One of the tastiest and healthiest types of salmon is silver salmon, which is also called coho salmon. Home cooks love this fish because it has firm pink flesh and a lot of omega-3 fatty acids. This complete guide will show you the best way to cook silver salmon so that you can enjoy all of its flavor, texture, and health benefits.
Purchasing and Storing Silver Salmon
When shopping for silver salmon fillets or steaks, look for meat that is firm and shiny, with no brown or dull spots. The fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy or ammonia-like. For maximum freshness, use wild-caught Pacific silver salmon within two days of purchase. Farm-raised salmon has a slightly longer shelf life of up to four days.
Store fresh salmon fillets in the coldest part of the refrigerator loosely wrapped in parchment paper or plastic wrap Raw salmon can also be frozen for up to four months in an airtight container or bag Thaw frozen fish overnight in the fridge before cooking,
Preparing Silver Salmon for Cooking
Before cooking silver salmon, it helps to do some basic prep:
- Rinse fillets under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Trim off any belly fat or browned edges with a sharp knife.
- Use tweezers to remove small pin bones if present.
- Season fish lightly with salt, pepper, herbs, spices, or citrus as desired.
Leaving the salmon skin on during cooking yields the crispiest, most flavorful results. However, you can remove the skin beforehand if preferred.
Healthy and Delicious Ways to Cook Silver Salmon
From fast weeknight meals to impressive dinner party fare, silver salmon can be prepared in endless tasty ways Here are some of the most popular cooking methods
Pan Frying
Pan frying is one of the easiest and quickest methods for cooking salmon, and it results in a tasty crispy skin. Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat, season the fish with salt and pepper and cook it about five minutes on each side. Finish with a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
Baking
For simple oven-baked salmon, brush fillets with oil and season as desired. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes until opaque and flaky.
Grilling
During summer, firing up the grill is one of the best ways to prepare salmon. Oil the grates to prevent sticking. Grill the fillets skin-side down over direct medium heat for about five to seven minutes per side.
Broiling
Similar to grilling, broiling salmon under the oven’s high heat turns the skin deliciously crispy. Place the fish on a rimmed baking sheet, season, and broil six inches from the heating element for five to eight minutes.
Poaching
For a delicate poached preparation, gently simmer salmon fillets in simmering liquid like wine, broth or water flavored with herbs, citrus, or aromatic vegetables. Cook for five to eight minutes depending on thickness.
Sous Vide
The sous vide technique cooks salmon to tender perfection. Vacuum seal seasoned fillets and cook in a water bath at 115°F for 30 minutes for medium-rare doneness. Quickly sear both sides afterward for color and flavor.
Air Frying
Using an air fryer yields salmon with crispy skin sans added oil. Brush fillets with a little oil, then air fry at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Smoking
Smoked salmon is fantastic served chilled in salads or on bagels. Hot smoke small salmon fillets or steaks over wood chips in a smoker for one to two hours.
Canning
Canning salmon to preserve it for later is a smart way to make the most of a fresh catch. Pressure can pint jars of salmon for storage; use within a year.
Seasonings and Sauces for Silver Salmon
The flavor pairing options for silver salmon are nearly endless. Consider rubbing or marinating the fish with:
- Lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit juice and zest
- Fresh or dried herbs like dill, thyme, parsley, tarragon, basil, rosemary
- Spices like garlic, onion, paprika, coriander, mustard, chili powder
- Soy sauce, teriyaki, hoisin, fish sauce, oyster sauce
- Honey, pure maple syrup, brown sugar, mirin
- Chili paste, harissa, sriracha
- Dijon, whole grain or hot mustard
- Wine, vodka, beer
- Olive oil, sesame oil
Drizzle cooked salmon with any of the above ingredients or the following sauces:
- Compound butter – whip softened butter with herbs, citrus, garlic, etc.
- Tzatziki – Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, dill
- Salsa – fresh tomato, onion, lime juice, cilantro
- Chimichurri – olive oil, garlic, parsley, vinegar
- Teriyaki
- Hollandaise
- Tartar sauce – mayo, capers, dill pickles, lemon
- Pesto
Silver Salmon Recipes to Try at Home
Here are just a few of the many excellent ways to put delicious silver salmon on the dinner table:
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Maple Bourbon Glazed Salmon – Brush fillets with maple syrup, bourbon, mustard and chili powder. Broil or grill until caramelized.
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Salmon Niçoise Salad – Flake baked or grilled salmon over mixed greens, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, hard-boiled egg. Dress with lemon vinaigrette.
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Blackened Salmon Tacos – Coat salmon in Cajun spice rub and sear in a hot skillet. Serve in warmed corn tortillas with cabbage slaw and avocado crema.
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Salmon Poke Bowl – Dice raw salmon and toss with rice, edamame, cucumber, carrot, avocado, sesame seeds. Top with ginger dressing.
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Salmon Cakes – Mix cooked flaked salmon with breadcrumbs, egg, shallot, parsley. Form into patties and pan fry until golden brown.
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Creamy Lemon Salmon Pasta – Flake cooked salmon into linguine pasta tossed with lemon zest cream sauce, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.
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Salmon Burgers – Make salmon patties with diced fish, panko breadcrumbs, egg, spices. Grill and serve on buns with all the fixings.
With endless options for preparation, salmon satisfies as an easy weeknight dinner or elegant dinner party centerpiece. Refer to this guide for salmon cooking tips, tricks and recipes to add this nutritious fish into your regular recipe rotation.
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Top Tips for Cooking Coho Salmon
Coho salmon is one of the leaner types of Pacific salmon. It is a little more oily than chum and pink salmon, but not as much as sockeye and chinook. You should remember that it has a small amount of fat so that you always cook a moist, tender piece of fish.
Overcooking coho can lead to a dry piece of salmon. If you’re new to cooking salmon or making a wild fillet for the first time, you may need to change the cooking time to account for how lean it is. (After all, wild salmon is much leaner than farmed salmon due to differences in diet and activity. ).
Try your hand at a foolproof cooking method like poaching. For this type of fish, poaching is an easy way to cook it because it is gentle enough that you won’t have to be exact with the timing. Read our blog post on how to poach wild salmon to quickly learn how to do this.
Once you know how to poach coho, you should try pan searing it for a different texture and flavor experience. It may sound complicated to pan-fry salmon, but it’s really just a matter of three things: making sure the fish is dry, having a good saute pan, and heating the pan up over medium-high heat. From there, it only takes 10 minutes to make the whole thing, and you can change up the flavors by adding fresh dill, chives, or cilantro on top. Tender herbs like these go well with the delicate flavor of coho. There is a guide on how to pan-sear salmon that tells you everything you need to do to get a perfectly cooked fillet.
Broiling coho salmon is a high-heat way to cook it that could become your favorite easy weeknight meal recipe. It’s perhaps the quickest, simplest way to make salmon, and you don’t really even need a recipe. Just put some olive oil on a coho fillet and broil it skin side down. On the flesh side, sprinkle red pepper flakes and squeeze some lemon juice on it. When you cook wild salmon fillets under a broiler, they can go from done to dry very quickly, so you’ll need to be very careful about when they’re done. Usually, you should check to see if the fillets are done after about 3 minutes for thinner ones and 4 minutes for thicker ones. The fillet is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
What Is Different About Coho Salmon?
There are some things that all salmon have in common, but the coho salmon is different from species like sockeye salmon, king salmon, and Atlantic salmon. Wild Alaskan Company’s coho is also unique because it is always caught in a way that doesn’t harm Alaskan fisheries and is flash-frozen so that it gets to you at its healthiest.
The taste of coho is subtle compared to a robustly flavored species like sockeye. For its low fat content, coho salmon has a delicate flavor that goes well with ingredients that bring out its subtlety. To fully enjoy the qualities of coho, look for salmon recipes that show off its delicate taste and texture.
For example, put a fillet of coho salmon in a tightly sealed aluminum foil packet. Add a splash of white wine, a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of black pepper, and a light spread of Dijon mustard. About 15 minutes of cooking at 375F will give you a piece of coho that is flaky and smells great.
The flesh of coho salmon is a light reddish-orange. Coho salmon is in the middle of the color range for salmon. It is not as dark red as sockeye salmon or as light pink as chum salmon. You can tell coho fillets are different from other types of salmon because the skin side is bright and silver. This characteristic is what gives coho its nickname “silver salmon. ”.
When coho fillets are raw, they feel soft to the touch. But as they cook, the flesh firms up and turns into tender, medium-sized flakes.
Salmon is good for you in many ways, and adding it to your diet can help you stay healthy. Even though coho salmon is a lean protein, it is high in omega-3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA. These are fats that are only found in seafood and can help lower your cholesterol and protect your heart health. You can find other powerful antioxidants, like astaxanthin, and important nutrients, like potassium and vitamin D, in large amounts in coho. This makes it a great food to add to your shopping list for quick and healthy meals every day.
The Best Salmon You’ll Ever Make (Restaurant-Quality) | Epicurious 101
FAQ
Are silver salmon good to eat?
What is the best cooking method for salmon?
How do you cook coho salmon so it’s not dry?
Do you take the silver skin off salmon?
How do you cook silver salmon?
Skinning: Lay the fillet skin-side down and insert the knife at the tail end. Gently separate the flesh from the skin using a back-and-forth motion. Silver salmon can be cooked in various ways, each bringing out its unique flavors. Here are a few popular methods: Grilling: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
What are the benefits of smoked salmon over raw salmon?
It actually has the same characteristics as raw salmon, being relatively low in calories, it is an excellent source of protein, good fat and several vitamins and minerals. The smoking process just adds an aroma.
What is silver salmon?
Silver salmon, also known as coho salmon, is a prized catch for many anglers. Its firm texture and rich flavor make it a favorite choice for seafood enthusiasts. If you’re wondering how to prepare and cook silver salmon to perfection, this ultimate guide is here to help.
How do you know if silver salmon is fresh?
A: Look for clear and bright eyes, shiny skin, and a mild oceanic smell. Fresh silver salmon should have firm flesh that springs back when touched. Q: Can I freeze silver salmon?