I Worked in Restaurants, and This $8 Tool Is the Key to Cooking Perfect Salmon Every Time

Salmon is a go-to dish for so many home cooks. Whether it’s a quick weeknight main served with rice and veggies or a stunning entree for a group of friends on Friday night, if salmon is in your repertoire, it’s likely one of your most dependable standbys. One tool that can help you consistently turn out perfect salmon regardless of cooking technique is a very good fish spatula. Luckily, the one I use — I have three of them — is only $8. 

After working in restaurants and spending years making salmon at home, I’ve learned that one of the biggest mistakes home cooks make is mishandling the skin. Salmon can be tricky if you use too much oil, put it into oil that isn’t hot (this is the fastest way to get soggy, oily salmon), pry it up and tear it before it’s done cooking, or let it cook way, way too long. But with the right tool and technique, it’s easy to get it right every time.

New Star Foodservice Fish Spatula

This New Star Foodservice slotted fish spatula has advantages over regular, thicker spatulas. First, its vents let you drain oil while handling the salmon; plus, it has a very fine edge, so you can be extremely delicate in sliding the spatula under the salmon, lifting it in one piece without ripping the skin. If you make salmon regularly, you’ve likely had issues with the fish flaking or breaking in half in the pan. This slightly angled 6.5-inch fish spatula has a very sturdy, wide base, letting you avoid those problems entirely. Finally, this spatula’s vented base keeps the airflow strong, never compromising your perfect cook.

The secret to making incredible seared salmon starts with two main things: cooking the skin until it’s crispy, and lifting it with a slotted spatula, handling it delicately, and not letting it steam on a flat surface. According to my wife, a true master of cooking salmon, “When I pan sear, I use just a little oil, and I prefer a nonstick pan (but you can use any pan). When cooking skin side down, the trick is not flipping it too early — wait until the skin crisps up. Then you can remove it with a fish spatula without it sticking.” Don’t just take our word for it, over 5,600 Amazon shoppers gave this spatula a five-star rating, with one home cook calling this “an amazing game-changer” for skin-on salmon.

For just $8, you can get a pro-level spatula that will help you avoid every obstacle between you and a pristine salmon filet. All that will be left to do is to find the perfect salmon recipe.

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