Salmon

[mitchell25418]

I want to make Broiled Salmon for dinner this evening. I know most Atlantic Salmon is farmed and most Pacific is wild. Is there a clear taste difference?
I am willing to pay a bit extra - which do you prefer?
Thanks - Have a great weekend!

[acgold7]

Actually, the best wild salmon ranges in color from deep orange to almost cherry red. I've never seen any decent salmon come anywhere close to the pink range (although there is a so-called "pink salmon," it isn't really pink). I don't have the aversion to sockeye that mcf does; to my taste any wild salmon is better than any farmed, but this is a matter of personal taste. To me, all farmed salmon tastes "fishy" and has no real "salmon" character, while wild salmon is mild and sweet and has no fishy taste at all unless you overcook it.

Here in the Northwest, we also like it cooked somewhat more rare than in other parts of the country; the center is still somewhat translucent. Others, I have heard, find this incredibly off-putting. But over-cooked salmon -- you can tell because it will begin flaking apart -- is a sad thing.

If you can find Copper River King -- available usually in May -- it is a Magnificent Thing. It will also clean out your wallet.

[PAO]

Or save yourself some bucks and yet Yukon kings instead

[acgold7]

Sounds great. When and where are those available?

[mcf]

I don't eat farmed; I hate sockeye compared to anything. It literally makes me retch involuntarily, and I've never had that reaction to any other food. I think it's the leanness, but the texture just makes me gag.

I don't know where else in the country you mean, but here in NY, it's cooked medium rare to rare in good restaurants.

[acgold7]

I think the coasts tend to like it the way we do, while my experience more towards the middle of the country is that it is more thoroughly cooked.

[mcf]

LOL... that reminds me of a story a friend told me decades ago, of a fancy new mall food court that opened in Kansas City, MO. She and her mother ordered bagels and lox to be adventurous and returned it to the counter complaining, "we can't eat this, it isn't cooked!"

There are plenty of places here that cook it firm all the way through, but more upscale places rarely do. I prefer it just on the edge of lost translucence, but still there. Unless it's sashimi, I like a warm center, just not well done or even medium all the way through.

[acgold7]

Yep. I like to go to libraries and find all the cookbooks that say the fish is done when it flakes, and change "done" to "overcooked."

Not that I would ever really do this, your honor....

[cbjones1943]

I purchase my salmon @Whole Foods/Greenlife in Asheville, NC I'm not claiming that farmed salmon is better I'm simply saying I prefer its taste & texture to the fresh salmon I've had Have eaten fresh salmon I liked on W Coast BTW @WF/GL farmed salmon is ~$16/lb Indeed, I always give it the nose test

[gilintx]

I think the final test is to simply look at the product. Ideally, you want a deep pink, somewhat translucent flesh. If it smells like anything other than sea water, you don't want it. To answer your questions, yes, there is a difference, and personally, I will pay the extra for the fresh.

[cbjones1943]

For what it is worth to you and others, Justo Thomas, Eric Riper's (Le Bernardin, NYC) fish cutter, says that the restaurant uses organic farmed salmon. Thomas prefers it over wild, saying, wild salmon "get too much exercise" and that, as a result, have too much muscle. I never purchase wild because I dislike the texture & the taste. The hi fat content of farmed salmon IMO adds a degree of flavor and richness not characteristic of wild salmon (yes, I have had several different spp). I purchase my salmon @Whole Foods; thus, it is organic and of high quality. BTW, I am not certain this is the case, but a higher fat contact may mean that the farmed fish has a higher content of nutrients, omega 3's, etc. To be truthful, I cannot differentiate the Whole Foods salmon from Ingles or Harris Tweeter, and the WF salmon is much more expensive...>$15/lb. Finally, I have had exquisite, delicious wild salmon @restaurants in Seattle; thus, there is a possibility that some of the characteristics of wild s that are unpleasant to me are a function of freezing; maybe wild doesn't hold up as well when processed for transit.

[mcf]

It's "Ripert." How many varieties of wild salmon have you tried? I find sockeye revolting, the texture off putting, but I only will eat wild salmon and king salmon is superb. Farmed salmon does not have a higher fat content than king, which is absolutely creamy as a rule. And due to the type of feed, the fat in it is not healthy the way wild salmon is. If you like farmed salmon better, you probably prefer feedlot beef, too? Wild salmon is best eaten in season, about April to November, rather than held over frozen. But frozen, it's still a much better meal to my taste and my food quality paramaters health and environment wise.

[cbjones1943]

mcf: Thanks for the polite correction and for all the expert information I'll file it for future reference

[scubadoo97]

Depends on the application. Wild salmon is good no doubt about it. For cold smoked salmon I prefer a Scottish Atlantic farmed salmon since it is milder in flavor and fattier which results in a smoother texture.

[ccbweb]

In addition to being superior in flavor and texture, wild pacific salmon is also far more sustainable an option than any farmed salmon. Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch information about it:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr...

Great stuff. Have fun with the salmon, wild caught Alaskan salmon is a special thing.

[mcf]

There's a big difference between wild salmon species, too. I love salmon, and King salmon is my favorite by a mile. I literally gag involuntarily on sockeye salmon, though. Everything about it, from color to texture to its leanness just hits me the wrong way. YMMV. Some folks I know like sockeye best of all.

[danieljdwyer]

In addition to the differences already pointed out, there are also varying degrees of quality with farmed salmon. While I don't think it can ever be as good as wild, there's a huge difference between farmed salmon raised in overcrowded tanks, and farmed salmon with more space, better nutrition, and better water circulation. It's similar to the difference between factory farmed and free range beef - neither of which, I assume, are as good as the unfortunately extinct wild aurochs.

[mitchell25418]

Thank you both for your excellent advice. I have a feeling I've been eating farm for quite a while. I'm excited to get some good wild today. Appreciate your help

[ipsedixit]

On quick note, mitchell25418, that you should keep in mind.

The flesh on wild salmon is much firmer (and a bit leaner) than that of farmed. Lots of times farmed salmon meat will be quite oily and loose.

I mention the difference in texture so that you can adjust the time the salmon spends under the broiler. Last thing you want to do is overcook and dry out a nice piece of wild salmon filet.

Enjoy.

[ipsedixit]

Farmed salmon tastes like water.

Wild salmon tastes like, well, salmon.

[Lenox637]

Wild salmon exceeds farm raised in flavor, color and nutrition...... exponentially. Wild salmon has a certain richness in flavor and texture that the farm raised just doesn't match. Most of the color found in farmraised salmon comes from the beta-carotene that is included in the food pellets.