You can tell if salmon is bad, or good, by looking at the color. A few minutes after you purchase the fish from your local grocery store, if it has a rich, buttery color, and you taste it… you can pretty much assume it’s salmon. The same holds true if you buy it from a farmer’s market, and the salmon is a darker, richer color. But it can still be a bit disconcerting as to store and cook it.
What’s so disheartening about salmon is that there are literally thousands of varieties. But only a handful are really worth cooking and eating. Let’s start with the basics – salmon is actually a fish, but it’s also red or white in color. It’s normally silver or gray. Can you tell if salmon is bad just by looking at the color?
If the fish you’re served on the menu is a salmon, and the flavors are strong and unpleasant, chances are it’s coming from the Lake trout, lake musky, or some other kind of wild fish. These types of fish do not like salt, and the oils in the fish have too much salt for them. So the next time you taste your fish, remember to ask yourself if it’s from the Lake Trout, Lake Musky, or some other wild variety. Salt will spoil your taste buds, and the oils will ruin your health!
So, what else can you tell if salmon is bad? Well, the flavor is actually one of your best indicators, but there are other things to look at as well. If the fillets don’t come out as flaky as they should be, that’s another problem. Salmon can also give off an odor similar to fishy feet.
Salmon’s taste is discernible more when it’s properly prepared. Use the right butter and bacon, and don’t overcook it. Cook it to perfection, but leave out the kneading and chopping! When the butter and bacon start to disappear, you know your fish is cooked enough.
When you taste salmon, do your lips a special treat. Does it have a sweet taste, or does it have a salty taste? Salmon tastes so good it makes me wish I could eat it everyday. Salmon is also high in protein, which is great for maintaining strong muscles. If you’ve ever had strong muscles after a workout, that’s probably because of the fatty acids in salmon that build the muscles. As far as the cholesterol goes, you’ll be pleased to know that salmon is half of the American diet that contains good amounts of it!
One important fact that many people forget about, is that salmon has a high level of phosphorous and iron. Phosphorous is important for bone health, and the health of the heart, too! Check your water, because it’s more than likely that it’s a bit low. The recommended daily allowance of phosphorous is 6mg/day, or about two pounds of salmon in water!
Lastly, you’ll want to make sure you add some kind of food coloring to your water. Most canned salmon is already colored, so you won’t have to do anything. However, if you’re really serious about getting the most out of your cooking, you can add some food coloring yourself. Just make sure you buy salmon that is already colored, and that doesn’t have any strong marine odor.
Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, let’s talk about some specific tips. One thing you can do to make your salmon juicier is to simply season it more. Salmon has a lot of wonderful flavor, and it’s only enhanced when it’s been prepared with a little more salt and pepper. You can also cook salmon using an air fryer. Salt will really bring out the brightness of the fish, and the heat of the pepper will make the meat even more wonderful. Use it sparingly, or don’t use it at all!
Another way to improve the flavor is to give your fish a light coat of flour breading. This works especially well if you’ve caught it while it was still raw. Simply pour some water over the breading, let it sit for about fifteen minutes, then remove it from the heat. Let the breading cool off before putting the salmon on the grill. It will preserve the flavor much longer, and also seal in the moisture better than any other food coloring.
When it comes to coloring, there’s no real food coloring approved by the FDA. However, I’d recommend adding a couple drops of food coloring to the batter before baking to give it that little bit of extra flash. You can find this liquid food coloring at any craft store. Even Walmart sells it, but I wouldn’t recommend buying more than two packets at a time – too expensive!
