Pan Seared Old Bay Kokanee Salmon Recipe

Pan seared Old Bay kokanee salmon is quick, simple, and packed with flavor. People have been cooking their catch on the frying pan for hundreds of years. The fact that you probably know several people that don’t like fish mean that there are a lot of people that are doing it wrong. I run a kokanee salmon website. I catch and cook a lot of fish. I’ve spent years tweaking and refining this technique with the goal that I wouldn’t go ruining fresh caught fish for others. The trick is to get the right seasoning, and to seal that seasoning in with the perfect pan sear.

I combine the tried and true Old Bay seasoning with a few other spices and put together a recipe that is now my wife’s favorite kokanee recipe. I still prefer my teriyaki smoked salmon.

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What is Old Bay Seasoning?

Old Bay seasoning is a mix of herbs and spices that’s popular in the Mid-Atlantic states, especially around Maryland and Delaware. It’s used to season seafood like crabs and shrimp, but it can be used on other meats, too. If you’re not familiar with Old Bay, you might wonder how to use it and what it tastes like.

What Does Old Bay Taste Like?

Old Bay is a mix of 11 herbs and spices: celery salt, mustard seed, bay leaves, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, allspice berries, paprika, ginger, cloves, mace* and thyme*. The flavor is salty with a little spice from the pepper flakes. The allspice berries provide a nutty flavor similar to cinnamon or nutmeg. The celery salt adds some bitterness along with its saltiness. The main flavors that come through are the bay leaf, celery, and pepper flakes.

Removing Pin Bones in Kokanee Salmon

When you fillet a kokanee, 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 kokanee. Lately, I’ve just started cutting them out. With a little practice, you can do it without losing hardly any meat.

Should I Pan Sear Kokanee With The Skin On?

I highly recommend that you make your pan seared or pan fried kokanee 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 kokanee 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 kokanee, leave the skin on.

The key is to get the fish dry and to have hot oil in the pan. If you just have wet fish, you’re essentially steaming or boiling the fish. You don’t get a good crust from boiling or steaming. You need to have that hot oil to really sear the kokanee. Start some oil in your pan and get it up to temperature before adding your fish. Then, while its coming up to temperature, if its not dry, pat the fish down with some paper towels.

Score the Kokanee Salmon Skin

I like to score the skin on my salmon when I’m pan searing 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 salmon 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.

Can You Pan Sear Whole Kokanee?

You certainly can pan fry whole kokanee. Opting to do whole pan seared kokanee is often the choice if you’re working with smaller kokanee. If your kokanee is 12″ or smaller, I wouldn’t bother trying to fillet it. The only challenge with pan frying kokanee whole is that you get less seasoning on the meat itself, and you don’t get the sear on the meat. If you’re going to do this, make sure you score the skin at about 1/4-1/2″ intervals along the fish. This will allow you to get the oil and flavor into the fish better. You’ll also want to season the inside cavity of the meat.

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

Hexclad Pans

7 Piece Hexclad Pan Set

How to Pan Sear Kokanee Salmon

I like to get a good sear on my salmon, 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 salmon, and to get that nice sear. You accomplish that, and you’re golden.