Salmon Questions!

[amcnj]

I have often made it in a toaster oven with McCormicks Lemon Butter Dill
Sauce. As others have said, skin side down, on a foil covered tray and brush the sauce on it. I leave it until the thickest part of the filet hits around 135 degrees.

I have also cooked it several times on the grill using a cedar plank. And my daughter swears by her air fryer. She used garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil on the filet.

 

[tvguy]

Can you recommend a good type and brand of Salmon? And what way do you cook and prepare it?

I'm open to your salmon suggestions, DIS boarders!

Never seen a brand of salmon. It's just by type of salmon, farm raised (often also just called Atlantic), sockeye, steelhead.

 

[tvguy]

i keep it simple... i only buy wild caught fillets...... sockeye or whatever.... as long as it is not farmed, the added color to farmed salmon eeeks me out.

Spoiler alert, unless you catch the salmon yourself , even wild salmon these days has it color added to it.

 

[NannyBeBe]

The Copper River is absolutely the best; unfortunately my store was not able to get any this year. I eat only wild caught. I sprinkle it with seasoning and saute it in a skillet with a bit of butter until lightly browned on both sides. I don't like sauces or marinades because I want to taste the salmon, not whatever is added to it.

 

[bcla]

Most salmon doesn't really have a brand that you'll know. There might be certain cooperatives or wholesalers, but they mostly just buy the salmon.

As for type, there's everything from Keta (aka chum) salmon to wild king salmon. I have found I prefer wild king salmon from Alaska. It's not as expensive as wild west coast (mostly Chinook) salmon, and it has a naturally deep red color.

Some mentioned the food coloring for farmed salmon. The feed includes astaxanthin, which is a natural food coloring that's mostly produced by algae. Then animals that eat the algae (or animals up the food chain) absorb it. That's where wild salmon gets it coloring, but that's in varying amounts depending on their food sources. I've purchased frozen salmon from Asia, and that was pale white. I believe they didn't feed it with the coloring.

 

[Kitty 34]

Just don't put you and the salmon on an online dating profile......just sayin'.

 

[tasha99]

For me, the order of salmon deliciousness is:

King (Chinook) > Atlantic farmed> Copper River Red > Red (Sockeye) > Silver (Coho) > Pink (Humpy)> Keta (Dog, Chum)

If salmon is hard to find or too expensive, steelhead trout or Arctic char can work as well.

Basically, fatter is better. Ocean caught is usually better than river caught because they lose their fat as they climb the river to spawn. Some wild salmon is white--I caught a King salmon that was white inside--it's just a variant that maybe ate different food, or didn't turn pink even with the normal diet--its their food that turns the flesh pink, even with wild salmon.

My favorite salmon dish is marmalade salmon. I don't have a recipe, but it's salmon halves marinated in soy sauce, marmalade, green onion, red pepper flakes, and ginger. You could add a drop or two of sesame oil if you feel like it. Marinade for an hour or so, then put the salmon skin side down on foil and cut the foil to fit the salmon. There will be lots of "topping" in the marinade--I save that and put that back on top of the salmon. Then grill over medium direct heat with the lid down and obviously don't flip (with cherry chips if you feel like it, but I usually don't bother anymore). I admit, it's more a recipe for someone who eats tons of salmon, because it's a strong marinade, but I love it. I also love salmon cakes. The key to good salmon cakes is to use raw chopped salmon instead of cooked or canned. And panko.

If you are ever looking for over the top great salmon, Honolulu Fish Company's farmed king salmon is to die for. Expensive, but we buy it on special occasions for sushi. People often say don't buy farmed salmon, but if you are planning to eat it raw, you must use either farmed or wild salmon that has been frozen to a certain temp and time to kill parasites. Salmon is full of parasites. It's just a fact; I had a Japanese boyfriend when I was 18, and he was super suspicious of salmon sushi. It was a new thing back then, and his attitude was "what is this nonsense?" I love salmon sushi now, but would never use wild salmon in sushi or poke.

 

[lifesavacation]

We live in the Pacific NW and have a fishing business so we are definitely spoiled when it comes to salmon and steelhead. I would never buy farmed raised salmon, but again I'm spoiled when it comes to fish. I'm also passionate about keeping farmed salmon from infecting our wild salmon with diseases. Anyways, it's pretty versatile as far as cooking. Sometimes we bbq it, other times we bake it. We make salmon burgers (with aioli sauce, yum!), and we do fish tacos a lot. Salmon is so good for you. We don't marinade or put any sauces on it. If it's fresh, it's delicious cooked with butter, lemon, and seasonings (dill is always good).

 

[ronandannette]

Don't have a brand per se, but I do agree with the above being a great, simple and foolproof ! We always go for wild caught if at all possible.

Salmon is easy but not exactly fool-proof. Cook it too hot for too long and the albumen (the white, fatty substance) will start to be released and then it's too firm and no longer moist.

Never seen a brand of salmon. It's just by type of salmon, farm raised (often also just called Atlantic), sockeye, steelhead.

Steelhead is actually a species of saltwater trout that act more like salmon.

... I've purchased frozen salmon from Asia, and that was pale white. I believe they didn't feed it with the coloring.

If one cares about such things, read the labeling of frozen fish very carefully before purchasing. Practically all frozen salmon labelled "Pacific Wild Caught" comes from Asia and is actually farmed product processed there under conditions that are suspect.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Just remembered another way to cook salmon (or any firm white fish) filets:

Coat with your favorite type of mustard, drag thru crushed potato chips, plain or flavored, and bake for 15 minutes.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Salmon is easy but not exactly fool-proof. Cook it too hot for too long and the albumen (the white, fatty substance) will start to be released and then it's too firm and no longer moist.

Steelhead is actually a species of saltwater trout that act more like salmon.

If one cares about such things, read the labeling of frozen fish very carefully before purchasing. Practically all frozen salmon labelled "Pacific Wild Caught" comes from Asia and is actually farmed product processed there under conditions that are suspect.

One of the reasons I like slow and low is there is no overcooking possible. Great when you are entertaining and busy with guests.

 

[bcla]

If one cares about such things, read the labeling of frozen fish very carefully before purchasing. Practically all frozen salmon labelled "Pacific Wild Caught" comes from Asia and is actually farmed product processed there under conditions that are suspect.

It was Walmart house-branded and said it was processed in China. However, that doesn't necessarily mean anything because there's lots of fish that are caught or farmed elsewhere, but then processed in China where it's cheaper. Still said it was clearly farmed and not wild.

I've gotten something called "Pink Salmon" at Safeway as one of their house brands. But they said it was Alaskan but I'm not sure where it was processed. It is kind of odd though with Safeway being purchased by Albertson's as some of the house brands are now shared. I see a lot of the house brands list "Better Living Brands" with a Pleasanton, California mailing address, which I believe is still Safeway's corporate headquarters even after they were sold to Albertson's.

 

[HashberryOTG]

Craziness. I am cooking salmon for the first time tonight and happened upon this thread! My plan is hot pan with oil/butter. Skin side down until crispy, seasoned simple with salt, pepper. Flip and pull off heat while it finishes cooking. Squeeze of lemon. Fingers crossed!

 

[ronandannette]

Craziness. I am cooking salmon for the first time tonight and happened upon this thread! My plan is hot pan with oil/butter. Skin side down until crispy, seasoned simple with salt, pepper. Flip and pull off heat while it finishes cooking. Squeeze of lemon. Fingers crossed!

That ought to work! Just try to stop it before it gets to the stage where this white stuff appears on the surface. Good luck!

 

[tasha99]

It was Walmart house-branded and said it was processed in China. However, that doesn't necessarily mean anything because there's lots of fish that are caught or farmed elsewhere, but then processed in China where it's cheaper. Still said it was clearly farmed and not wild.

I've gotten something called "Pink Salmon" at Safeway as one of their house brands. But they said it was Alaskan but I'm not sure where it was processed. It is kind of odd though with Safeway being purchased by Albertson's as some of the house brands are now shared. I see a lot of the house brands list "Better Living Brands" with a Pleasanton, California mailing address, which I believe is still Safeway's corporate headquarters even after they were sold to Albertson's.

Pink/Humpy salmon is fairly lean and what is used mostly in canned salmon. It would be smart to watch it closely cooking, because it would be easier to overcook than a fatter salmon (although this is a guess, admittedly, because I've mostly had it canned).

 

[Micca]

I might add that you probably want to achieve "medium" done-ness. When I order it that way in a restaurant they usually reply "That's what we recommend." If it's undercooked you can always throw it back on the grill for a minute. I go for a rare-ish center.

 

[Mysterian]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to have to copy/paste/print a lot of these suggestions. Salmon is supposed to be very healthy, and fish is one thing I don't eat enough of.

The air fryer idea sounds interesting. I don't have one, but my father does, so I'm considering trying the fryer out on a visit (and the pops gets free fish in the process).

Most salmon doesn't really have a brand that you'll know. There might be certain cooperatives or wholesalers, but they mostly just buy the salmon.

Some mentioned the food coloring for farmed salmon. The feed includes astaxanthin, which is a natural food coloring that's mostly produced by algae. Then animals that eat the algae (or animals up the food chain) absorb it. That's where wild salmon gets it coloring, but that's in varying amounts depending on their food sources. I've purchased frozen salmon from Asia, and that was pale white. I believe they didn't feed it with the coloring.

By brand I mean the company selling it.

I did not know farmed salmon were fed astaxanthin though. I'm actually taking an astaxanthin supplement, it's supposed to be a high source of Vitamin C. I've thus far not grown any gills, but I will alert the board if I do.

 

[disykat]

I like Trader Joe's chili lime seasoning on salmon.

 

[HashberryOTG]

Well, attempt one was a big ole 'honey.... call and order some wings instead!' I need to practice on some cheaper frozen cuts and get cooking times and temps right before worrying about crispy skin.

 

[amcnj]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to have to copy/paste/print a lot of these suggestions. Salmon is supposed to be very healthy, and fish is one thing I don't eat enough of.

The air fryer idea sounds interesting. I don't have one, but my father does, so I'm considering trying the fryer out on a visit (and the pops gets free fish in the process).




By brand I mean the company selling it.

I did not know farmed salmon were fed astaxanthin though. I'm actually taking an astaxanthin supplement, it's supposed to be a high source of Vitamin C. I've thus far not grown any gills, but I will alert the board if I do.

Glad to hear you haven’t sprouted gills yet, but are you turning pink?