Salmon Questions!

[ronandannette]

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.

What ended up happening with the salmon?

 

[goofy4prez]

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.

I agree with you 100% about Copper River. I recommended it earlier. With Copper River I keep it simple on the grill or in the skillet. Sauces and heavy seasoning should not be the star on the plate when there is a fillet of Copper River salmon on it.

 

[fab1976]

I’ve recently started cooking salmon more often. One night I sliced up some lemon, placed those on the BBQ and put the salmon on top of the slices. Sprinkled with some seasoning from Epicure called SPG (salt pepper garlic). Turned out good! In a pan with butter and garlic is another way that worked well. I’m going to come back to this thread again when I cook it this week, see what inspires me.

 

[Mysterian]

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

So far I'm maintaining my natural hue, however, I will keep you informed!

 

[bcla]

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.

Sure. But it would be more like a cooperative like Sunkist Growers. And even with a brand name they're just harvesting wild fish, so I guess the same fish could have ended up processed by multiple cooperatives.

Carotenoid overdosing (and astaxanthin is a caratenoid) isn't necessarily dangerous, but there have been people who have turned noticeably orange as a result.

I used to use a sunscreen that had astaxanthin as a secondary ingredient that they claimed to have powerful antioxidant properties better than Vitamins A/C/E. It came in a mousse form and looked pale orange although it tended to blend well with my skin. I knew it was left out when I used one can and it came out white.

Not sure if the astaxanthin source is natural or not. Several chemical suppliers like BASF sell it for farmed fish/shrimp to add to the feed. Even for farmed rainbow trout.

https://nutrition.basf.com/global/en/animal-nutrition/products/lucantin-pink.html​

Astaxanthin is a feed additive which intensifies the pigmentation of fish and crustaceans. The animals are reliant on astaxanthin intake since they cannot synthesize the carotenoid themselves. In the wild, astaxanthin is produced by plants, bacteria, algae and fungi, and from these organisms it is transferred up the food chain and stored in organisms that have the ability to do so. In culture situations where fish and crustaceans are not able to obtain enough “wild pigment” to satisfactorily pigment their tissues, astaxanthin preparations can be incorporated into the formulated feed.​

 

[HashberryOTG]

What ended up happening with the salmon?

Cooked per directions (or so I thought), was raw in the middle. Not "cheffy rare", but raw. Cooked longer, burnt the skin. Flipped, cooked too long, overcooked. The seasoning is a total keeper, I ended up doing salt, pepper and a bit of a home made cajun spice. But I need to learn more about what is properly "done". More practice for me! Ordered wings after tho. Those were tasty

 

[Micca]

Cooked per directions (or so I thought), was raw in the middle. Not "cheffy rare"

Did you let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into it? The raw part might have turned cheffy rare if you let it rest. Cover it up with some foil or something so it stays warm. Don't give up!

 

[HashberryOTG]

Did you let it rest for a few minutes before cutting into it?

No, it was more of a spot test. I probably should have let it rest. I won't give up, I just need to practice salmon more. I'm stubborn that way. I'm enjoying cooking more and more as I get older. But it just doesn't always go as planned. Sometimes you just gotta dump it and order a pizza!

 

[MillauFr]

We have been enjoying the Copper River and Fresh Halibut lately. We go to Pure Food Fish Market at Pike Place Market to get it. They ship though... I like using the Cedar or Alder planks on the grill to cook the salmon. Most important point is to not over cook the salmon.

Buy Fresh Seafood Online | Pure Food Fish Market

 

[TwoMisfits]

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.

Forget the skin - it's really hard to do right, and really not worth the work b/c the flesh is better...

Get a fresh, never frozen, filet. Turn on your oven to 350 degrees. Throw the salmon on a pan and rub on some lemon juice, then some olive oil, and sprinkle on a decent amount of dill (fresh or dry), salt, and pepper.

Cook for 15 minutes skin side down. Toss the skin, and enjoy practically perfect flesh...

 

[sonnyjane]

Marine biologist here in Washington where many of our salmon runs are endangered...

Farmed salmon is really one of the worst things you can purchase, not just as far as fish go, but as far as the environment in general goes. Soooooooo many downsides. Farming fish harms wild fish as the fisherman earlier in the thread correctly stated. It therefore hurts whales and other marine life that depend on wild fish also. Just a disaster for all. I don’t consume salmon, but if you want to, ideally any salmon bought would be caught with a hook and line to avoid bycatch, but at minimum you at least want it to be wild. If you’re buying “Atlantic salmon”, it’s farmed. Just say no.

 

[ronandannette]

Marine biologist here in Washington where many of our salmon runs are endangered...

Farmed salmon is really one of the worst things you can purchase, not just as far as fish go, but as far as the environment in general goes. Soooooooo many downsides. Farming fish harms wild fish as the fisherman earlier in the thread correctly stated. It therefore hurts whales and other marine life that depend on wild fish also. Just a disaster for all. I don’t consume salmon, but if you want to, ideally any salmon bought would be caught with a hook and line to avoid bycatch, but at minimum you at least want it to be wild. If you’re buying “Atlantic salmon”, it’s farmed. Just say no.

Question: have you seen Netflix Seaspiracy? If so, are the ideas proposed worthy of further research? I'm certainly no expert but it felt very compelling.

 

[John VN]

No, it was more of a spot test. I probably should have let it rest. I won't give up, I just need to practice salmon more. I'm stubborn that way. I'm enjoying cooking more and more as I get older. But it just doesn't always go as planned. Sometimes you just gotta dump it and order a pizza!

No major practice really needed, again -- pat of butter in skillet med. heat, S/P fillet both sides, FLESH SIDE DOWN for 3 - 4 minutes with another pat of butter on skin before flipping if you want, FLIP and another 3-4 minutes (lower if thin or maybe more if thick.) Should flake off of skin. Temperature adjust for cooking time with pan being used. I use an enameled cast iron made in Holland.

NOTE -- LIVE ALASKA BEAR CAMS now and soon with momma/babies and males hitting the water's for SALMON FEASTING. They PULL OFF SKIN first since it is high in nutrients. Watch the little ones learn and GROW. VERY COOL VIEWING and informational. Lots of viewing time since sun is up for more hours of the day.

https://explore.org/livecams/brown-...MIm-_y7quv6gIVmQiICR1C-waxEAAYASAAEgJN0fD_BwE

 

[Deb]

Cooked per directions (or so I thought), was raw in the middle. Not "cheffy rare", but raw. Cooked longer, burnt the skin. Flipped, cooked too long, overcooked. The seasoning is a total keeper, I ended up doing salt, pepper and a bit of a home made cajun spice. But I need to learn more about what is properly "done". More practice for me! Ordered wings after tho. Those were tasty

don't give up. my first couple of times I ended up breaking the filet apart and taking pieces out of the pan as they appeared finished. It wasn't pretty but it was yummy

 

[dosekies]

I love sweet glazed salmon, so my favorite is to place the filets on a cookie sheet, top with salt and pepper, and then cover in a glaze. The one I make is about 1/4 cup of brown sugar mixed with 2-3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard. Then bake at 425 for 25 minutes!

 

[fab1976]

I love sweet glazed salmon, so my favorite is to place the filets on a cookie sheet, top with salt and pepper, and then cover in a glaze. The one I make is about 1/4 cup of brown sugar mixed with 2-3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard. Then bake at 425 for 25 minutes!

Oh that sounds good!

 

[sonnyjane]

Question: have you seen Netflix Seaspiracy? If so, are the ideas proposed worthy of further research? I'm certainly no expert but it felt very compelling.

Unfortunately Seaspiracy was overly ambitious and attempted to address about 9,000 different oceanic threats in a single Netflix documentary. Do you have any specific questions? In general, yes, there's a lot of truth in that film, but there's also a lot of sensationalism. One of the things I really disliked is that they targeted certain races/cultures when it's really a global issue. They also missed an opportunity to support the small, local fisheries that ARE doing a good job by instead condemning all fishing. They didn't give a clear call to action. Telling people they have to give up seafood and go vegan is not something most will do. I would have preferred if they instead educated people about what types of seafood they should purchase if they want to make a difference.

 

[ronandannette]

Unfortunately Seaspiracy was overly ambitious and attempted to address about 9,000 different oceanic threats in a single Netflix documentary. Do you have any specific questions? In general, yes, there's a lot of truth in that film, but there's also a lot of sensationalism. One of the things I really disliked is that they targeted certain races/cultures when it's really a global issue. They also missed an opportunity to support the small, local fisheries that ARE doing a good job by instead condemning all fishing. They didn't give a clear call to action. Telling people they have to give up seafood and go vegan is not something most will do. I would have preferred if they instead educated people about what types of seafood they should purchase if they want to make a difference.

Very good comments.

 

[sonnyjane]

Very good comments.

I'm watching a friend give a lecture online right now. Sustainably caught wild Alaskan salmon, no bycatch, from a river that has a healthy stock currently costs $79.99 PER POUND. Right next to it at the fish market you'll find "wild Alaskan salmon" of questionable origin, not sustainably caught from a river that is depleted, for $13.99 per pound. Until the market shifts and consumers start demanding the higher quality sustainable product, people will continue to choose the option that is more harmful for the environment.

 

[ronandannette]

I'm watching a friend give a lecture online right now. Sustainably caught wild Alaskan salmon, no bycatch, from a river that has a healthy stock currently costs $79.99 PER POUND. Right next to it at the fish market you'll find "wild Alaskan salmon" of questionable origin, not sustainably caught from a river that is depleted, for $13.99 per pound. Until the market shifts and consumers start demanding the higher quality sustainable product, people will continue to choose the option that is more harmful for the environment.

It is tough though with the price disparity being what it is. Here decent west coast salmon and halibut is priced by the 100g; they don't even have the nerve to price it by the pound.

And I'm pretty sure not everybody even has any awareness, although I think most people would make thoughtful choices if they were easy and affordable. Misleading/misunderstood labeling certainly doesn't help. The one thing the documentary really did pique my interest on is the Marine Stewardship Council and their product endorsements.