How To Cook Salmon Without Skin

Last Updated on 15th September 2022 by

Eating salmon without the skin is definitely a healthier option, as it cuts out some of the fat content.

It changes the texture a little, and it can be tricky to cook salmon without skin. That’s because the fish can burn a little easier, and it cooks faster, so

I’ll show you how to cook salmon without skin so that it won’t give you any trouble.

How to Cook Salmon without the Skin in the Oven

This oven baked method takes into account that there’s no skin on the salmon. That means it won’t be as crispy as if you were to cook it with the skin, but otherwise it’s essentially the same fish. (Don’t miss our Hake Fish Oven recipe)

Ingredients:

4 skinless salmon filets
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme

Directions:

Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Put a rack into the middle of the oven to use and line a baking dish using parchment paper.
Remove the bones from the salmon using fishbone tweezers and then brush down the salmon filets with olive oil.
Place the salmon fillets on the baking dish and sprinkle on black pepper, salt, thyme, and garlic powder.
Bake the salmon for about 12 to 15 minutes, ensuring it is cooked all the way through and that it looks so pink. It should have an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit if it’s cooked completely.

This method for how to cook salmon without the skin is really straightforward, and there shouldn’t be any difficulty in making sure turns out right.

How Long to Cook Salmon without Skin?

How long it takes to cook the salmon will depend on the cooking method you’re using, as broiling, pan frying, baking, and grilling all be a little different.

However, thin salmon filets cook pretty quickly, and it shouldn’t took take any longer than 15 minutes to cook it no matter which method you’re using.

The temperature you cook the salmon at will determine how long it takes to finish cooking as well.

I’ve given you a low temperature up above for the baking method for skinless salmon, and you probably don’t want to increase that by much. If you do, you may dry out the salmon or make the outer texture somewhat burnt while the inside isn’t cooked all the way through.

You can tell the salmon is done cooking when it turns opaque and when it’s easy to pierce with a fork and starts flaking when you cut it.

How to Cook Salmon on the Grill without Skin

When you grill salmon with the skin on, you have to be careful to make sure that you put the skin side facing down for best results.

If there’s no skin, it doesn’t matter which way you put your salmon on the grill, however.

The position of the salmon on the grill is really about the only thing that changes when you go from grilling salmon with or without skin.

Directions:

Preheat your grill to high heat, which should be around 500 degrees or a little below.
Make sure the grates have been cleaned well and have a light layer of oil on them to prevent sticking.
As the grill is heating up, you can clean and dry your salmon filets and place them onto a tray. Baste the meat with oil (you can skip this step for skin on salmon) and season with salt and black pepper before putting it onto the grill.
The salmon fillets should be placed on direct heat, and once they’re on the grill, you can close the grill.
Lower the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit approximately. Control the temperature by keeping the grill closed while the salmon is cooking.
Cook the salmon for three minutes.
After three minutes, flip the salmon over and put it onto a different spot on the grill. However, keep it on direct heat. This will keep it from sticking to the grill.
Cook the salmon for an additional three to four minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. The meat should flake easily and the salmon should be opaque at this point.
Take the salmon off the grill and serve immediately.

How to Pan Fry Skinless Salmon

As with the other methods for cooking salmon without skin, pan frying isn’t much different from cooking it with skin on. It doesn’t take long to cook this way, and it’s probably the easiest method for cooking salmon.

Make sure your salmon is dry and seasoned before putting it into the frying pan on the stovetop. Before adding salmon to the skillet, heat up cooking oil or olive oil in the skillet.

Once the oil is hot, you can add your skinless salmon. Cook it on medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then, use a spatula 2 lift the salmon and flip it over gently. You don’t want to prod or move the salmon while it is cooking except to flip it. If you do, you could make it fall apart, because this is a rather delicate fish.

Once the salmon is flipped, it will need to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. The salmon is done cooking when it turns opaque and flakes easily, as with the other cooking methods.

When the salmon is done cooking on both sides, you can remove it from the oil and pat it dry with a paper towel or rest it on a paper towel to allow the excess oil to drain out. Then, move the paper towel and serve the salmon.

Now, you have a few ways to prepare skinless salmon, and as you can see there’s not much difficulty in working with this kind of salmon over salmon that has the skin on.

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Pauline

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I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!