flipped, but then appears to be frying on the skin side again.

[@pasinu]

Excellent job watch you all the time

[@DrWat65]

Thanks for sharing! Do you have a recommendation for stainless steel skillet?

[@JustMikeH]

I always think the best Salmon I will ever make is raw. 😁 I say that because Chef Frank makes me want to try this technique. I rarely like cooked fish and this looks delightful! Who knows, maybe I'll be converted to cooked? Either way, worth trying.

[@FFS33]

It's raw in the middle , overcooked on the outside , trust the process he said 😂

[@FamilyManMoving]

Try warm smoking salmon: cover the salmon with salt and brown sugar for an hour, then wash it all off in cold water. Dry it well. Let the salmon dry in a fridge on a rack uncovered for 45-60 minutes; it will be a little sticky when done. Cook on a covered grill with enough wood/charcoal on one side to get the interior about 200 degrees, with a little cherry, alder or apple wood on top. Not too much wood. The salmon will slowly come up - it can take 30-60 minutes to get to the point it's all one pink, rare slab. Let it rest about five minutes and serve. You don't need a fancy smoker for this. I've used cheap portable kettle grills. My advice is to avoid charcoal bricks - go find some actual wood charcoal. And if you use wood for smoke, choose something light like fruit woods or maple. Avoid strong flavors like mesquite or hickory. This is fish, not BBQ pork.

[@acanadianfry2539]

enjoy your food how you want @@FFS33. Im assuming this is how they prepare it in the restaurants, and to many this looks perfectly cooked.

[@BrodyYYC]

raw is the best way to eat salmon and tuna for sure.

[@beegood14]

I thought you have to thoroughly cook salmon, because it has a lot of parasites. It’s extremely healthy and delicious but you need to cook it thoroughly to destroy the parasites.

[@cas126]

First step: Get permits to build your own salmon farm.

[@captainexistence]

Beautiful blushing inside, there's no better way to cook salmon in my opinion then pan seared. Thanks for the tips chef Frank!

[@colcourtney5545]

That was perfect. My salmon came out looking just like yours. Chef's kiss!

[@18deadmonkeys]

if I don't try anything new, then I've already made the best salmon I'll ever make.

[@incognito7039]

I love this comment, had me rolling

[@irishmarshmallow]

Great video. Even though I love the taste of salmon, I prefer to make this with Char (cold water fatty fish, for those unfamiliar) since they're not over farmed/endangered in the wild! I'll definitely keep this in mind next time I cook some 😊

[@JBaker-ep1wx]

Yes!! If we all avoid fish on the Red List we’ll have healthier seas and tasty fish for the future! Supply responds to demand-buy other fish and the market will (slowly) respond.

[@theunluckyfisherman4845]

​@@JBaker-ep1wxif more people buy wild fish, fisherman will harvest more wild fish, and there will be less wild fish.

[@dario6253]

What a wonderful teacher!.

[@michaelespinoza198]

First time cooking one of these bad boys and I must say thank you. Farm raised or ocean raised or whatever raised its food. Delicious 🤤🤣

[@mikedinadis2654]

Nice job chef. Going to give it a try? Thank you.

[@ReallyVirtual]

He's by far one of the best internet Chefs. I once tried Salmon in a standard steel pan and it stuck, so I had always used non-stick after that. I have a salmon dish planned for next week and I'm going to risk the steel pan and hope the salmon frees itself!

[@scottcbutton]

Having the pan and oil hot at the start is key, you can cook eggs in a steel pan and the won't stick if you start hot with a bit of oil

[@chefcscreations]

Test to see how hot your pan is first before adding oil I test by sprinkling so water drops. If it sizzles away, it's not hot enough. You want the water drops to bead up first then evaporate. Then add oil, wait for the summer, then add your fish. I cook salmon 2xs a week and this is how I start my pain. No sticking ever

[@ReallyVirtual]

@@scottcbutton Thanks I'm going to give steel a go! :)

[@ReallyVirtual]

@@chefcscreations Thanks! I'm going to be using steel this Sunday!

[@alquinn8576]

i pan cook salmon in butter on stainless steel (starting it skin side down as soon as the butter melts) and never any sticking. i don't know what industrial sludge "neutral oil" he's using since butter is the way to go (then while salmon is resting, de-glaze the pan with with a little more butter and lemon juice and pour over the top of the salmon, alongside the ideal accompaniment: steamed broccoli)

[@Arlenesherman0912]

Just tried your procedure! It turn out great! Nice and fully cooked❤💯. Thanks 2024/April

[@MyrinaKR]

Thank you, Chef Frank and Epicurious. Just made a pan-seared Wild Alaskan salmon filet and it was AMAZING.

[@ArielK1987]

I'll like to see Chef frank face off with another chef or even Rosemary. To make a dish.

[@ctheartiste]

idea approve with Rosemary, get her into the kitchen!!!

[@opalyankaBG]

Salmon is pink because of the pigments in the shrimp wild salmon eats. Farm raised salmon is naturally grey in color because it's not fed shrimps. Therefore it's dyed to make it look more appealing.

[@williamakers1101]

Flamingos aren't naturally pink either, which I think is something more and more people are aware of these days.

[@opalyankaBG]

@@williamakers1101 Older birds get pink due to the amount of krill/shrimps they eat. Same thing with salmon.

[@veronicavld6277]

Perfect you explain it incredibly

[@mikeearls126]

i highly recommend his video on homemade pancakes....awesome

[@AhLiang08]

Obviously I'm farming my own salmon, but chef, you skipped the steps on what to feed the salmon and when to harvest them.

[@DaniMacYo]

I do mine in the air fryer. Trust me it’s perfect in that machine lol. I love air fryers, makes me look like a pro. Steak I do pan better. Wedges and fish I do better in the air fryer. Not everything I cook on a pan or oven comes out as well as Chef’s. So that’s why I Air Fry. 😅

[@terrykeggereis2953]

Season with msg before pan searing. Also putting the oil directly on the salmon instead of in the pan can save you oil and splatter.

[@alexmanigat]

Had these stainless steel pans for a while and could cook everything but salmon with the skin UNTIL TODAY!! Thank you!!

[@daianmoi8528]

I can’t believe he said he likes farm raised salmon, and then says it has to be PINK?! Farm raised salmon is gray! They color it with food coloring! Who cares if it’s gray?! Not me!!!

[@errorfive]

Agreed. Fresh or bust.

[@bennyblanco5555]

it's a little bit under, chef!

[@seanrice5313]

One thing I do also is scrape across the skin with your knife, it helps get a lot more of the moisture out.

[@SuperTimeg]

As my fellow Alaskans and I say “friends don’t let friends eat farmed salmon.” Wild caught is healthier and better for you 🤷🏻‍♀️