First it was Chicken Wings. They were, for most of history, parts of the bird that were tossed out, or into the soup pot. Now, they are a hot commodity; the epitome of finger food. What’s the next bar food craze based on parts of an animal that used to be considered ‘waste’? Well… We’ve already used pretty much everything but the Skins…
Crispy Salmon Skins: Not sure how I feel about them…
I initially thought it was a joke post, but as I read on I quickly realized the inventors of the ‘hot new snacking trend’ were totally serious. What were they pushing? Fried Salmon Skins. No kidding.
First, I wondered whether eating Fisk Skin was even safe. Turns out it is. And proponents of the practice claim the skins contain concentrated nutrients and Omega 3-6 Oils. On that basis, it sounds like a pretty good deal. Then I Googled recipes and discovered that Fried Fish Skins are already a delicacy in some parts of Asia. Who knew?
What you need
If you want to try making your own, all you need is a skin-on side of Salmon, 2 or 3 tbsp. / 30 or 45 ml coarse Salt and some high-temp Cooking Oil. Sesame and Peanut work well, but you can use plain Canola if you want to add spices/favours later.
What you do
Remove the Skin from the Fish Flesh as usual and place in a mixing bowl.
Toss with the Salt and allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, until much of the moisture is extracted from the Skins.
Dry well with paper towels. This is important! The Skins won’t crisp if they have any significant amount of moisture left on or in them.
Slice the Skins crosswise (spine to belly) about 1/2 in. / 1.5 cm wide.
Heat enough Oil to fill a small frying pan about 1/2 of the way up (3/8 in. / 1 cm depth will do, if you’re careful and keep a close eye on the pan) to medium high.
Add skins to the hot pan and sizzle for a moment or two.
Then turn the pan down to medium low and fry for about 15 minutes, until the Skins crisp up. Be patient. If you don’t cook the Skins long enough they won’t be crispy,
Cook the skins in batches that allow them cook without touching. Make sure the Oil has a chance to heat back up to med high between batches.
Remove from Oil and drain on fresh paper towels.
Now’s the time to toss them in Spices and/or Dry Herbs to add the character you want them to reflect (Tex-Mex, Asian, Italian; whatever).
Serve warm or at room temp. They will be strong enough to use as Sauce/Salsa dippers.
What next?
I’ve just seen a post about Chicken Skin ‘Rinds’ (see picture, top of page). I suppose so. I mean, we all love Skin-on Fried Chicken. This is the same thing, just without the Chicken – as odd as that sounds at first.
Flock Foods is offering their own commercially made Chicken Skin ‘Chips’. They’re billed as: High Protein, 0 Carbs, 0 Sugar, Dairy Free, and Gluten free” Just Skins, Seasonings and heat. Not sure if they’re Baked or Deep Fried, but the maker does equate them with Potato Chips: “[T]he crispy and crunchy texture of potato chips (without the carbs) and the protein of jerky, this is the ultimate guilt free, keto friendly, low carb, and high protein snack.”
They come in Original (Plain), Salt and Vinegar, and BBQ; from the online Flock Shop.
My take
I’ve long been a fan of Pork Rinds. They’re a fun, Salty, Sinful treat. I’m frankly not sure I need Chicken Rinds (especially at (US)$3 per 1 oz. /28 g bag, plus shipping and taxes!). And I’m sure I don’t need Crispy-Fried Salmon Skins. The real question there is, would I try the Salmon Crisps if they were offered to me by a party host or a Dear Old Aunty at a supermarket sample station? Okay. For you, my faithful readers, I would risk just one. But to be clear, I would consider it more a duty than a desire…
~ Maggie J.