How to cook salmon

Information for salmon in our free cooking ingredients collection.

Salmon

Salmon can range from moderate to high-fat, depending on the species. There are several species of salmon in the Pacific (chinook, sockeye, coho, pink, chum) and one in the Atlantic. It has even been acclimated to freshwater. A once threatened species, it has survived thanks to salmon farms and species management. Salmon are “anadromous”, meaning they migrate from their saltwater habitat to spawn in fresh water. The females of some species can lay up to 13,000 eggs. The larger chinook salmon (also called king salmon) weighs between 30 and 40 pounds and measures between 34 and 36 inches. The smaller freshwater, or landlocked, salmon is shorter, between 8 and 24 inches, and it rarely weighs more than 13 pounds.

Salmon is sold in many forms, including fresh, frozen, smoked, salted, dried, and canned. Fresh and frozen salmon can be purchased whole or as steaks, pieces, or fillets. Whole salmon is usually sold cleaned, with the head on or removed. Smoked salmon is usually sealed in plastic or frozen. Salmon’s moist flesh is flaky and tender, and the flavor varies by species from delicate and mild to rich and distinctive. Salmon spoils quickly because the flesh is fatty. The chinook is the fattiest salmon, and the pink and chum are leaner.

How to cook salmon

The bones often included in canned salmon are edible and serve as a good source of calcium. Make sure to crush the bones well. To remove the small bones (called pin bones) from fresh fillets or steaks, use a tweezers or pry them out of the flesh from the side.

Serving suggestions

Smoked salmon (also called lox) is often served on bagels with cream cheese (choose reduced-fat or fat-free cheeses), capers, and onions, or it is added as a final touch to sandwiches, omelets, salads, and even dips and spreads. Salmon roe is becoming more popular as “red caviar”, but real caviar comes from sturgeon roe. There are good salmon cuts for almost every cooking method. Fillets are delicious when grilled and served with a wedge of lemon. Salmon is good served hot or cold with a variety of sauces.

• Smelt
• Trout
• Shellfish
• Abalone
• Clam
• Crab
• Lobster
• Mussels
• Octopus
• Oysters
• Scallops
• Shrimp

• Sausage
• Game meats
• Fish
• Cod
• Flounder
• Halibut
• Perch
• Striped bass
• Catfish
• Swordfish
• Tuna
• Mackerel

Pagination   [1]   [2]   [3]   [4]   [5]   [6]   [7]

Cooking ingredients  •  cooking-ingredients.com © 2008

Sitemap  •   Privacy policy  •   Contact