Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with salmon

how do I judge the quality of salmon (or other fish) in the supermarket?

krautland — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:04:11 -0800

how do I judge the quality of salmon (or other fish) in the supermarket? I just bought some terrible smoked salmon. it wasn't even cheap and the packaging informed me it was "wild alaska salmon, certified to the standards of the marine stewardship council" (I translated that from german). so I thought it wasn't farmed and that I'd in fact be getting some premium wild salmon to garnish my slice of bread with but I was wrong. this salmon has no texture, the color is awfully orangy-looking now that I've been able to closer inspect it and it's just one solid color without any shift at all. I also can't taste anything thanks to some bitter smell.

please help me not make this mistake again. please tell me how to look at fish in a market and understand if it's good or bad or new or old or quality or cheap. please recommend how to judge packaged salmon as well.

oh ... us seals don't help me much ... they rarely have them in german supermarkets.

Cooking Novice Attemps Salmon Dish in Quest for Love!

lemonfridge — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:00:32 -0800

I'm a complete novice cook, but I'm cooking salmon tagliatelle for my girlfriend on her birthday. I've made it twice for myself but I think it could be better... Ok, so far I'm frying the salmon fillets with a drop of oil till they are almost done, then adding some chopped spring onions to the pan during the final few min.

Then I'm adding cream and chives to the pan and mixing it all together, breaking up the salmon.

Add the salmon to the cooked tagliatelle, mix mix mix, serve. Serving with some nice bread and some wine.

It tastes fine, and my sister and dad have both enjoyed it. I just want to make it tastes a little bit more special. Any suggestions?

please note: I have never ever ever cooked anything before in my life. I don't enjoy it at all and I get extremely stressed during. Please keep it simple! :)

Do Salmon Return to the Steam Where They Were Born to Spawn?

edavidoff — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:37:50 -0800

Do scientists really know that salmon always return to the stream where they were born in order to spawn? Or are they just telling us a charming story? Scientists have been telling us for at least 50 years that salmon always return to the stream where they were hatched when they are ready to spawn. Is there any documented proof of this? Because I can't think of any possible way to prove that they behave like this.

First, I don't think it's possible to put some sort of a tag on a baby salmon because they are so small. Second, because of the high mortality rate you'd have to mark hundreds of them to have a chance that some will survive to breeding size. Third, you'd have to find the marked salmon among the hundreds that come to spawn in the stream. And fourth, you'd have to be able to prove that none of the marked salmon went to a different stream.

Do anybody know where and when this myth originated?

And I would suppose that they same question would apply, sort of in reverse, to sea turtles.

Are cheap fish oil capsules OK?

bobbyno — Mon, 25 May 2009 12:01:19 -0800

Are Trader Joe's Salmon Oil capsules still good for you even though they are so much cheaper then health food store brands? I would like to take fish oil capsules for health benefits but I found that the prices of fish oil capsules that are "molecularly distilled" and therefore, clear of toxic heavy metals, are very expensive. But, I found that Trader Joe's carries molecularly disitilled salmon oil capsules and sells them for $7 for a large bottle. A comparable bottle of the health food store brands would be $30 to $50 or more. How can this Trader Joe's Salmon Oil be so inexpensive? Are they really a high quality supplement that is benficial to take?

Fish simulacrum

kepano — Sun, 24 May 2009 18:14:01 -0800

Where can I buy a fake (non-edible) salmon fillet? Okay this might be a weird one, but that's what MeFi's for, right? I'm looking to buy a non-edible but somewhat realistic simulacrum of a salmon fillet. It doesn't have to be floppy but it should represent the fish in it's raw state (somewhere between 6-12 inches in length).

(I wish it was for a prank, but it isn't)

I've seen some nifty things done with Fimo, so I'm wondering if Etsy might be the place to look. Any suggestions?

Zazzle My Fishy Fish

rokusan — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:08:57 -0800

I've inherited some fresh cubed salmon (left by roommate who is gone for the week). I'm thinking of grilling it. But salmon is sort of boring. What sort of spice, rub, marinade or other goodness can I use to add some zing? It's fresh but for some reason cut into 1.5-inch cubes. I figure grilling it on skewers would work, but would like to add some extra flavor.

I'll take other ideas too. It's about... I dunno, a pound? About 20 cubes.

How do I bake salmon wrapped inside phyllo dough?

slepore09 — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:13:33 -0800

I had a dish a few years ago that was salmon and wild mushrooms baked inside phyllo dough. It was amazing, very savory and earthy. Does anyone have any ideas on how to replicate?

Maple glazed salmon recipe?

cda — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:46:02 -0800

I need help making maple glazed broiled salmon. I'm trying to replicate a dish I had at a Thai restaurant in Culver City. I need help because the ingredients are so expensive to me that I really can't afford to experiment. So here are my problems with the recipes I have found on the Internet.

I know the salmon I had didn't have mustard. It seemed like plain maple syrup.

Recipes I find without mustard usually call for mixing the maple syrup with orange juice, soy sauce, or vinegar. Can't I just use maple syrup? Why thin it out? I have made this recipe once thinned with soy sauce and it was very disappointing. It was like the maple syrup just disappeared. I applied the mixture just once, 1 hour before baking.

What would happen if I coated the top of the salmon with maple syrup, broiled for 4 minutes, re-applied the maple syrup and then broiled for another 4 minutes?

A crusty dilemma.

Gordion Knott — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:55:42 -0800

On the menu for tomorrow: salmon encrusted with bread crumbs. Can I make this dish without an egg wash? I'm trying to duplicate a restaurant dish, but at the same time avoid using eggs. The salmon was tender; the bread crumbs flaky (I'll be using seasoned Italian bread crumbs).

How can I get the bread crumbs to stick to the salmon without an egg wash? Is this doable using non-dairy ingredients?

Also, for tenderest results, should I bake or deep fry the salmon after breading it?

Seeking smoked salmon serving suggestions

silentbicycle — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:33:56 -0800

SmokedSalmonFilter: My wonderful fiancée gave me two vacuum-packed 1 lb. bags of smoked salmon for Christmas. (Each will keep for a week in the fridge, once opened.) How else should I eat it, beyond with bagels and cream cheese? I'm not too worried about somehow getting tired of eating salmon everyday, I'm just looking for cooking/serving ideas. Thanks! (FWIW: I generally eat like a pescetarian.)

What's up with canned salmon with the bones?

like_neon — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 04:28:01 -0800

Why, why, WHY sell canned salmon with bones?? Last night while making a lovely salmon pea risotto I realized I mistakenly bought canned salmon with the bones in. It wasn't just little bits of bones, but what seemed like the vertebrate as well, ick. It took me ages to pick them all out and it kind of ruined the meal experience since we were wary of any bones I might have missed.

If I ever again inadvertently fall for this trap again, what can I do with a can of salmon WITH BONES?

(and why do they sell this version and why is it so hard to tell from looking at the the can?)

Am I tempting food poisoning?

nímwunnan — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:25:20 -0800

Aw crap, I left some salmon out overnight. Is it still safe to eat? Still in a sealed package, in a shoulder-bag in a slighly chilly room. Hoping that a food-safety expert will read this before dinnertime, GMT. I don't like food poisoning, but I don't like not eating a tasty dinner when I could eat a tasty dinner.

I'm the king! of 11 pounds of salmon.

mimi — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:04:18 -0800

Fathers-Day-Fishing-Outing: Success. Yay! ...but I'm more accustomed to tiny, easily-packable, easily-fryable bluegills, and with the relative freezer space, too. I've got a whole king salmon saved (off-site) for smoking next month, but what do I do with the other eleven pounds? I asked them to save the carcasses, and have two+heads simmering for stock, but ohgodthere'smore in the freezer--in addition to all the filleted meat. Apart from grilling a side (bbq sauce+bacon is the plan for that one)... please nominate ideas and recipes for the rest of it, as well as the stock. Salmon smoking advice and canning thoughts welcome, also. Merci!

Michael Ruhlman's recipe for fennel-cured salmon?

obiwanwasabi — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:02:01 -0800

While I point accusingly at friends and relatives to find out who among them has stolen my copy of Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie, would some MeFite be kind enough to post the recipe for salmon cured with fennel and pernod? I can find a couple of people online who've adapted the recipe, but I need the original (and my book back!)

Why am I craving sushi? Specifically, salmon and salmon roe?

tealeaf522 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:04:45 -0800

Is there a reason I am craving sushi like crazy? Could it be that my body is lacking in some nutrient that is making me crave it? I love sushi. Often times I can eat a simple roll (spicy tuna/salmon, california roll and the like) for lunch from the local deli. If i go out to dinner I'll get some actual sushi (yellowtail, tuna, salmon...) but I usually won't crave it again that week. This week I will have had sushi for 4 dinners, specifically: salmon sushi, salmon roe, sea urchin, spicy salmon roll. I don't know if it matters, but I will also mention that when I was young I hated salmon roe, but just recently discovered (like a month ago) that I really like it and above all the other cravings, I specifically want the roe. I could chalk it up to just wanting more of a newly liked discovery except I can feel it in my body that I just have to eat it. I've looked up health benefits of salmon roe and the most I can find is that it has some omega 3 fatty acids...does anyone know of any other health benefits it might have that my body could possibly be lacking and is now hoarding? And also, what do omega 3 fatty acids do exactly?

Yes, but where will they live?

jadepearl — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:56:37 -0800

Help me match meat dishes.. What meat dish will not clash and pair well with a salmon fillet rubbed with paprika, brown sugar, thyme and black pepper? I am having a party and the one standout fish dish that I can do is salmon which the other party goers may or may not like. I am doing fish as one of the mains because some guests are pescatarians. Any suggestions are welcome.

how to I make salmon behave properly?

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:48:40 -0800

How do I make salmon "cakes"? Or, rather, something similar to salmon patties or salmon croquettes. I've googled and found some recipes but most do not line up with what I actually want to do.

I want to make the salmon cakes with the frozen salmon that is, at present, hanging out in my fridge defrosting. And, I want to bake rather than fry. Most of the recipes online call for canned salmon and frying.

Can you give me a good recipe for what I want to do? I would prefer recipes that you have tried and have worked but would also be cool with general "if something says to fry it for X minutes, you can bake it for Y minutes" advice.

Help me choose a hot/cold smoker.

charlesv — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:19:37 -0800

Need a smoker for both salmon and pork shoulder. I'm looking for a smoker.

I've already seen this post on stovetop smoking and this one on cardoboard box smokers. I've also trolled all over the interwebs reading up on hot vs. cold smokers and all sorts of advice, tips and tricks.

Problem is, none of them provide what I am looking for - a recommendation for one that I can buy that meets the following requirements:
1. Commercially available
2. Cost no more than $250 USD
3. Be capable of both hot and cold smoking, enablling me to:
a. smoke already-cured gravlax
b. smoke raw pork shoulder

I will consider both electric and charcoal models, though I would prefer an electric. If an electric is a dumb idea, maybe someone could offer their opinion as to why. If such a smoker doesn't exist, that's fine too - just let me know how I should adjust my expectations.

I am originally from Memphis, and as such crave chopped pork bbq sandwiches whenever I can get my hands on them. More specifically, I have an obsession with Payne's, which some old-school Memphians consider to be the best in town, if not in the world.

Recreating Au Bon Pain's Smoked Salmon and Wasabi sandwich

bchaplin — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:43:49 -0800

How can I make my own "Smoked Salmon & Wasabi on Onion Dill Bagel" sandwiches? Wow, do I love the "Smoked Salmon & Wasabi" sandwiches they sell at Au Bon Pain!! So much that I get cravings for them every day around this time. I'd love to make my own. The obvious ingredients: onion dill bagels, herb cream cheese, smoked salmon, and a cucumber, are easy to obtain. But what goes into that wasabi sauce (I don't think it is straight wasabi paste.)

Any tips? I can not afford to keep buying them from Au Bon Pain, and anyway, by the time I get a craving for one it is later in the day and they only sell them for breakfast.

Does fish oil last like any other oil?

gttommy — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:08:14 -0800

Does fish oil last like any other oil? I've got a jar of deep sea salmon fish oil complex soft gels which I've neglected in my dorm for 2 weeks under the summer heat (room 30-38 degrees celsius). I've only recently recovered from self-applied food poisoning and the fish oil is a suspect.

So my question is, does fish oil last under these temperatures over long periods of time? Does it last just like any other oil, like sesame oil? If not, how can I tell whether it has become inedible?

Additional info: looks and smells the same, produced in September last year, label suggests it should last 3 years.

As an unmuddied lake, Fred. As clear as an azure sky of deepest summer.

[expletive deleted] — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 02:08:06 -0800

Why did my garlic turn blue? I was cooking salmon on the barbecue yesterday and when it was done I noticed the garlic had turned bright blue. I looked it up and it seems that garlic in pickling solutions will sometimes turn blue. There are various explanations of this, but the most common one is that in an acidic solution, sulfur containing compounds in the garlic react with even minute amounts of copper to form copper sulfate. This is what I had assumed had happened, because I remembered hydrated copper sulfate being exactly the same colour.

There were a few other explanations of how the colour forms, but assuming that this explanation is correct, where did the copper come from? The other ingredients were soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and slices of apple on a wild sockeye fillet. I cooked it in tinfoil.

I apologize in advance for what is probably a trivial question. It's just been bothering me for a whole day now.

Fishin' in the P-Land Metro Area

iced_borsch — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:05:00 -0800

Portlanders - where is your favorite place to fish? Specifically, I am interested in areas east of 122nd Avenue, and especially the surrounding towns and villages of outer southeast Portland e.g. Gresham, Sandy, Boring, Damascus, etc.

Salmon Rushdie!

potch — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:18:53 -0800

What's the best seasoning for baking a salmon fillet in the oven? My girlfriend's making it for dinner, and I'm advising. Since this is dinner, quick responses would be appreciated. Thanks!

Salmon Eggs - not caviar, but not bait either

dbmcd — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 14:45:33 -0800

What to do with a plethora of salmon eggs? We just bought over 50 lbs of fresh-caught, uncleaned King Salmon. When we cleaned it we ended up with over 3 quarts of fresh salmon eggs. What can/should we do with this? Feed it to our cats? Eat it (and if so, how to prepare)? Sell/give to fisherman? Help us, all-knowing hive mind!

cheap omega-3 from fish filter

mrkohrea — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 00:22:12 -0800

I've decided that I'd like to get more omega-3 fatty acids from fish in my diet, and I'm wondering what the most cost effective way to get it is. (The omega-3 from plant sources such as walnuts and flax appears to be different than the omega-3 from fish.) Judging from a quick google search, canned sardines and canned wild salmon are good sources of omega-3, and judging by a trip to my grocery store, canned pink salmon and sardines seem to be the best choices on a value basis. However, there seem to be quite a few links on the web saying that the double cooking of canned tuna used by large companies is bad, because of increased mercury and/or decreased omega-3.

Are canned sardines and canned wild salmon a good source of omega-3 (and in the case of salmon, a relatively low source of mercury)? If yes, how is the canning of sardines and salmon better than the canning of tuna?