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pan-fried sablefish with nuoc cham
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pan-fried sablefish with nuoc cham

How to Pan-Fry Sablefish

February 11th, 2021

Easiest Way to Pan Sear Sablefish

Learning how to pan-fry sablefish is easy. It's an essential skill that even newer seafood cooks can easily master.

That’s because sablefish is a particularly fatty species of fish, making it a forgiving one to cook even when using high-heat cooking methods like pan-frying. It's also one of the easiest ways to transform sablefish’s fat-rich skin into a crispy, golden treat. 

Simple Tips for Perfectly Pan-Fried Sablefish

  • Pat the sablefish fillet dry to remove excess moisture.

  • Sufficiently heat your pan and oil (sizzling hot!) before adding the fillet. 

  • Ensure good skin to pan contact by pressing down firmly onto fillet with a fish spatula.

How to Pan-Fry Sablefish

Gather your materials: Your fillet(s), tea towel or paper towels, fish spatula, high-heat cooking oil, salt and pepper, skillet

 

prepping raw sablefish skin up

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat sablefish fillet dry with a tea towel or paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.

 

sablefish frying in pan with oil

Add just enough oil to cover bottom of skillet, then allow to heat up. Once oil begins to shimmer (hot enough to sizzle) carefully place fillet skin side down into skillet. Using a fish spatula, press down firmly to ensure good skin to pan contact, holding for 15 seconds. 

 

pan-fried sablefish

Sear undisturbed until fillet releases easily with the help of the fish spatula, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip carefully, then allow to cook until internal temperature of fillet reaches 130F at its thickest part for medium doneness, about 2 to 3 more minutes depending on thickness of fillet. 

 

pan-fried sablefish plated

Enjoy! Once you've mastered how to pan-fry sablefish, try our easy recipe for Pan-Fried Sablefish with Sweet & Sour Vietnamese Sauce or level up your skills to make Pan-Roasted Sablefish with Squash Succotash. 

 

Wild Alaskan Company delivers wild-caught, sustainable seafood directly to your door. Get Started. 

*Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.

How to Pan-Fry Sablefish

By Wild Alaskan Company

Prep time

5 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Total time

15 minutes

Yield

1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 (6 oz.) portion Sablefish
  • High-heat cooking oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat sablefish fillet dry with a tea towel or paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.

2. Add just enough oil to cover bottom of skillet, then allow to heat up. Once oil begins to shimmer (hot enough to sizzle) carefully place fillet skin side down into skillet, lowering the fillet away from your body to reduce risk of getting splattered. Using a fish spatula, press down firmly to ensure good skin to pan contact, holding for 15 seconds.

3. Sear undisturbed until fillet releases easily with the help of the fish spatula, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip carefully, then allow to cook until internal temperature of fillet reaches 130F at its thickest part for medium doneness, about 2 to 3 more minutes depending on thickness of fillet.

4. Enjoy!


Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.

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