QUICK TIP | How to keep fish from sticking to the pan

Nothing, I repeat, nothing is more frustrating than preparing a beautiful meal and then having the main attraction stick to the pan and ruin your presentation. Whether you are cooking for yourself, cooking for friends and family, or cooking “on the line”, this is one of those soul-sucking kitchen moments that we have all gone through. Fortunately, I have a really simple “secret” solution that can be used when all else fails.

When writing any posts, I generally poke around on the web a little bit to see what else is out there. If a topic is well covered by other food blogs, I usually will choose to focus on a topic where I could offer something new to the conversation out there. There are a lot of tips out there on how to keep fish from sticking to the pan, however, I was surprised to find that my super simple technique was not among them. This technique works great for fish fillets, as well as chicken, pork, and steak.

How to Keep Fish (or Steak, Pork Chops, or Chicken) From Sticking to the Pan

First things first, these steps below are all good practices and are the tips that everyone else on the blogosphere recommends for preventing fish or meat from sticking to the pan.

1. Pat the fish fillet with a paper towel until well dried and season it with salt and whatever else you would like. Or better yet, leave it uncovered in the fridge for a day or so to dry the surface.
2. Preheat a dry pan. I recommend stainless steel or ceramic non-toxic non-stick. Cast iron is great if it’s your designated fish pan (flavors can permeate) AND it is well seasoned. Teflon non-stick really are not meant to be heated while dry (plus, I hate how the coating flakes into food with wear and tear). Why preheat while dry? This keeps the oil from smoking and burning and creating off-flavors.
3. Add 1-2 Tablespoons oil. I prefer oil with a high smoke point like canola.
4. Gently add the fillet of fish and immediately give the pan a little shake when you put it in. If it sticks, don’t worry. NOTE: if the fish doesn’t sizzle when it hits the pan, the pan and oil are not hot enough. Test a corner before gently sliding the fillet in.
5. At this point, you can turn the heat down to medium or medium-low to reduce the splattering of oil and slow the cooking down for more even cooking and a better sear.
6. After at least 3-5 minutes or when the fillet is visibly cooked halfway through, using a fish spatula or thin metal spatula (this is key here), flip the fish over and repeat on the other side. If it sticks, give it 30 seconds and try again “it will release by itself when it’s ready.”

Indeed, these are all good practices for achieving the perfect sear. However, every chef knows that sometimes your fillet will still stick. It just will. And sometimes, the amount of time it takes for the fish to “release by itself when it’s ready” is longer than you want to cook it for. For example, sea scallops cooked medium. If cooked for 3-5 minutes on each side, the amount of time for the sear to be fully formed and release on its own, the scallop would be well done. If the fish (or steak, chicken, or pork) sticks after doing all of the steps above, or if your window for “perfect doneness” is about to pass you by, here is my no-fail secret tip to unsticking the fillet from the pan…

• Remove the pan from the burner and let it sit for 1-3 minutes. Physically remove it, don’t just turn the heat off. The fish fillet will release from the pan when the pan cools and the skin and the sear will still be crispy (as long as you don’t forget about it for 10-15 minutes). The release will happen faster if you put the pan directly on a stainless steel or granite counter than if you put it on a drying rack or hot pad because the heat (or in this case, the reduction of heat) will be more quickly transferred. Factor this “quick release” carry-over cooking into your timing if you are trying to achieve a specific level of doneness other than well done.

When trying to sear a fillet of fish or other protein, it does takes time to achieve a good crust and a natural release from the pan. This lends itself to thicker cuts of meat and will be difficult to achieve with anything thinner than 1 inch (unless you want it cooked well-done).

OTHER TIPS FOR PAN FRYING FISH

• If the fillet is long and thin or you are pan-frying whole small bone-in fish, press down on it with a spatular when you first put it in the pan and when you flip it. This will help it stay flat, and stay in contact with the oil for a good crust or sear.
• If you are cooking small or thin pieces of fish, seafood, or other meat, dusting them with flour helps prevent sticking by forming a layer between the protein and the pan.
• For small pieces of fish, seafood, or meat that you want to be cooked to below well-done (say medium or rare), make sure the pan is super hot.

Let me know in the comment section how this tip works for you and if you have any questions on how best to cook specific items, I am happy to share my suggestions there as well.