Should You Cook Salmon Skin Side Up or Down? Here’s What Chefs Recommend

Salmon has a bad reputation for being difficult to cook well. But a lot of it comes down to one simple decision: Should you cook your salmon skin side up or skin side down?

Before you prep another salmon filet, get our expert take on the best way to prep your salmon, no matter what cooking method you’re using.

Should Salmon Be Cooked Skin Side Up or Down?

The short answer: Skin side down—no matter how you’re cooking it. “Skin side down with a dry-heat cooking method such as sautéing or searing will result in very crisp skin,” says Michael Handal, chef at the Institute of Culinary Education. “That provides a crisped layer in contrast to the seared flesh side.” Other dry-heat methods you may want to use for salmon include grilling, baking, and broiling.

If you do bake or roast with the skin side up, you won’t achieve that same heat level that direct heat provides—or that same level of crispiness, Handal says. If you do want the flesh side to be golden and a bit seared, you’ll want to flip it over for a few minutes during cooking, just to give that side a little bit of direct heat as well.

Even for moist-cooking methods like poaching or steaming, skin side down is still the best way to do it, Handal says. “This would have the best side up and ready for presentation. You would not want to have to flip the fillet over, which most likely would break up the fillet.”

The benefit to keeping the skin on and on the bottom is protecting the salmon itself from the heat, he says. The skin itself is protective, and there’s a layer of fat between it and the flesh that also helps ensure that the bottom of the salmon is softer in texture, compared to the crispy skin. 

How to Get Your Salmon Skin Crispy

To really get that crispy texture that people like, you need to prep the skin accordingly. Handal recommends cutting one or two small slits—about an inch long, in the surface of the skin to keep the skin from tightening and puckering as it cooks and keep the salmon fillet nice and flat. Drying off the surface of the fish and salting it generously will also ensure that the skin gets nice and crispy, and the other side becomes golden.

“Additional spices are always welcome, but salting both sides of the fish is essential, no matter the cooking method,” Handal says.

If you did decide to cook your salmon skin side up, there are still a few ways that you can crisp the skin. You could bake the salmon skin side up and then finish the fillet under the high heat of the broiler to achieve a crispier finish to the skin, Handal says. Or go ahead and sear the salmon on both sides before you finish cooking it in the oven.

Should You Eat the Salmon Skin?

Absolutely! The salmon skin is packed with nutrients, including omega-3s and vitamins B and D. Baking or cooking the salmon with a dry-heat method with the skin side down will make it nice and crispy—and a wonderful contrast with the tender salmon.

But depending on the cooking method, you may not really want to dig into the salmon skin. “Moist-heat cooking methods, such as poaching and steaming, will not crisp the skin,” Handal says. “They will result in skin that is soft, slightly rubbery, and not very appealing. If using moist-heat methods, I would recommend removing the skin beforehand.”