Scaling

This is only necessary if you’re cooking a whole salmon or if you’re cooking salmon fillets or steaks with the skin on. They should do this for you at the fish store, but if you’re stuck with a salmon with scales don’t worry. Salmon scales are attached very loosely to the skin and are easy to remove. I scale fish outside or in a clear plastic bag so I don’t end up with scales all over the kitchen. A fish scaler—cheap and easy to find at a cooking supply store—makes scaling easy. Just move it along the length of the fish. I work in both directions but it’s most important to apply pressure as you’re working from head to tail. If you don’t have a fish scaler, scrape off the scales with the back of a knife instead. As the scales come off, the salmon will loose some of its sheen, but you should also run your fingers all over it to feel for any patches you may have missed. Rinse the salmon with the garden hose or in the sink.