Pan-Fried Arctic Char
Fresh Arctic char fillets pan-fried in butter until the skin is crisp and the flesh flakes easily, a simple staple meal along Labrador's coast and rivers.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy skillet
- •Fish spatula
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- fat
- 19 g
- carbs
- 1 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 320
Instructions
- 1
Pat the char fillets dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat oil and half the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- 3
Lay the fillets skin-side down and press gently for a few seconds so the skin stays flat.
- 4
Cook 3-4 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden, then flip carefully.
- 5
Add the remaining butter and cook 2-3 minutes more until the flesh flakes easily.
- 6
Spoon the melted butter over the fillets a few times as they finish cooking.
- 7
Serve immediately with lemon wedges and chives if using.
Chef's tips
Do not move the fillets around the pan once laid down; let the skin release on its own or it will tear.
Ingredient substitutions
- Arctic char → salmon trout or trout, though the flavour differs slightly
Storage
Keeps 1 day in the fridge, covered.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid drying out the fish.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overcrowding the pan so the fish steams instead of frying
- •Cooking on too high heat and burning the butter
Serving suggestions
Cooked Pan-Fried Arctic Char?
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