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Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon and Dill

Salmon, drenched with lemon, sprinkled with dill and seared in butter.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 9 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 - 2 pounds salmon filet skin on
  • 1 lemon
  • 3-4 tablespoons butter
  • dill weed fresh, chopped, or dried - whatever you have
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cut the salmon filet into 4 pieces - leaving the skin on.
  • Salt and pepper the salmon to taste.
  • Sprinkle a little dill weed on each portion.
  • In a medium non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
  • When the butter is melted and almost beginning to brown, add the fish, skin-side down.
  • Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5-6 minutes, watching to be sure that the pan does not get to hot. You don't want the butter to burn.
  • While the fish is cooking, squeeze a generous amount of lemon juice over the fish.
  • After several minutes, you should see the fish beginning to change color as it cooks. When the fish is cooked about 1/2-3/4 of the way up, turn the fish over so that the skin is up - adding more butter as needed.
  • Cook for an additional 3 minutes. Turn the fish back over so that the skin is down. You are looking for the fish to turn opaque. Be careful not to over-cook! Fish is done when it flakes easily.
  • As soon as the fish is cooked, remove it from the pan to prevent over-cooking.
  • Serve with additional lemon juice and melted butter.

Notes

Many people serve this salmon skin-side up.  I prefer to serve it skin-side down.  If you have cooked this right, you should have a lovely brown crust on the edges of your fish.
Serving it skin-side down, allows you to further season your fish with butter, lemon and finishing salt.