Good lesson - it's always nice when you learn something new.

Paul

I don't think I have ever made the skin side the presentation side. It was like an "Aha! of course moment" just turned on in my brain after watching the lesson. Thanks again Rouxbe for continuing to teach me:)

Very exciting! However I am wondering what fat you are using in your high heat method for pan frying fish. Thanks, Sheila

I believe we used grapeseed oil. Here is a list of some of the Smoking Points of Oils and Fats.

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could tell me what dish is pictured in the thumbnail on the goals tab for the pan frying fish lesson.

Here is the picture I am referring to.

That was just a simple piece of pan fried fish with the skin still on. It was served over a bit of saffron couscous.

Saffron couscous, that's what I was looking to identify really. I like the presentation of pan fried fish served in a shallow bowl over an aromatic side like couscous or lentils.

Thanks!

What is the temperature that an oven is preheated to when finishing fish in the oven?

Thanks!

There is a drill-down in the lesson called oven temperatures for finishing fish in the oven, have a look at that and see if that helps any. Cheers!

Thanks Dawn! I missed that drill down. I try to watch them all as they have taught me much! I'll keep a better eye out. Thanks again!! Love, love this site!

Great lesson, thank you.
I'm hoping for a whole lesson on grilling fish in the future, but in the meantime, how do you grill fish so it doesn't stick. I tried trout on my BBQ many times and pretty much always I loose the skin and the presentation is... well, you know.
Please, help

Grilling will definitely be in Rouxbe's future; however, for now, the best advice I can give is to use a well-oiled fish basket or a fish grate. This makes it much easier to turn the fish during cooking and makes the fish less prone to sticking. If you don't have either, you need to make sure the hot grill is as clean as possible and is brushed well with oil. You can also brush the fillets with additional oil before placing them onto the grill. Hope this helps! Cheers!

How well does cast iron work for pan-frying fish---both at low and at high temperatures?

For sure cast iron would work over higher heat. It would also likely work over low heat if it is a well seasoned cast iron pan as it will be somewhat non-stick anyways. In either case you will need to monitor the heat. Cheers!

The water test in the meat pan-frying lesson was very useful for me.
Is there some sort of pan temperature test trick for cooking fish ?
Rouxbe is a great site ! Just after studying a few lessons I greatly improved my cooking. Thanks for everything.

When pan frying over higher heat, whether you are cooking meat or fish, the water test is the same. Heat the pan over medium or medium-high heat. Once the water test has been completed, you are ready to go. Cheers!

i did the water test and ensured the pan was high enough and yet the salmon stuck and when it did finally pry loose the skin peeled right off. this has been a problem not only for salmon but other types of meat and fish in a stainless steel pan. can you please help me? thanks

Make sure that the skin and flesh side of the fish have been patted dry really well. You might also want to apply a very thin layer of oil to the skin before placing it into the pan. Remember to let the fish cook and develop a crust before trying to move it. Also, make sure your pan is very clean, as sometimes a film or any sort of debris can latch on to the food. Keep practicing - you will get it. Keep us posted on your progress. Cheers!

so how do i achieve that nice crispy skin in terms of heat instead of it drying up and flaking off? thanks

The pan has to be hot. If you have a good pan that has been properly heated and you add properly-prepared fish, the skin will crisp up and you'll be able to turn the fish without anything sticking. It is possible - it just takes practice and patience.

I've been cooking for 20 years...at home...mostly self taught,Rouxbe is what I have been looking for...thanks a million (my wife thanks you too). After porperly heating the pan...water test...I cooked salmon. It came out great...thank you for being here for me.

I cook fish mostly with skin.

The first problem I have is that the skin cause the fish to contract and curl so the skin does not get crispy evenly. So I made a few cuts across the skin but it still curls up. Then I try to pan fry it without the cuts but use the spatula to slightly press the fish flat onto the pan. But I can only get the edges really crispy but the middle part not so. What should I do? Should I add more oil so that the hot oil can reach all the skin surface evenly?

Second, the oil around the outside of the pan tend to get oxidized like old cooking fat with that look and smell even though I did not heat the oil to the smoking point. I used Canola oil and I also had the fish in the middle of the pan and not on the hottest outer part. Any hint I can prevent the oil from getting that smell and look which ruined the fish in a way. The fish I cooked was Pike with skin.

Thanks.

Joe

With regards to the skin, you are right to score the skin to help it from curling. Make sure to score the skin of the fish from side to side. If only done in the middle of the skin this can cause it to curl. Also, keep in mind that a thin filet has a tendency to curl as there is not enough weight to hold it down like with a thick piece of fish. Make sure that both the fish and skin side is very dry - pat well with paper towels before pan frying. This will help to crisp it up. You can use a touch more oil in the pan and you could also apply a thin film to the skin of the fish. Season just before frying so moisture isn't drawn to the surface, which will prevent a good sear.

Now, it sounds like your pan is far too hot. Heat the pan as shown in the video. The oil around the fish should not discolor during the cooking process. You also might be using too large of a pan for the amount of fish that you are cooking. Pan-frying fish takes a lot of practice to perfect. Don't give up. Pay attention to the small tweaks you make each time and you'll get it right. Cheers!

I would like to learn how to make Halibut in Butter sauce.

You are in luck then...here is an entire lesson on How to Make a Butter Sauce and here is a lesson called Cooking Fish Fundamentals. Also be sure to check out the lesson on Pan Frying Fish as it doesn't matter what kind of fish it is, it can all be pan fried according to the lesson. Good luck and happy practicing. Cheers!