Salmon, Farmed or Wild?
Discussion
I know that farmed salmon has brought what was a luxury food to the mass market over the last few years but I'm old enough to remember when there was only wild salmon and how the occasional treat tasted so good.
I hardly ever eat salmon now as farmed it has become a fatty tasteless shadow of itself and always gives me indigestion when I do but yesterday I was in Morrisons buying some "Pulpo" for one of my upcoming Cooking Competition tapas dishes and they had some fresh wild sockeye salmon which you don't see very often.
It was a bit expensive but firm and a proper deep pink colour, I marinaded it in teriaki sauce and cooked it tonight,(picture on the dinner thread later), it was absolutely delicious and worth every penny.
It set me thinking, what do you think of salmon these days, do you eat farmed salmon, wild salmon, smoked salmon or do you not eat it at all?
I hardly ever eat salmon now as farmed it has become a fatty tasteless shadow of itself and always gives me indigestion when I do but yesterday I was in Morrisons buying some "Pulpo" for one of my upcoming Cooking Competition tapas dishes and they had some fresh wild sockeye salmon which you don't see very often.
It was a bit expensive but firm and a proper deep pink colour, I marinaded it in teriaki sauce and cooked it tonight,(picture on the dinner thread later), it was absolutely delicious and worth every penny.
It set me thinking, what do you think of salmon these days, do you eat farmed salmon, wild salmon, smoked salmon or do you not eat it at all?
I rarely buy it unless there's a full one on offer. My options from the Supermarkets are the same as yours. The local fishmongers, being mostly independent, tend to offer the same farmed salmon as the supermarkets but charge more for it.
So, like you - when I do see a wild product, don't mind paying the extra for the taste, texture and provenance.
That isn't to say all farmed fish is poor quality, but like most intensively farmed proteins, I'd sooner eat the wild equivalent if and when available. The flesh when farmed is certainly pale and fattier than ideal, but then smart butchery should see loin/belly separation and the fattier product used for cakes or pies etc.
They're even farming turbot and halibut now. And Bass/Bream has been farmed for years. That's why all the Bass on offer in supermarkets are of identical size.
Farmed fish is here to stay. Let's hope the regulation continues to evolve with it.
So, like you - when I do see a wild product, don't mind paying the extra for the taste, texture and provenance.
That isn't to say all farmed fish is poor quality, but like most intensively farmed proteins, I'd sooner eat the wild equivalent if and when available. The flesh when farmed is certainly pale and fattier than ideal, but then smart butchery should see loin/belly separation and the fattier product used for cakes or pies etc.
They're even farming turbot and halibut now. And Bass/Bream has been farmed for years. That's why all the Bass on offer in supermarkets are of identical size.
Farmed fish is here to stay. Let's hope the regulation continues to evolve with it.
There is a huge amount of North American pacific salmon of various species being brought in these days, most of it very cheaply. It's often OK, but it doesn't have much in common taste or texture-wise with Atlantic salmon. The Pacific salmons are more closely related to rainbow trout than they are to Atlantic salmon or brown trout.
In terms of sustainability - netting wild Atlantic salmon is not currently being done sustainably, and farming salmon is pretty much an ecological disaster. I would boycott the bloody stuff completely, but unfortunately the wife is very partial to it.
In terms of sustainability - netting wild Atlantic salmon is not currently being done sustainably, and farming salmon is pretty much an ecological disaster. I would boycott the bloody stuff completely, but unfortunately the wife is very partial to it.
lepetitoeuf said:
I just need to work out how to divide up a whole frozen tuna into portions without it defrosting and my life will be complete 
Under £100, job done 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I5J198U
Years ago I visited a salmon farm in Scotland. We could smell it a couple of miles downwind. I've never eaten farmed salmon since. Also the farms are said to be causing immense health problems to the wild stock. Mainly lice.
Yes the wild stuff is expensive, but I have an uncut wild side once a year from a fabulous smoker, in fact I'll be placing this yeas order on Friday...yum.
Yes the wild stuff is expensive, but I have an uncut wild side once a year from a fabulous smoker, in fact I'll be placing this yeas order on Friday...yum.
IanA2 said:
Years ago I visited a salmon farm in Scotland. We could smell it a couple of miles downwind. I've never eaten farmed salmon since. Also the farms are said to be causing immense health problems to the wild stock. Mainly lice.
Yes the wild stuff is expensive, but I have an uncut wild side once a year from a fabulous smoker, in fact I'll be placing this yeas order on Friday...yum.
I've just given my daughter salmon and mash for tea with green beans, beats other normal childrens meals health wise for a dad who worked all day. Even so I took a time getting something affordable rather than the normal.Yes the wild stuff is expensive, but I have an uncut wild side once a year from a fabulous smoker, in fact I'll be placing this yeas order on Friday...yum.
So feeding someone once a year is not practicable. I also do not think sea lice is a problem to wild salmon compared to over fishing.
Finally, I think the non farmed salmon you get from Alaska etc is too dry, it does not seem to have traveled well. If that's the norm for wild salmon then i'd rather have a cheap mackerel that retains some fattiness.
High concentrations of fish lice around salmon cages cause significant mortality of migrating smolts (young salmon running to sea)
http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Press-releases/new-...
http://www.fisheriesireland.ie/Press-releases/new-...
Mobile Chicane said:
There's a huge variation in the quality of farmed salmon.
Forman's 'London Cure' smoked salmon is absolutely delicious. Not cheap, however quality products never are.
Be honest, I'm not to fond of Forman's stuff. Years ago I complained about a side that was seriously salty. Lance pretty much told me to F off.Forman's 'London Cure' smoked salmon is absolutely delicious. Not cheap, however quality products never are.
I then starting using a another smoker. I had a couple of good sides and then one that was salty. I let them know, they picked it up, analysed it, agreed it was way too salty and sent me another. That's why I continue to use them and not F's.
I don't know where F's get there salmon from, there's very little good river/loch fish around and they cost. I have a suspicion that some smokers are passing off Scottish smoked salmon that have never been near Scotland.
I would tell you where I get mine from but they have so few fish they no longer advertise and only supply (if they can) repeat customers.
In fact I just ordered this year's treat today. Fingers crossed.
Edited by IanA2 on Wednesday 9th July 20:21
Edited by IanA2 on Wednesday 9th July 20:22
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