Everybody loves a juicy piece of fish that comes with a shatteringly crispy skin! But not all fish has skin that will easily go crispy when pan seared. Here’s a list of common fish that WILL get crispy skin – and those that will not!
Have I left off fish? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll add them!
Fish with skin that goes crispy
This is a list of fish with skin that will go crispy when cooked on the stove, covering the most common fish in the largest readership countries. See How To Cook Fish with Crispy Skin for directions!
Australia
Barramundi
Bream
Blue eye cod / trevalla
Jewfish
Ocean trout
River trout
Salmon – see Crispy Skin Salmon recipe
Snapper
US / UK
Cod
Salmon – see Crispy Skin Salmon recipe
Sea bass
Tilapia
Salmon is a fish that is ideal for cooking with crispy skin.
Fish with skin that will NOT go crispy
This is a list of fish with skin that will NOT go crispy when pan seared. This can be because the skin isn’t suitable for crisping (eg. too thin or wrong composition), is not a pleasant texture for eating when pan-seared, or it’s simply too difficult to achieve (eg. the fillets are so thin they cook too fast to crisp the skin).
Alaskan Pollock
Basa / Pangasius
Catfish
Dover Sole
Flathead
Flounder
Haddock
Halibut
Hoki
John Dory
Kingfish – See Kingfish Ceviche recipe
Ling
Mackerel
Mahi-mahi
Monkfish / Stargazer – see Monkfish recipe
Pollock
Sardines – See Crusted Italian Sardines
Swordfish
Tuna – See Tuna Poke Bowl, Tuna Steak and Tuna Tartare recipes
Turbot
Whiting
Note: A number of these fish are sold without skin by fish mongers which is one helpful clue!
Love fish as much as I do? Here you go!
Life of Dozer
He’s as much of a fan of homemade beer battered fish as I am….
Hi Nagi, Have written you a couple times re your recipes. I have enjoyed them and passed them on to friends that have eaten with us. Thanks again.
Another fish available in North America (and I’ve eaten it in Europe too) that gets crispy skin is Arctic char.
So true, I’m not sure about all Char, but I do know that Brook Trout (actually a Char) also gets tasty, crisp Skin….Hungry now lol.
Nagi, basa and pangasius are the same thing…?
Right you are Elizabeth! Thank you, I shall correct it 🙂 N x