What are the best ways to dry seafood before cooking/searing on the pan?

Question

I'll buy refrigerated or frozen shrimp, ahi tuna, mahi-mahi, scallops (especially important to dry), let them defrost a day before in the fridge, and seek to dry them off before laying kosher salt and cooking them . What's the best (and fastest) way to dry off the seafood? I find myself just using a paper towel to dry them off, but I'm wondering if there's a better solution out there. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Several layers of paper towel is, in fact, the best way.

Place the seafood on 2-3 layers of paper towel and press down on it with another 2-3 layers of paper towel from the top.

Alternatives do not work as well:

• Using cloth towels means that you need to immediately wash those towels
• Leaving the seafood exposed in the fridge so it dries out can result in both the fridge and the seafood picking up smells
• Heat-based drying can cook the seafood or cause it to go bad