Skinning Salmon

Flashback Bob

I'm cooking up the DP Salmon w/ Maple/Butter glaze today. It's going fine but I had trouble removing the skin first- it left the salmon kind of shredded and broken into more pieces than I originally planned.[p]I popped the fish/veggie grid on top of my raised grill and it's going fine. I just want to know for next time if there's a good way to do it.[p]Thanks!

Haggis

Flashback Bob,[p]In fact, we had this dish just last night. I've decided the skinning isn't easy - you need a sharp knife, preferably a boning-style knife, and patience. Quite frankly I've not found it particularly worth while since my spouse actually likes to eat the grilled skin anyway (I don't.) [p]If you put the fish, skin down, on a grill, the skin usually comes loose all by itself after a few minutes. You could possibly add some DP RR or whatever at that point if you insisted on it, although cutting out the vein wouldn't be easy. Then you'd flip it back to that side again at some point to make sure the spices were properly grilled.

Unknown

Flashback Bob,
I put the salmon skin down on a cutting board and get my razor-sharp Finnish fillet knife. Starting at the tail end, I start slicing right above the layer of skin, pressing gently with my other hand on the flesh just above the place where the blade is working. I flex the blade downward slightly to keep pressure on the skin. I slowly work my way to the wide end of the fish moving the blade and my pressure hand together, keeping the blade just above the skin at all times, flexing it downward. Just takes some practice. And...I save the skin for salmon skin roll sushi! Yum.

Scotty's Inferno

Flashback Bob, you have at least a few options. The easiest is cook you salmon skin-side down on an ungreased piece of aluminum foil. The skin will ahere to the foil and you can just slip a spatula between the skin and meat.[p]Skinning works best with a filet knife or a long thin very sharp knife. Put the salmon skin side down on a flat surface. Start at the tail side of the filet and press down on the meat to hold it in place. Enter the meat with the knife at a very sharp angle(almost flat) toward the fat part of the filet. When the blade gets down to the skin, push the blade forward while moving the blade back and forth in very very short strokes, like 1/2 to 1 inch max.[p]Salmon skin is kind of tender, so you need a very sharp blade and angle.[p]Finally, brining significantly toughens the skin. Do the same procedure as above with a brined filet, and you'll think you've become a fish market pro!
Have fun, Scott[p]

ab ovo

Flashback Bob,
I actually prefer to keep the skin on. I feel that it keeps some of the fish oil in the fish (especially with Salmon). It also keeps the fillet intact while cooking which is nice. If you really want to remove the skin from Salmon, the easiest way is to place the fillet on the edge of a cutting board skin side down. Using a very sharp fillet knife, start from the tail with the blade cutting hoizontally along the cutting board and fillet and cut between the meat and skin. When you have cut a couple of inches into the fish, you can grip the Salmon by the skin behind the knife (that has already been cut). Just make sure that the Salmon stays flat against the cutting board.

stike

Flashback Bob,
dude
there's a reason it came with the skin on it...
it's a b1tch to take it off.[p]if it was a filet, you could have just cooked it skin side down, and the skin comes right off when serving.

Flashback Bob

stike,
Ya but....
The recipe called for removing the skin so rub and glaze can be applied to both sides.[p]I agree, I always cook fish with the skin on. As a kid, getting some nice crispy skin with the fish was a treat (with swordfish, anyway)[p]BTW- cooked chicken yesterday and threw in some of that nice Hickory bark- Damn did that smell good cooking and the chicken tasted great!
Thanks again!

stike

Flashback Bob,
no problem. glad you liked it. it's my absolute preferred thing to smoke boston butt with. give it a shot.[p]and if the recipe said so, then doan listen to me!

irishrog

Flashback Bob,
I tend to cook my salmon in filets with the skin on.
I get my fishmonger to filet the fish, and remove the pin bones, the small bones which run in a line down the middle of your fillet.
I put the fillet skin down on direct heat, and use 2 large poultry lifting forks to turn the filet when it is cooked, by putting the prongs under the fish through the bars in the grid, and tipping it over. The skin then peals off nicely. I then cooked very briefly on the second side.
I use the same forks to remove the salmon as one piece onto a large serving dish.
If you ask your fishmonger he will fillet the fish for you. If you watch his technique, he will cut through the flesh close to the tail, through to but not breaking the skin. Holding the small piece he has left by the tail he will tilt his knife at about 30 degrees and work the knife firmly twords the head of the fish. The flesh will seperate nicely from the skin.
To practice this technique at home try using a fish with a thicker, firmer skin like haddock or cod or even mackeral. The technique is exactly the same. but the skin is tougher and less liable to break or split, and the fish is probably a bit cheaper also so mistakes are less expensive.
Regards,
Roger