Pan Fried Rainbow Trout Recipe

Rainbow trout can be found all around the world. They’re delicious, and they’re everywhere. Probably the most common way to cook trout is in a frying pan. Pan fried rainbow trout is simple, but with a little refinement, you can take your recipe to the next level.

Removing Pin Bones in Rainbow Trout

When you fillet a rainbow trout, there is a line of bones that are left in the fillet. There are 3 options- leave them, pull them out with tweezers, or cut them out. If you want your fillets to look nice, and you don’t want to lose the meat, and you’ve got some picky eaters on your hands, pull out the tweezers and pull out all the pin bones. It takes a while, but its worth it. Commercial fishmongers have machines that take the bones out for them. The biggest turnoff for people eating wild fish are the bones. My wife thought she hated fish because she grew up picking bones out of her fish. Remove the pin bones from your rainbow trout. Lately, I’ve just started cutting them out. With a little practice, you can do it without losing hardly any meat.

Best Seasoning for Pan Fried Rainbow Trout

The best seasoning I’ve found for this pan fried rainbow trout recipe has been the Traeger Fin and Feather seasoning. It’s got onion, herbs, garlic, and paprika and it pairs with the natural flavors of the trout extremely well. Yes, this seasoning was made for the smoker or the grill, but it works great in the frying pan as well. I like to add some garlic salt to this as well and it just seals the deal. Do you need to use this seasoning? No. There are a lot of seasoning blends on the market, or you can mix your own spices. This is a MAJOR step up from just seasoning salt though. You won’t mess up using this one though.

Traeger Fin and Feather Rub

Should I Pan Fry Rainbow Trout With The Skin On?

I highly recommend that you make your pan fried rainbow trout with the skin on. Why? The skin is full of fat and it provides both a protective barrier, and it releases all the good flavors into the fish. The skin also protects the fish. I will sear the side without skin, but then I reduce the heat and put it back on the skin side to let it finish. Cooking rainbows with the skin on doesn’t mean you necessarily need to or want to eat the skin. I rarely do. I just find it tough. Unless you’re planning to deep fry rainbow trout, leave the skin on.

Score the Rainbow Trout Skin

I like to score the skin on my trout when I’m pan frying it. This allows more flavor to get into the fish. The sear seals in flavor, and if you’re just searing the skin, that leaves an entire side of the trout that isn’t benefitting from a good sear. Opening it up allows the flavors and the heat in. It’s a simple thing you can do to add more flavor to your fillet.

Make Sure You Have A Fish Spatula

Have you ever had a delicate fillet break on you when you were trying to lift it or flip it? STOP IT! If you’re a serious fisherman who doesn’t spend all day playing catch and release, you need a fish spatula. A fish spatula is long, slotted, and flexible. It allows you to support the entire fish without being too rough. I fought against getting one for years and ended up getting one as a gift. Don’t be as stubborn as I was. It makes cooking fish easier.

Fish Spatula

How to Pan Fry Rainbow Trout

I like to get a good sear on my trout, so I start it at a medium high heat. I sear both sides. Then, if its a good fat fillet, I need to cook it a bit longer. I turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook it for 2-8 minutes more. I’ve used this recipe for a big Atlantic salmon fillet, and I cover it for about 12 minutes. The key is to not overcook the trout, and to get that nice sear. You accomplish that, and you’re golden.