I figured I might as well try it out on something a little cheaper in case I mess it up. It also depends on how big the scales are. This is the most useful method, as you can fold the news paper and throw it all away into the garbage bin. But as long as you go with morthwest pacific wild caught salmon you are eating about as healthy as you possibly can. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Salmon is typically cooked skin side down to prevent scorching the flesh of the fish. Sure, you can cook fish without removing the scales, but it depends on what kind of fish and how you will be cooking it. Joe Steel is a Northwest-based editor, writer and novelist, former news editor of an outdoor weekly. Usually I’ll find a couple loose scales on top of the fleshy side of the salmon but the others are pretty well-attached. Turn the fish over and remove the scales from the opposite side. You won’t regret leaving it on! As the scales release, you feel a corresponding diminution of resistance indicating you cleared the scales from that area. Salmon scales have an uncanny ability to seemingly materialize between your teeth, no chewing needed, if you don't descale the skin before cooking. You might need putting little more pressure, in case the scales are too sticky to the skin. The brand I normally buy, however, is cut into nice little fillets, but still has all the scales on! Using a fingernail works better if you are having trouble figuring out which direction is the wrong way. peenie, August 15, 2007 in The Geek Club. okay, so i bought some salmon filets but my darn garbage disposal is broken. I have a huge salmon filet that I am going to marinade with some terriyaki ginger sauce I got, but the salmon has scales on one side. Examine both sides of the salmon for any remaining scales and scrape them away as needed. Slide the spatula under the salmon and gently turn it over skinned-side down on a clean serving plate. I believe you can eat the scales but they are tough and not tasty (ask me how I know that, yuk!). If you want to enjoy the taste of fresh salmon, you have to learn the processing of cleaning it, which includes how to remove salmon scales at home. Lower the heat to medium-low and turn the salmon over in the pan using a spatula. Do I have to remove the scales from salmon before eating it? (and yes, I buy frozen salmon – it’s usually fresher than the kind at the fresh counter, since salmon isn’t local to the Southeast). All Rights Reserved. It's easy. Place the salmon skin-side down on an oiled wire rack set on top of a rimmed baking sheet and slide it in the oven. Removing salmon scales can be done easily at home, when you know the tricks. Lift the salmon fillet from the wire rack and gently turn it over onto the plate, skin-side up. // Leaf Group Lifestyle, How to Cook Salmon to Moist & Tender Perfection. It also depends on how big the scales are. Copper River is the sh!t, but the Kenai River has the best king salmon fishing in the world. The ones I normally scale are various carps and pike. i broil the fish in a broiling pan then remove the meat from the skin that's face down, so in reality the scales shouldn't matter. This is a fish that works with a huge variety of flavor combinations, and you can take your pick of cooking method. The question of whether to remove salmon skin is really up to you and your recipe. Make a slit on the skin at the tail and then pull the skin outward by holding with hand. A soggy salmon skin is edible, but not particularly appealing. However, while using sharp knife be careful about your hand and fingers. Grasp a corner of the salmon skin between thumb and forefinger and peel it away. Grasp a corner of the skin and peel it off. Not only was the flavor incredible, but the skin got so shatteringly crispy it was like a hybrid of salmon, a potato chip, and bacon. MaXx Images/StockFood Creative/Getty Images. If you’ve never had a crispy-skinned salmon fillet, you’re truly missing out! I like it just about any way it’s prepared — blackened, poached, baked, smoked, grilled, or raw. Yes, it is a good idea to wash the salmon before cooking it in order to remove any germs or contamination from it. Hi, I'm Caroline, and I'm a self-taught home cook with an affinity for the gourmet. Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Cookie Policy | Use Policy. Here you can see the difference between a salmon fillet with the scales removed (left) and a salmon fillet with the scales still on (right). However, the skin of a salmon is filled with omega-3 fatty acids, and when it is present on fish from uncontaminated waters, it is actually healthy to eat. Now if you want to remove the skin, you would require a sharp knife. and salmon does not take long to cook at all. Coat the salmon with oil and season it to taste. Hold the blade at an angle — 45 degrees or so — with the dull edge of in the direction of the head. One would think running your finger over the scales the “wrong way” (left to right on the fillet above) would be rough, but it’s actually very smooth both directions until you start catching the edges of the scales. Use fish-cleaning gloves or a paper towel to help maintain a good grip. Water facilitates scaling, so it helps to work near a sink. http://www.pacificstarseafoods.com/faq.html#11. You can buy this equipment at any kitchen utility store. Additionally, it is fatty, which leads many to remove it. It's easier to remove scales before you clean the fish. So just slide the blunt edge of the knife under the edges of the scales to help lift them up. Turn the salmon over onto a serving plate and garnish, if desired. As the knife blade passes over the scales, it lifts them and scrapes them off the skin. *Unless you are eating that farmed salmon sh!t, in which case you can just focking go to hell for all I care. Otherwise, you can also use the blunt side of your knife for removing salmon scales off. He also was an editor at a Seattle-based political weekly and editor of a monthly business magazine. Copyright © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. I like to put some butter and brown sugar on my salmon fillet. Yeah, if you are eating that sh!t atlantic slamon (didn't think you could pollute the rivers and ocean forever without consequences, did you?). "fid":"541173","viewmode":"wysiwyg","fields":"format":"wysiwyg","type":"media","attributes":"alt":"","title":"Use a knife for removing salmon scales! Hold a plate in your other hand. So we eat it probably once or twice a week and never get tired of it. The fillet on the left has smooth, shiny skin, with almost a diamond-shaped pattern at the bottom graduating up a pattern of overlapping ovals. Salmon skin can contain toxins, and for this reason it is often removed after cooking. You can grill it with the scales on and just peel it off (or leave it on the plate) when eating. Rinse the salmon under cool running water. Take the salmon from the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to cook it and let it sit on a plate lined with paper towels at room temperature. Removing the scales from a salmon's silvery sides is not a necessity, but many cooks prefer to de-scale the fish before putting it in the oven or on the grill to prevent the errant scale or two from despoiling the presentation of the fish on the plate. After it’s done baking, you just peel off the skin and enjoy. Just use a little extra caution around those bits. In fact, if you buy the salmon fillets with skin, you have to remove the skin from the fillets. Then gently rinse your salmon under cool water to get rid of any scales still trying to stick to the fish (they’re clingy little buggers!) Retrieved from The Bob and Tom show. Take the salmon out of the pan and place it skin-side up on a plate. Grasp the salmon by the tail. Should the Skin on a Salmon Be Removed Before Baking? The professionals use a filet knife to take off the skin as well as to prepare the filets. Then when you eat you don't eat the bottom layer--it just peels away. Join the discussion today. First off, the pre-steps. with any meat that has a sauce it is always better to marinate overnight or for couple hours. Slowly you will notice that you are being able to take off only the skin from the flesh. Roast the salmon until it flakes apart easily with the tines of a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes. In fact, if you buy the salmon fillets with skin, you have to remove the skin from the fillets. The edges are the most difficult, since you also want to keep the flesh intact. i just don't think they should be on there. But for a recipe where the skin is in direct contact with heat and has the opportunity to crisp up? If your knife flattens or comes up too much, you’ll go too deep into the meat and waste it.