Halibut “Pork Rinds”
Crispy Fried Halibut Skin
The other day, I had the pleasure of filleting a beautiful side of halibut from Alaska. One of the things that makes halibut so good – much like Sea Bass – is the fat. Halibut and other cold water flat fish, have a very fine fat dispersed through the meat, and they have a really nice layer of fat right under the skin to insulate them from the cold water. This makes the skin a prized possession for a chef like me. So, if you ever find yourself skinning a halibut fillet, don’t throw out the skin!
If you like pork rinds, you’ll love fried halibut rinds! They are very easy to make. All you need is some good quality frying oil, and a large piece of halibut skin.
Fried Halibut Skin
- Quicker to make
- Healthier than pork rinds
- Taste better than pork rinds
- Lower in calories than pork rinds
Ingredients:
- Halibut skin cut into 1 inch x 2 inch strips
- Peanut oil (for frying)
- Wheat flour or white rice flour
- Sea salt
- Lime
Instructions:
- Cut the skin into strips, dredge in some flour. Shake off excess flour.
- In a pot, heat up some peanut oil (about 2 or 3 inches of oil) to 375°F (or until it’s hot).
- Carefully place the fish skin into the oil and fry for about 5 minutes.
- Remove from oil, place in bowl lined with paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Serve with lime wedges.