Tired of Sticking and Tearing? Here's How to Get Crispy Skin Without Nonstick

Start with bone-dry fish skin. Use the spine of a knife to gently scrape the skin—it'll pull up surprising beads of moisture. Wipe the blade clean after each pass until it comes up dry, then pat the fillet with paper towels.

Use enough oil to coat the pan. For a 12-inch skillet, that usually means about three tablespoons of oil. Swirl the pan so the oil covers every inch before you turn on the heat.

Heat the pan until the oil just begins to smoke. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high until you see the faintest hint of smoke rising from the oil.

Test before you commit. Lower the fillet, skin side down, but don't let go just yet. Gently drag it across the pan's surface—if it glides like an ice skater, you're good. If it catches, pull back and let the pan heat a touch longer.

Press the fish flat. Use a thin slotted spatula to press the fish down for the first 30 seconds or so—just enough to keep the skin in full contact with the pan.

Let it be. Resist the urge to poke, nudge, or flip the fish. Flip only when the flesh has turned mostly opaque, with just a thin, translucent strip running through the center. After flipping, cook for only 20 to 30 seconds more—just until the last bit of translucence disappears—then immediately remove the fish from the pan so it doesn't overcook.