Best Salmon

[Susan in FL]

What kind of salmon is the best? It seems to me, much like beef, the quality "isn't what it used to be," with all the farm-raised and such. I love salmon, but often we are disappointed if it's not of high quality. Chinook, Sockeye, Atlantic, Alaskan... I really don't know a lot of what I'm talking about, so please tell me what to seek when I buy it. What kind? What's the appearance... deep red color? Shiney? We have some good seafood shops, and I would love to know what to ask for or look for.

[melkor]

Wild Chinook is my preference, it should be available from late April until early November - far more important than anything else is freshness. Whatever Wild Salmon you can get that was swimming 3 days ago or less will be the best. If you've got lots of options - Chinook, then Sockeye, then Coho.

[rlibkind]

Color is a meaningless criteria. But freshness is everything. Use the same criteria you would for any other fresh fish. For whole fish, check the eyes, the gills, the flesh. For fillets, eyeball them to make sure the flesh hasn't started to separate, a dead giveaway that you've got old fish.

Best, of course, is to get to know your local fishmonger. Praise him/her when it's good, let them know when it isn't.

As to which variety, you are no doubt aware of the health, environmental and other concerns many have with farmed salmon. Whether or not you concur with these is a matter of personal choice. Although farmed salmon does not have the same taste as wild, it has its place, even, occasionally, on my dinner table. It offers excellent value for quality and tasty protein.

Farm-raised salmon offers the other benefit of being available year-round in its fresh state and of unifolrmly good quality. Here in Philadelphia most of the farmed salmon comes from Canada (Maritimes), Norway, Maine and Chile, though you will also find some from Iceland. I generally find the Chilean product inferior. Ironically, there is also a substantial industry raising farmed salmon in British Columbia.

That said, i do prefer wild salmon from the Pacific Northwest, and when it's available (usually from late spring into the fall) I'll regularly purchase King (a.k.a. "chinook") or sockeye (a.k.a. "red" or "blueback"). These are the two salmon with the highest fat content; in other words, they are the richest tasting salmons, with King a bit fattier than sockeye. Coho salmon is another PNW variety worth buying, though it's a bit leaner still.

When they are not in season (like today), they can be bought as frozen fillets and steaks. They freeze very well, so long as care is taken by the processor in the freezing and in the transport to market. They also offer excellent value, priced competitively with Atlantic farm-raised salmon.

My eye-opening experience with salmon took place during a 1988 visit to the Pacific Northwest. It was late May and a friend took us out to dinner at Ray's Boathouse in Seattle. One of the specials that night was Copper River King, which my host insisted I try. Incredible! It was the finest tasting fish I had ever consumed, and remains way up on my last of favorite foods. The salmon, native to Alaska's Copper River, is usually available from mid-May to early June, though the exact season varies each year. You will pay a premium for this fish. It is worth it. There's also Copper River Sockeye (which is in season longer), but if you're going to spend the extra bucks, hold out for the King. Make sure you buy it, however, from a reputable source. With the increasing popularity of Copper River salmon, some vendors have played loosey-goosey with the nomenclature.

Edited February 19, 2004 by rlibkind (log)

[kiliki]

Like others have said, most people consider King (also called Chinook) the best. The commercial fishery is in Alaska and is highly regulated, so there aren't the enviro issues that some other fish have.

People either love the Copper River King Salmon or can't stand it-I don't like it (especially at the prices it goes for-$18.99/lb. last year!). It is too oily tasting, in my opinion. A lot of people here in Seattle consider most of the hype a (successful) marketing strategy, but some people seem to genuinely love it.

I actually like Sockeye just as well as King. Coho is fine, Pink is tolerable, and Chum is no good. These last three aren't widely available in stores.

Atlantic salmon (which is farmed-there is no commercial fishery left due to overfishing/habitat loss) tastes like cardboard, not to mention the enviro issues that come with fish farming. It's a mass produced corporate product-the Wonder bread of fish. Not at all worth the cheap price.

[agnolottigirl]

Agree with kiliki--king and sockeye are pretty close, at least here in the Pacific NW. If both are available, I just choose whichever looks better that day.

Re Copper River: if you find it too oily, grill! Grill! Salt + pepper, lemon and/or rosemary, and that's it. I love salmon, but I don't understand why anybody would do anything other use a dry, very hot cooking method--grill or broil. Poached salmon is a complete mystery to me.

[Pickles]

I think Coho rather nasty. The couple times I have had it, it's been mushy and fishy. I never buy it, no matter how cheap it is. And it's always very cheap--cheaper than any others. My A&P sells what they call "Farm raised Atlantic Salmon." If it's from the Atlantic, how can it be "farm raised"? They never seem to have a good answer for me on that one. But I know darn well the "Dover Sole" they're trying to sell me is probably flounder, and most DEFINITELY not from the waters off England. So I just buy the salmon/fish that looks the sweetest and most sparkling. Coho just doesn't sparkle for me.

[Pickles]

I love salmon, but I don't understand why anybody would do anything other use a dry, very hot cooking method--grill or broil. Poached salmon is a complete mystery to me.

To me. totally dry-cooking salmon makes it taste very fishy. I usually saute lightly to color the flesh, flip it over and add stock and wine and lemon and poach until cooked through--about 10 minutes per inch. If you've only had salmon cooked dry, you will be shocked at how mild and sweet it is when you saute/poach it. Can't imagine it done any other way, and I don't really like it any other way. Broiling it stinks up my house for days..no matter how fresh it is.

Edited February 20, 2004 by Pickles (log)

[Toliver]

My A&P sells what they call "Farm raised Atlantic Salmon."    If it's from the Atlantic, how can it be "farm raised"? 

"Atlantic Salmon" is just the name of that type of salmon. It's kind of like "Napa Cabbage" doesn't really come from Napa. It's just part of the name.

[melkor]

My A&P sells what they call "Farm raised Atlantic Salmon."    If it's from the Atlantic, how can it be "farm raised"? 

"Atlantic Salmon" is just the name of that type of salmon. It's kind of like "Napa Cabbage" doesn't really come from Napa. It's just part of the name.

Napa Cabbage is available in the grocery stores here in Napa. Some people even grow some in the community garden where I have a plot - maybe they are growing Napa Napa Cabbage

[Rhea_S]

I think Coho rather nasty.

I would agree for the Coho that I've purchased from most stores; however, freshly-caught Coho from the Pacific Northwest is not mushy or fishy. I suppose the ones that go to market aren't processed properly or Coho just doesn't hold up well.

The order of preference for my family is Chinook, Sockeye and Coho. My brother is an avid salmon fisherman, so my family in Vancouver never buy salmon anymore. I go shopping in their chest freezer whenever I visit. We get the most excited when he brings home a large white-fleshed chinook during the fall. It seems to taste the best although large sockeyes taste amazing, so maybe larger salmon = better flavour?

[melkor]

All fish get mushy and fishy when they have been out of the water for too long. I prefer the smaller chinooks to eat fresh and the larger ones smoked. Salmon fishing season starts up again in a couple of months - I can't wait.

[Toliver]

My A&P sells what they call "Farm raised Atlantic Salmon."      If it's from the Atlantic, how can it be "farm raised"? 

"Atlantic Salmon" is just the name of that type of salmon. It's kind of like "Napa Cabbage" doesn't really come from Napa. It's just part of the name.

Napa Cabbage is available in the grocery stores here in Napa. Some people even grow some in the community garden where I have a plot - maybe they are growing Napa Napa Cabbage

Okay...let's play:

And if Tayka Maroc of www.tayka.com (Morrocan cuisine) grew it, it would be "Tayka Napa Cabbage".

[chromedome]

Atlantic salmon (salmo salar) is the species caught in Atlantic Canada, Scotland, and Scandinavia. For various and sundry reasons which I've never bothered to investigate, they are easier to farm than other species; and to that end large quantities of fertile eggs have been transplanted to the West Coast. A significant concern, now, is the number of Atlantic Salmon which have escaped from the farms and which now compete with the indigenous species.

Wild Atlantic salmon have a marvellous flavour, but as remarked above they are now rare and difficult to find outside of a limited geographic area. The farm-raised "product", like farm-raised trout, are in no way comparable to the wild creature. Remember the difference between a factory-grown pullet and a mature free-range chicken, and you've got a reasonable frame of reference.

Atlantic salmon, unlike their west-coast brethren, do not die after spawning. They make yearly pilgrimages from the ocean to their birthplaces; there to spawn again and (hopefully) again, year after year. Like a mature chicken, I maintain that they gain in flavour and character with each passing year. Unlike a chicken, of course, they don't get any tougher.

West-coast salmon, while a fine product in general, I don't personally find to be as good. It is an unfortunate fact that the majority of them are harvested as they attempt to return to fresh water to spawn; at which time they are dying. This has some impact on the condition of their flesh, and may contribute to the sensation of "mushiness" that some of you have commented on. I also find that the fattier west-coast species tend to develop off-flavours very quickly.

Having said that, my recommendation would be to buy the freshest (unfarmed) salmon available to you, regardless of which coast it comes from. If you buy a larger piece, like a whole side, you may wish to take a small portion from the tail end and simply poach it in court bouillon; this will give you the opportunity to evaluate its flavour and fattiness, and plan your cooking methods/accompaniments accordingly.

The finest piece of salmon I've ever eaten was in 1979, on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. My father and I chose one of appropriate size and shook it out of the gillnet, then headed to shore. My father filled a pail with water from the inlet; then we gutted and rinsed the still-wriggling fish and cut it into thick darnes. We put the salmon in the bucket and poached it over the fire my uncle had kindled on the shore; and ate it as soon as it was *just* poached.

How could that possibly be improved upon?

[rlibkind]

Nothing can improve upon that fresh poached fish, chromedome.

My wife is not an avid fish lover; her preference was probably buttressed by spending a summer at an international summer school in Oslo, where the students were fed fish every day, except Wednesday, when whale was served. (Think Swiss steak, she said.)

However, on a visit to an island near Bergen to visit relatives, her uncle went out onto the water and caught a fresh torsk, which her aunt then promptly cooked. My wife said it's one of the few fish she truly enjoyed.

So, as you note, freshness is everything.

[Susan in FL]

We've appreciated and enjoyed this discussion about salmon, and as always on eG, have learned a lot. Thanks for your responses. We will be asking more questions about what we're buying, and will hopefully learn what our favorite kind is. After reading all this, I might even try poaching it!

[Sailor Stan]

May I also suggest going to the source. In the late '80s I used to annually charter a boat out of Luddington, MI, for a day of truly great fishing. Best time of year was in mid-August and the catch included King Salmon, Coho and Lake Trout. And the size of the fish - we're talking invite over the whole church! Four of us would catch our limit of six fish each. After the first mate cleaned the fish at the dock, we would each take home enough ziplock bags for a year's worth of one fish meal a week.

My wife and daughters learned to love salmon. We were big grillers, and learned to leave the skin on the fish, allowing us to flash grill the fish. Often we would soak the fish in various sauces before grilling and the skin allowed the fish to remain intack on the grill.

Long story short; there's nothing like the experience of catching salmon and taking them home for a wonderfully fresh meal!

[Jaymes]

I like salmon grilled. Preferably over an alderwood fire, but if that's not available (which it so rarely is here in Texas), then I'll fire up the ol' Weber.

This is the marinade I use. When I lived in Alaska, I got this recipe from a friend that worked at the Fairbanks Salmon Bake.

Salmon Baste

1 stick butter, melted

1/4 C brown sugar

1/4 C soy sauce

1/2 tsp dill

1/8 tsp cayenne

lemon juice to taste

Marinate salmon steaks for about a half-hour, but not so long that the marinade begins to "cook" them. Do not skin before grilling. Basting frequently, grill about 6-8 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.

Edited February 29, 2004 by Jaymes (log)

[beans]

My mother has three brothers, all with sons.

I grew up around Alaskan men that fished, nearly daily! My preference was always Sockeye, but due to fascination, ivory Kings are a close tie.

Fish should never be mushy or strong/stinky/fishy in smell -- fresh from the market or cooked.

[ExtraMSG]

Onotologically speaking...is it possible for something to be a fish and yet not fishy?

By "fishy" you all mean smelling or tasting like rotten fish, probably. Because there are some of us that just don't like the strong flavor of salmon, especially such things as salmon skins (whereas there are some people who love this sort of thing).

I think that sockeye has a better texture and color while king has a milder flavor. Coho is more like steelhead or trout to me.

I do think color can be telling, but it takes some experience since diet, water temp, and other such factors play into the color of salmon and trout flesh.

[ghostrider]

That farm-raised Atlantic salmon also is often dyed after filleting/steaking to make it look more orange. Another reason perhaps to avoid the stuff & patronize your local fishmonger. If you're lucky enough to have one.

[rlibkind]

That farm-raised Atlantic salmon also is often dyed after filleting/steaking to make it look more orange.  Another reason perhaps to avoid the stuff & patronize your local fishmonger.  If you're lucky enough to have one.

That's the first time I've heard that one! I find it difficult to give credence to that assertion. Applying dye to individual steaks and fillets would seem to be a highly labor intensive and uneconomic means of attaining the desired result, from the aquaculturist's point of view. Could you offer some more specific support and/or sourcing of that statement?

It's my understanding that the color of farm-raised salmon is obtained through the feed, but I stand ready to be further enlightened as to the facts.

[loper]

Farmed salmon is colored through the use of feed additives - astaxanthin and canthaxanthin. Wild salmon get most of their color from the naturally occuring astaxanthin in their diet, with sockeye being the most red of the species. The farmed "ruby trout" is similarly colored by diet. I think it is probably doubtful that there are many health consequences to the carotenoid additives, but there are enough other reasons to not buy atlantic salmon to keep me away.

I have had the opportunity to catch my own sockeye (reds) and coho (silvers) from the copper river the past couple of years - it keeps fairly well vacuum sealed and frozen, and we smoked a bunch this year as well. The fresh sockeye is a sight to behold, and wonderful to eat. I also save and cure the roe, for which I am teased relentlessly (he brought a special cooler for the bait!). We catch these fish a good distance from the ocean, and the reds show no degradation at all, with only some of the coho showing the beginnings of their remarkable morphological changes as they get ready for spawning. Commercially caught fish come from beyond the river mouth, where they are still eating and show no signs of wasting whatsoever (so-called "sea bright" fish). In fact, Copper river salmon are so prized due to the higher fat content that comes as a result of the extreme length of the river selecting for fish with the greatest energy stores, so if that fat is your thing, that's the time to get 'em.

Note for eaters of raw salmon: Almost all of the wild salmon I've cleaned had at least a few visible nematode (roundworm) parasites - that's why the japanese traditionally salt or smoke it, or at the very least freeze it before eating raw. I wolfed it down anyway as we were cleaning it and was fine, but I've heard stories...

[beans]

Welcome to eG loper.

The farm raised v. triploid v. hatchery v. wild while adding in the factors of PCBs, dyes and overfishing has been discussed nearly ad nauseum here on the Gull. If your willing to jump in, I'll gladly supplement with some of the relevant and somewhat recent links. (even some subsistence/state/federally managed issues too!)

I'm from the southeast from a town called Sitka... heard of it?

[loper]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm actually from Boston - but have family in Anchorage and so get to "observe" the personal use dipnet fishery in Chitina. I've also been peripherally involved with an environmental seafood choice initiantive, and find the whole issue fascinating (and given the state of the North Atlantic, locally very relevant). Hatchery vs. "real" wild salmon and similar issues don't get much press out here, so other than some little behavioral science tidbits I don't know much about the consequences on that end of things. Last I heard on the recent PCB news was that it was a classic case of poor science reporting in the press, and much ado about very little - and that from someone on the conservation oriented side of things.

[Susan in FL]

Loper, thanks for your contribution to this thread -- good info to know -- and also, welcome to eG.