Pan

Name: Pan-Seared Steelhead Trout With Browned Butter
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Ingredients: 1 pound steelhead trout, skin on (cut in approx. three 5 oz. pieces); ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 2 Tablespoons butter; 2 teaspoons shallots (chopped); 4 teaspoons minced garlic; ¾ teaspoon dried dill weed; 1 large lemon (half for juice and half for garnish); 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Pan-seared steelhead trout with crispy skin finished in a fragrant browned butter sauce infused with shallots, garlic, and fresh dill. This simple stovetop method delivers restaurant-quality results in under 20 minutes.

🌍All Cuisines 🏷️Pan-seared steelhead trout

Total

17 min

Servings

3

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$19–$31

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Thegratefulgirlcooks · by JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 pound steelhead trout, skin on (cut in approx. three 5 oz. pieces)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons shallots (chopped)

4 teaspoons minced garlic

¾ teaspoon dried dill weed

1 large lemon (half for juice and half for garnish)

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

9 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Cut fish into three portions. Pat fish dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Lightly season fish (flesh side only) with salt and pepper.
2
Melt butter in large skillet on Medium heat. Add chopped shallots; cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3
Place trout fillets in skillet (skin side facing up). Cook on Medium heat for 3 minutes, without moving them in the skillet. Stir garlic and dill weed into butter sauce. Cook fish/sauce 1 more minute until bottom of fish is browned. Stir sauce often, so garlic doesn't burn.
4
Turn fillets to the other side (flesh facing up). Use spoon to scoop up sauce; drizzle it on each piece. Cook fish 4-5 more minutes until cooked though, spooning sauce over fish often, as it finishes cooking.
5
When trout is cooked through and flakes easily, it's ready to serve. Transfer fillets to plates. To garnish, squeeze lemon juice over each fillet. Top with fresh parsley and a lemon slice, if desired. Enjoy!

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Pat steelhead fillets dry before cooking — excess moisture prevents skin from crisping and creates steam instead of a golden crust.
Don't move the fillets around in the pan; let them sit skin-side down for 4-5 minutes undisturbed to develop crispy skin.
Brown the butter after removing the fish — watch carefully as it transitions from golden to amber; stop when it smells nutty but before it burns.
Add lemon juice to the browned butter sauce right before serving to brighten the dish and prevent the butter from breaking.

Substitutions

Steelhead trout → salmon fillets or halibeck (adjust cooking time for thickness)
Dried dill weed → fresh tarragon or chervil (use 1 teaspoon fresh herbs)
Shallots → minced white onion (use 1 teaspoon for milder onion flavor)
Butter → ghee or clarified butter (for higher smoke point)

Storage & make-ahead

Leftover cooked trout can be refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat gently in a 275°F oven for 5-8 minutes or eat chilled as a salad topper.

Common Questions

How do you get crispy skin on steelhead trout?

Pat the skin-on fillets completely dry, season with salt and pepper, then sear skin-side down in a hot pan with butter until the skin crisps and the flesh is cooked through (about 4-5 minutes per side depending on thickness).