> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thefoodiekitchen.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Pan-Seared Salmon With Brown Butter and Capers - URL: https://thefoodiekitchen.net/pan-seared-salmon-butter-capers/ - Published: 2026-08-16T06:33:42.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-15T04:22:58.000Z - Description: Salmon seared skin-side down in butter until the skin is crispy, finished with a brown butter and caper sauce in the same pan. A seed oil free restaurant result in 15 minutes. - Author: Savannah Ryan - Tags: MAHA Recipes, Mediterranean Recipes Pan-seared salmon with brown butter and capers is the 15-minute dinner that everyone should have memorised. The skin goes crispy, the flesh stays moist, and the brown butter sauce that takes 3 minutes in the same pan after the fish comes out is restaurant quality. No vegetable oil. Just butter and the correct technique. ## The Skin-Crispy Technique Crispy salmon skin requires a very hot pan, dry skin, and patience. The salmon goes in skin-side down on a very hot butter-coated pan. Press it flat with a spatula for the first 30 seconds to prevent it curling and lifting the skin off the surface. Then leave it completely alone for 4-5 minutes. The skin will turn crispy from the heat below. The flesh will turn opaque from the bottom up. Flip only once, very briefly, to finish the top. ## Buying Salmon Wild-caught salmon — king, sockeye, coho — has a more complex flavour and a firmer texture than farmed Atlantic salmon. It also has a more favourable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. The skin is also crispier when cooked because wild salmon tends to be leaner and the skin thinner. Farmed salmon is more widely available and less expensive; the technique is identical but the skin may need an extra minute. ## Serves 2 · Prep 5 min · Cook 12 min Serves 2 Prep 5 min Cook 12 min ### Ingredients - 2 salmon fillets, skin-on (200g each) - 40g unsalted butter - 2 tbsp capers, drained - 1 tbsp lemon juice - Fresh parsley - Salt and black pepper ### Method 1. Pat salmon skin completely dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. 2. Heat 20g butter in a non-stick or cast iron pan over medium-high heat until foaming. 3. Place salmon skin-side down. Press flat with a spatula for 30 seconds. 4. Cook skin-side down for 4-5 minutes without moving. The skin should be visibly crispy when you lift an edge. 5. Flip and cook flesh-side down for 1-2 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from pan and rest. 6. In the same pan, add remaining butter over medium heat. Cook until it turns light brown and smells nutty. 7. Add capers — they will sizzle loudly. Cook 30 seconds. 8. Add lemon juice and parsley off the heat. Pour over salmon and serve immediately. ## Reading Doneness Salmon is best served slightly undercooked in the centre — translucent and slightly darker pink than the cooked outer flesh. It will finish cooking from residual heat during the 2-minute rest. Fully cooked salmon — where the entire fillet is pale and opaque — is overcooked for most preparations. The internal temperature for medium salmon is approximately 52°C (125°F). Frequently Asked Questions Can I cook salmon without a non-stick pan? Cast iron or stainless steel both work if the pan is properly hot and enough butter is used. Heat the empty pan for 2 minutes before adding the butter — a cold pan will cause sticking regardless of fat. What if the skin is still not crispy? The skin was wet (not dried properly), the pan was not hot enough, or the fish was moved too soon. Let it sit — the skin will naturally release from the pan when it is ready. What to serve with it? Brown butter salmon works with almost anything. Butter mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus in olive oil, a simple green salad, or rice dressed with the extra brown butter sauce from the pan. Shop This Recipe Kerrygold Unsalted Butter Irish grass-fed butter — 82% fat, the benchmark for baking and finishing sauces. [Get on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00151WA06?tag=thefoodieki0f-20&ref=thefoodiekitchen.net) Savannah Ryan · Amazon Savor 30-Minute Dinners 20 weeknight seed oil free meals in 30 minutes or less. [Get on Amazon →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F3VT5DM5?tag=thefoodieki0f-20&ref=thefoodiekitchen.net) Shop on The Foodie Kitchen - [Seed oil free pantry — every fat, every brand](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/seed-oil-free-pantry-staples-amazon/) - [All 25 cookbooks by Savannah Ryan](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/cookbooks/) - [Best cast iron skillet](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/best-cast-iron-skillet-tallow-cooking/) Related Recipes - [Garlic Brown Butter Shrimp](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/garlic-butter-shrimp/) - [Ghee Baked Chicken](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/ghee-baked-chicken/) - [Lemon Butter Chicken Pasta](https://thefoodiekitchen.net/lemon-butter-chicken-pasta/) --- Follow Savannah: [@theefoodiekitchen](https://www.instagram.com/theefoodiekitchen/?ref=thefoodiekitchen.net) · [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572217094296) · [All Links](https://linktr.ee/theefoodiekitchen?ref=thefoodiekitchen.net)