When Im feeling a bit bereft in the menu planning arena, Ill often ask my husband what he would like. He either says, “Ill eat whatever you make” or he answers emphatically with, “Pan Fried Rainbow Trout.”
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My husband cant name “fishing” as one of his hobbies so we are grateful that our local grocery store has such a wonderful fish counter. The rainbow trout is so fresh and simply beautiful.
This freshwater fish belongs to the same family as the Pacific salmon. Its skin is dark, its flesh is pink, and it has a distinctive red line, as shown in the photo below. Its flavor is similar to salmon but milder and more delicate.
Ready in just 20 minutes, its the perfect dish to make when youre not in the mood for an elaborate recipe.
Cooking fish skin-side down has two advantages. The first is that it helps crisp up the skin. Typically, you cook the fish longer on the first side, so you want that side to be the skin side. The second advantage is that when its time to flip the fish, its easier to slide a spatula under the fishs skin than under its flesh.
Heat the ghee and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter starts foaming, add the fish, skin side down.
This is a simple recipe, and thats a big part of its appeal. So, I dont usually make too many changes. But if youd like, adding more spices is an excellent way to change things up. When sprinkling the fish with garlic powder, I sometimes add a pinch of paprika and dried thyme.
The simple sauce for pan fried rainbow trout
The sauce that goes with Pan Fried Rainbow Trout is so simple. A bit of lemon juice goes into the pan to reduce, then you put in a knob of butter, stir it around, and pour it over the trout.
Serve it with buttered rice or any roasted or sauteed vegetable … like beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or mashed peas.
Pan-Fried Rainbow Trout – With Chef Chris Pyne
How to cook trout fillets in a pan?
Dredge the trout in the flour by pressing it down on both sides and shaking off the excess flour. Heat a large cast iron skillet or other nonstick pan over medium high heat and melt the butter in it. Add the olive oil, then when hot, lay the trout fillets skin side down in the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes.
How do you eat trout skin?
The best way to eat the skin from any trout is crispy. While there are numerous ways to cook trout, you should pan-fry or grill for a crispy skin. Both methods will leave you with delicious crispy skin. Pan-Fried Trout Skin: This is by far my favorite method of preparing trout skin.
Can you pan fry trout skin?
Trout skin takes very little preparation due to the small scales, which are also edible or easy to remove. The best method to get the most from your trout skin is pan-fried. You can pan-fry the whole trout or filet and enjoy the skin as part of the whole, or you can remove the skin and pan-fry it on its own.
Can you eat trout skin instead of other fish skin?
Nonetheless, if proper care is taken when preparing the trout, there will be no harm. Another benefit of eating trout skin instead of other fish skin is that trout are low in mercury. Some fish, like mackerel, are high in mercury, which is contained in all of their tissue and muscles.