Gordon Ramsay Trout with Brown Butter & Lemon

Gordon Ramsay Trout with Brown Butter & Lemon is made with trout fillets, rich brown butter, briny capers, fresh lemon juice, and parsley. The result is tender, flaky fish with a perfectly crispy skin and a rich, tangy sauce. This simple technique is the ultimate way to cook delicate fish and is ready in under 20 minutes, perfect as a light main course for a weeknight dinner.

Try More Recipes:

• Gordon Ramsay Scallop Recipe
• Gordon Ramsay Tuna Niçoise Salad
• Gordon Ramsay’s Lasagne Al Forno Recipe

Why You Will Love This Trout Recipe:

• Perfectly Crispy Skin: This recipe focuses on the chef’s secret: high heat and bone-dry fish. This technique guarantees a shatteringly crisp, golden-brown skin that is the highlight of the dish.
• Complex, Nutty Sauce: The sauce is incredibly simple but luxurious. By browning the butter (Beurre Noisette), you create a rich, nutty flavor that is perfectly balanced by the bright, zesty tang of the lemon and the salty bite of the capers.
• Fast and Elegant: This entire meal is ready in under 10 minutes. It requires minimal prep but delivers an elegant, restaurant-quality presentation, making it perfect for a busy weeknight or an impressive date night.
• Moist and Tender Flesh: The technique of searing one side, flipping, and basting the flesh with the foaming brown butter ensures the delicate trout stays incredibly moist and flaky without ever drying out.

Gordon Ramsay Trout with Brown Butter & Lemon Ingredients

• 4 trout fillets, skin on
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, slightly smashed
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 lemon, halved (for juice and serving)
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Gordon Ramsay Trout with Brown Butter & Lemon

1. Dry and season the fish: This is the most crucial step for crispy skin. Place the trout fillets, skin-side up, on paper towels and pat them until they are completely dry. Season the skin generously with sea salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the pan: Place a large, non-stick or stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. The oil should be shimmering hot before adding the fish.
3. Sear the skin: Carefully place the trout fillets in the hot pan, skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes without moving them. You should hear a strong sizzle.
4. Add butter and baste: Flip the fillets when the skin is golden and crisp. Immediately add the cubed butter, smashed garlic, and thyme sprigs to the pan.
5. Brown the butter: Tilt the pan slightly. As the butter melts, it will foam and turn brown (beurre noisette). Use a spoon to quickly scoop up the foaming butter and pour it over the fish for 1-2 minutes until the flesh is just cooked through.
6. Finish the sauce: Remove the fish from the pan. Add the drained capers and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice directly into the hot brown butter sauce in the pan. Swirl and pour the sauce over the trout. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Recipe Tips

• Dry Skin is Essential: If the skin is not bone-dry, it will steam instead of crisp, and it will stick to the pan. Always pat it dry just before seasoning and cooking.
• The Basting Trick: Basting the fish with the foaming butter infuses the flesh with the nutty, garlic, and thyme flavors while keeping the trout incredibly moist.
• Don’t Overcook: Trout is thin and cooks quickly. It’s done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. It will continue to cook slightly from residual heat once it’s off the stove.
• What is Brown Butter? Brown butter (beurre noisette) is made by gently cooking butter until the milk solids turn golden brown. It adds a wonderful, complex, nutty flavor to the sauce.

What To Serve With Trout?

This dish needs light, contrasting side dishes serve it with a mound of buttery potato puree or creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the brown butter sauce. Steamed green beans, asparagus, or a simple lemon and herb rice are also excellent pairings.

How To Store Leftovers Trout?

• Refrigerate: Cooked trout is highly perishable. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than 1 day.
• Freeze: Do not freeze cooked fish fillets.

How To Reheat Leftovers Trout?

Reheating pan-seared fish is tricky because the delicate flesh can quickly become dry and tough. Low and slow heat is absolutely essential.

Warning: Reheating fish often compromises the texture. Do not use the microwave, as it will instantly make the fish dry and rubbery.

1. In the Oven or Toaster Oven (The Recommended Method)

This low-and-slow approach warms the fish gently and evenly.

• Preheat: Set your oven to a very low heat, about $300^{circ}text{F}$ ($150^{circ}text{C}$).
• Cover: Place the fillet on a baking sheet and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. This traps steam and prevents the surface from drying out.
• Heat: Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or just until the fish is warmed through.
• Check: Press the center gently; it should be warm. Remove immediately to preserve the flaky texture.

2. In a Skillet (Quick and Gentle)

This works well if you want to warm the flesh and keep the skin protected.

• Prep: Add a small pat of butter or a teaspoon of olive oil to a non-stick skillet over low heat.
• Warm: Place the fish flesh-side down (skin up). Cover the pan and heat gently for 2–3 minutes. The steam trapped under the lid will warm the fish without drying the skin.

FAQs

More Recipes:

• Gordon Ramsay Roast Pork Loin Recipe
• Gordon Ramsay Prawn Pasta Recipe 
• Gordon Ramsay’s Lobster Pasta Slowed Me Down in the Best

Trout with Brown Butter & Lemon Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 fillet

• Calories: 350 kcal
• Total Fat: 25g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 100mg
• Sodium: 400mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 5g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 1g
• Protein: 28g

Gordon Ramsay Trout with Brown Butter & Lemon

Recipe by Sophie LaneCourse: Dinners, Lunch, MainCuisine: American, French, BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

8

minutes

Calories

350

kcal

Gordon Ramsay Trout with Brown Butter & Lemon is made with trout fillets, rich brown butter, briny capers, fresh lemon juice, and parsley. The result is tender, flaky fish with a perfectly crispy skin and a rich, tangy sauce. This simple technique is the ultimate way to cook delicate fish and is ready in under 20 minutes, perfect as a light main course for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• 4 trout fillets, skin on

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

• 2 cloves garlic, slightly smashed

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1 lemon, halved (for juice and serving)

• 2 tablespoons capers, drained

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Dry and season the fish: This is the most crucial step for crispy skin. Place the trout fillets, skin-side up, on paper towels and pat them until they are completely dry. Season the skin generously with sea salt and black pepper.
• Heat the pan: Place a large, non-stick or stainless-steel pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. The oil should be shimmering hot before adding the fish.
• Sear the skin: Carefully place the trout fillets in the hot pan, skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes without moving them. You should hear a strong sizzle.
• Add butter and baste: Flip the fillets when the skin is golden and crisp. Immediately add the cubed butter, smashed garlic, and thyme sprigs to the pan.
• Brown the butter: Tilt the pan slightly. As the butter melts, it will foam and turn brown (beurre noisette). Use a spoon to quickly scoop up the foaming butter and pour it over the fish for 1-2 minutes until the flesh is just cooked through.
• Finish the sauce: Remove the fish from the pan. Add the drained capers and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice directly into the hot brown butter sauce in the pan. Swirl and pour the sauce over the trout. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

• Dry Skin is Essential: If the skin is not bone-dry, it will steam instead of crisp, and it will stick to the pan. Always pat it dry just before seasoning and cooking.
  The Basting Trick: Basting the fish with the foaming butter infuses the flesh with the nutty, garlic, and thyme flavors while keeping the trout incredibly moist.
  Don’t Overcook: Trout is thin and cooks quickly. It’s done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. It will continue to cook slightly from residual heat once it’s off the stove.
  What is Brown Butter? Brown butter (beurre noisette) is made by gently cooking butter until the milk solids turn golden brown. It adds a wonderful, complex, nutty flavor to the sauce.