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Sous Vide Salmon with Seared Skin
Perfectly cooked salmon filet using precise sous vide temperature, finished with a quick sear for crispy skin. The gentle 120°F cook keeps the flesh tender and buttery, while the final pan sear gives you that golden, crackling skin.
Ingredients
1 side (about 2 lbs) salmon filet (cut into 4 equal servings)
kosher salt, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil (divided (2 tbsp for bags, 1 tbsp for searing))
4-6 sprigs fresh thyme
low-salt fish seasoning, to taste (sweet & smoky recommended)
Directions
- 1
Pat the salmon filet dry with paper towels. Cut into 4 equal-sized servings.
- 2
Season all sides of each salmon piece generously with kosher salt.
- 3
Divide the olive oil between the vacuum seal bags. Rub a light coating of oil onto each salmon piece, then place in individual bags with 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme per bag.
- 4
Vacuum seal the bags, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for up to overnight (or cook immediately if preferred).
- 5
Set your sous vide device to 120°F. Once the water bath reaches temperature, submerge the sealed bags and cook for 60-120 minutes (60 minutes for a thinner filet, up to 120 for a thicker side).
- 6
Remove the bags from the water bath and carefully open them. Transfer the salmon pieces to a sheet of parchment paper.
- 7
Remove the thyme sprigs from each piece. Pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels, wiping away the white albumin (the coagulated protein) that rises to the surface.
- 8
Season the top (presentation side) of each salmon piece with your chosen low-salt fish seasoning (sweet & smoky works beautifully here).
- 9
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and let it shimmer.
- 10
Place the salmon skin-side down in the hot pan and sear for 45-90 seconds, until the skin is golden and crispy. You should hear a gentle sizzle.
- 11
Quickly flip each piece and kiss the top side on the heat for about 10-15 seconds.
- 12
Transfer to a plate skin-side up and serve immediately.
Notes & Tips
- Timing note: 60 minutes is ideal for thinner filets (around 1.5 inches); go closer to 120 minutes for thicker cuts. At 120°F, the salmon reaches a silky, buttery texture that's hard to achieve any other way.
- Make-ahead: The sealed bags can sit in the fridge overnight, which helps the salt penetrate evenly. You can also cook ahead and reheat gently (warm the sous vide bath to 110°F and slip the sealed bag back in for 5-10 minutes to warm through without overcooking).
- Sear timing: The 45-90 second range depends on your pan temperature and filet thickness. You want the skin to crackle and turn golden, not rubbery. If your pan isn't hot enough, you'll get soft skin; if it's too hot, the skin burns before it crisps. Listen for the sizzle.
- The white stuff: That albumin is normal and harmless — just wipe it away for a cleaner presentation.
- Seasoning: Keep salt low since you already salted the fish before the cook. A sweet & smoky seasoning adds flavor without extra sodium.
- Scaling: This recipe scales beautifully for your household size — just cut more servings and add more bags to the water bath. The cook time stays the same.
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