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Pan roasted halibut fillet with golden crust and brown butter caper sauce on a white ceramic plate

Pan Roasted Halibut with Brown Butter Capers

Pan roasted halibut fillets with a nutty brown butter and caper pan sauce, ready in about 25 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Halibut
  • 4 pieces, 170 g each halibut fillets, skin-on or skinless, about 1 inch thick patted completely dry
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil or grapeseed oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs optional, for aromatics during sear
For the Brown Butter Caper Sauce
  • 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp capers, drained and patted dry nonpareil preferred
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice from about 1 large lemon
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced optional

Method
 

Prepare the Fish
  1. Remove halibut from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking. Pat all surfaces completely dry with paper towels.
  2. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and black pepper just before cooking.
Sear the Halibut
  1. Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until the pan is uniformly hot.
  2. Add the avocado oil and swirl to coat. The oil should shimmer immediately.
  3. Place halibut fillets presentation-side down in the pan. Add thyme sprigs if using. Do not move the fish.
  4. Cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms and the fish releases cleanly from the pan.
  5. Flip the fillets carefully with a fish spatula. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more until the internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 F and the flesh is opaque throughout.
  6. Transfer halibut to a wire rack and let it rest for 2 minutes.
Make the Brown Butter Caper Sauce
  1. Pour off any excess oil from the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add butter and swirl constantly.
  2. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, swirling frequently, until the butter turns a deep golden color and smells nutty. Watch closely as it moves from golden to burnt quickly.
  3. Add the sliced garlic if using and cook for 30 seconds until just fragrant.
  4. Add the dried capers and cook for 1 minute until they begin to crisp at the edges.
  5. Pull the pan off heat. Add lemon juice carefully (it will sizzle). Stir in lemon zest and parsley.
  6. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Plate and Serve
  1. Place each halibut fillet on a warm plate, crust-side up.
  2. Spoon the brown butter caper sauce generously over each fillet and serve immediately.

Notes

For the cleanest caper flavor, use capers packed in brine rather than salt-packed ones. If using salt-packed capers, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes and pat dry before adding to the butter.