To remove the skin from salmon, follow these expert steps:
- Prepare the salmon and workspace
- Remove the salmon from packaging and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Place the salmon skin-side down on a stable cutting board; use a damp towel underneath to prevent slipping.
- Check for and remove any pin bones with tweezers or needle-nose pliers by running your fingers along the fillet and pulling them out if found
- Make the initial cut
- At one corner of the fillet, insert a sharp knife between the skin and the flesh.
- Angle the knife slightly downward toward the skin and cut through about an inch to create a flap of skin to grip
- Remove the skin
- Hold the flap of skin firmly with your non-dominant hand (use a paper towel or kitchen towel for better grip if slippery).
- With the knife blade parallel to the cutting board and slightly angled downward, gently slide the knife along the skin while pulling the skin away in the opposite direction.
- Use a smooth sawing motion to separate the skin without cutting through the flesh.
- The skin should come off cleanly with minimal meat attached
Alternative method without a knife:
- Place the salmon skin-side up on a baking rack over a baking dish.
- Slowly pour boiling water over the skin to make it shrink and loosen.
- After about a minute, the skin can be easily pulled off by hand
This method works for any size fillet and other types of fish as well. Using a sharp knife and steady technique ensures you keep most of the flesh intact. If you prefer, some seafood counters will remove the skin for you free of charge
. In summary, the key is to start with a small cut between skin and flesh, grip the skin firmly, and slide the knife carefully to separate them cleanly. The boiling water hack is a quick alternative if you want to avoid knives altogether.
