Pan-Fried Rainbow Trout

Quickly sauteed in butter and finished with lemon juice, pan-fried rainbow trout is easy and delicious.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 360kcal

2 rainbow trout fillets 4 ounces each, bones removed, skin on
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon ghee
½ tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons parsley minced

Pat the trout fillets dry using paper towels. Sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper.
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the butter and ghee over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat. When the butter starts foaming, add the fillets to the pan, skin side down.
Cook the trout fillets, gently pressing on them with a wide spatula to ensure the skin has contact with the pan surface, until the skin is browned, for about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the fish fillets with garlic powder. Carefully flip them. Lower the heat to medium and keep cooking the fish until cooked through, for 2-3 more minutes. The internal temperature should reach 145°F.
Add the lemon juice to the pan and remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the fish to plates. Drizzle the pan juices over the fish. Sprinkle them with parsley and serve.

I buy the fish at Whole Foods Market or order it online. When ordering online, it comes frozen. I thaw the fish overnight in the fridge, then rinse and pat dry.
The addition of ghee helps prevent the butter from burning. It will still brown, and you'll get delicious brown butter, but as long as the pan doesn't get overheated, it shouldn't burn. If the pan seems to be heating too much, lower the heat.
I add the garlic powder midway through cooking to prevent it from burning.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to a month.