That grayish layer between the skin and the pink flesh is a distinctive part of any salmon fillet While its unappealing color may seem off-putting, this section is totally edible and provides some great nutritional benefits. Let’s dive in and explore everything you need to know about the gray part of salmon
What Causes the Gray Color?
The gray color comes from fat and connective tissue that sits on top of the muscle. This layer has less of the pink pigment astaxanthin, which gives salmon its color. Without as much pigment, it takes on a dull gray appearance.
It’s completely natural and found in all salmon. The thickness of this gray layer can vary:
- Fattier salmon like king and sockeye tend to have a thicker layer
- Leaner varieties like coho have a thinner gray section
Wild salmon generally have a darker, more pronounced gray layer compared to farmed salmon The gray part develops as the fish ages and stores more fat
Key Functions of the Gray Layer
This seemingly unappealing gray layer serves some important functions for the salmon
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Insulation – The fat layer helps insulate the fish and regulate body temperature in cold waters.
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Energy storage – It provides an energy reserve the salmon can draw from when food is scarce.
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Protects flesh – The fat cushions and protects the delicate flesh during the salmon’s arduous migrations.
So while it may not look very pretty, the gray layer is extremely useful for the salmon!
Nutritional Benefits of the Gray Layer
Here’s the best part about the gray layer on salmon – it’s nutritious and delicious!
This fat layer is loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It contains the highest concentration of omega-3s in the entire fish.
Just a 3 ounce serving of salmon skin and gray layer provides:
- 1000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids
- More than half your daily omega-3 needs
Omega-3s offer anti-inflammatory effects and support:
- Brain function
- Heart health
- Healthy aging
The gray layer is like nature’s omega-3 supplement hidden within the salmon!
Is the Gray Layer Safe to Eat?
Absolutely! That grayish fat and connective tissue is totally edible and safe to consume. Salmon connoisseurs consider it the most flavorful part of the fish.
When cooking salmon at home, there’s no need to trim off the gray layer. Keep it intact for the most omega-3s, flavor and moisture.
However, due to appearance, most store-bought salmon fillets have the gray layer removed. When you see skin-on salmon fillets labeled “bloodline removed”, the gray fat has been trimmed off.
While it’s still delicious without the gray layer, you miss out on some great texture, moisture and omega-3 content.
Tips for Cooking the Gray Layer
When preparing salmon at home, keep these tips in mind:
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Skin-on – Cook skin-on to keep the gray layer intact.
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Oil – Rub a thin layer of oil over the gray layer to prevent it from drying out.
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Moist cooking – Grill, broil, roast, or pan sear using moist cooking methods. Avoid overcooking.
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Sear skin-side first – If pan searing or grilling, start skin-side down to render fat before flipping.
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Crispy skin – Get crispy salmon skin by finishing skin-side up under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
Delicious Ways to Enjoy the Gray Layer
The mild flavor of the gray layer complements any salmon recipe:
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Simple preparations let the flavor shine. Just salt, pepper and olive oil or a light glaze.
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Salmon sushi and poke bowls often incorporate the gray layer for texture and omega-3s.
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Salmon candy uses the entire side of salmon including the gray layer and crunchy skin.
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Salmon burgers can be made with salmon trimmings including the skin and gray fat.
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Salmon skin chips bake the skin until crispy for a savory, omega-3 packed snack.
A Nutritious Salmon Bonus
While often overlooked, the gray layer on salmon offers some powerful nutritional benefits. This fat layer protects the fish, adds moisture and flavor to cooked salmon, and delivers a major dose of omega-3 fatty acids.
Next time you cook up a salmon fillet, embrace the gray! Keep the skin and gray layer intact to enjoy salmon at its full potential. Just be sure to cook it properly to render the fats and make the textures fully palatable. Then enjoy the delicious flavor and “free” omega-3s provided by the salmon’s naturally-occurring gray fat layer.
How much of the omega-3s in salmon reside in the fatty gray layer just below the skin? I suspect most of this must be lost when the skin is removed.
Behold the fat line. In a raw filet, it’s the thin, translucent membrane of fatty tissue just below the skin. It becomes gray, soft and – we contend – tasty when the fish is cooked.
To begin, some salmon anatomy. This brown or grayish “meat” is a natural layer of fat. It lies between the skin and flesh in salmon and some other oily fish.
When the fish is cut into steaks, it makes a thin, grayish line between the dark skin and the pink flesh. This line is sometimes called the “fat line.”
This layer of fat is usually thicker along the middle lines of the fish’s sides, where a strip of it may still be there after the scaling process. It did the same job as fat on any animal: it stored energy to keep the body strong and the metabolism going when food is scarce.
“So… should I eat the layer under the salmon skin?”
It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Fresh fish, fish that was frozen or canned soon after it was caught, and fish that was caught is all fine to eat. All Vital Choice fish pass this test. Otherwise, it’s best to avoid. Most of the fats in the gray layer are unsaturated, which means they go bad quickly. If they are exposed to air for too long, they may have an unpleasant “fishy” smell.
For your enjoyment, our canned Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon is packed so that a lot of the skin and the gray fatty layer below it stay in one piece.
Generally, seafood lovers enjoy the gray fat in quality fish. It’s soft, buttery, and full of deep salmon flavor.
One reason Vital Choice’s fresh-packed canned and pouched sockeye salmon with bones and skin that can be eaten might be that it’s more popular than our skinless, boneless salmon. All of the fats from the whole fish are in it, along with all the nutrients and flavor they bring. When it comes to frozen fish, our best-selling skin-on sockeye filets keep these tasty parts of the fish mostly whole. But Vital Choice has skinless and boneless versions of sockeye, as well as skinless cod, halibut, and mahi-mahi, if you’d rather not eat fish with skin or gray fat.
You’ve Been Eating Gray Salmon with Synthetic Pink Pigments
FAQ
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