Pan Seared Halibut with Lemon Brown Butter
This pan seared halibut is simple, quick, and genuinely delicious. A hot pan gives the fish a golden crust, while a quick lemon brown butter sauce keeps things bright and rich. It's ready in 20 minutes and works just as well for a weeknight dinner as it does for company.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 halibut fillets, skin-on, about 1-inch thick (6–7 oz each)
- 1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 0.5 lemon, juiced
- 0.3 lemon, zested
- 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 0.3 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoons tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 0.5 lemon, cut into wedges for serving
STEPS:
- Prep & season the fish: Remove 1 halibut fillets, skin-on, about 1-inch thick (6–7 oz each) from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dry with paper towels on both sides. Season generously with 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt and 0.3 teaspoons black pepper on both sides.
- Get the pan hot: Heat a large stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoons olive oil and swirl to coat. The oil should shimmer immediately.
- Sear skin-side down: Place halibut fillets skin-side down in the pan. Press gently with a spatula for the first 4 minutes to prevent curling. Sear without moving until the skin is deep golden and the flesh is opaque about two-thirds of the way up the sides.
- Flip & baste: Flip the fillets carefully. Add 1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1.5 garlic cloves, smashed, and 2 fresh thyme sprigs to the pan. As the butter melts and foams, tilt the pan and continuously spoon the butter over the top of the fish.
- Make the brown butter sauce: Remove the halibut to a warm plate. Return the pan to medium heat and continue cooking the butter, swirling constantly, until it turns amber and smells nutty. Immediately add 0.5 lemon, juiced and 0.3 lemon, zested — it will sizzle. Stir quickly and remove from heat.
- Sauce & serve: Spoon the lemon brown butter sauce generously over each fillet. Scatter 1tablespoons tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped on top and serve immediately with 0.5 lemon, cut into wedges for serving on the side.
NOTES:
- Dry the fish thoroughly: This is the single most important step for a golden crust. Pat the fillets completely dry with paper towels and let them air-dry uncovered in the fridge for 15–20 minutes if you have time.
- Don't move it: Once the halibut hits the pan, resist the urge to move or peek. Let it release naturally — if it sticks, it's not ready to flip.
- Thickness matters: If your fillets are thinner than ¾ inch, reduce searing time to 2–3 minutes per side. Thicker than 1.5 inches, finish in a 400°F oven for 4–5 minutes after searing.
- Brown butter tip: Watch the butter carefully — it goes from golden to burnt quickly. As soon as it smells nutty and turns amber, add the lemon juice to stop the cooking.\n