Types of Salmon

QUESTION ANSWER

Surely salmon fillets are salmon fillets aren’t they?

No – you can easily end up comparing apples with pears. The main differences are about:

Pacific vs Atlantic

Skinned and boned vs not being skinned and boned

Colour

And the degree of trim (thin fatty flesh trimmed off in the better specs)

What is Atlantic salmon?

This is from one species (Salmo salar) and is farmed in Scotland, Norway and Chile (yes, Chile is on the Pacific coast but it is the Atlantic Salmon that they farm).

Can I buy wild Atlantic salmon?

It is available but in very small volume and extremely expensive. So if someone is trying to sell you either a lot and or at a sharp price – ask questions!

What is Pacific salmon?

There are a number of different species all referred to as Pacific Salmon:
CHINOOK: Largest and most prized but only some 1% of the catch
SOCKEYE: Most valuable salmon of the catch in Alaska comprising some 30%
COHO: Again an important fish caught in Alaska
CHUM: Meat not as red as the other species but popular and caught in Alaska
PINK: These are the smallest and least valuable of the Alaska salmon. However, these little salmon are the most abundant of them all. They are almost exclusively used for canning.

Which is better Atlantic or Pacific?

Generally, most would argue that good quality Atlantic Salmon is better than Pacific – many would beg to differ when comparing to the Chinook species.

What makes the difference between the cheaper and premium spec’d salmon fillets?

There are plenty of ways to cut corners on the specification to give a cheap headline price – but you get what you pay for in this world. It is quite feasible for “Atlantic Salmon Fillet” pricing to be upto 30% different between the best spec and an economy one.

What is Trimming all about?

Compare the CHEAP SPEC to the PREMIUM SPEC. And your customers’ will see and taste the difference!

Skinned means skinned doesn’t it?

No it’s not quite that clear cut.
SILVER SKINNED – Just the skin removed leaving all the fat and a silver sheen on the flesh
SKINNED – A little of the brown fatty meat has been removed
DEEP SKINNED – Most of the brown fatty meat has been removed
…needless to say that the Deep Skinned spec is the best option (but most expensive).
Again, your customers’ will see and taste the difference!

And the end pieces?

Premium specifications will have the napes and tails removed so your customers get good consistent plate presentation.
Once again, they’ll see and taste the difference!

What else do I look out for?

Some will glaze the fish before they vac pack them – so you are buying water. Also another trick played by some is to buy fresh fish that haven’t sold for sale as fresh and are close to their sell-by date and these will be bought cheap, frozen and portioned. Colour is the last one – pale colour or with blood spots gets bought cheap.
..you know who will spot the difference!

What do Exciting Foods sell?

We sell a Premium product of Atlantic Salmon Fillets with the following key points about the spec:

Good rich colour

No napes or tails

Atlantic farmed salmon

Deep skinned

Fully trimmed with fatty thin meat removed

Full traceability

Knife cut fresh then vac packed anf frozen

See the product detail

QUESTION	ANSWER
Surely salmon fillets are salmon fillets aren’t they?	No – you can easily end up comparing apples with pears. The main differences are about: Pacific vs Atlantic Skinned and boned vs not being skinned and boned Colour And the degree of trim (thin fatty flesh trimmed off in the better specs)
What is Atlantic salmon?	This is from one species (Salmo salar) and is farmed in Scotland, Norway and Chile (yes, Chile is on the Pacific coast but it is the Atlantic Salmon that they farm).
Can I buy wild Atlantic salmon?	It is available but in very small volume and extremely expensive. So if someone is trying to sell you either a lot and or at a sharp price – ask questions!
What is Pacific salmon?	There are a number of different species all referred to as Pacific Salmon: CHINOOK: Largest and most prized but only some 1% of the catch SOCKEYE: Most valuable salmon of the catch in Alaska comprising some 30% COHO: Again an important fish caught in Alaska CHUM: Meat not as red as the other species but popular and caught in Alaska PINK: These are the smallest and least valuable of the Alaska salmon. However, these little salmon are the most abundant of them all. They are almost exclusively used for canning.
Which is better Atlantic or Pacific?	Generally, most would argue that good quality Atlantic Salmon is better than Pacific – many would beg to differ when comparing to the Chinook species.
What makes the difference between the cheaper and premium spec’d salmon fillets?	There are plenty of ways to cut corners on the specification to give a cheap headline price – but you get what you pay for in this world. It is quite feasible for “Atlantic Salmon Fillet” pricing to be upto 30% different between the best spec and an economy one.
What is Trimming all about?	Compare the CHEAP SPEC to the PREMIUM SPEC. And your customers’ will see and taste the difference!
Skinned means skinned doesn’t it?	No it’s not quite that clear cut. SILVER SKINNED – Just the skin removed leaving all the fat and a silver sheen on the flesh SKINNED – A little of the brown fatty meat has been removed DEEP SKINNED – Most of the brown fatty meat has been removed …needless to say that the Deep Skinned spec is the best option (but most expensive). Again, your customers’ will see and taste the difference!
And the end pieces?	Premium specifications will have the napes and tails removed so your customers get good consistent plate presentation. Once again, they’ll see and taste the difference!
What else do I look out for?	Some will glaze the fish before they vac pack them – so you are buying water. Also another trick played by some is to buy fresh fish that haven’t sold for sale as fresh and are close to their sell-by date and these will be bought cheap, frozen and portioned. Colour is the last one – pale colour or with blood spots gets bought cheap. ..you know who will spot the difference!
What do Exciting Foods sell?	We sell a Premium product of Atlantic Salmon Fillets with the following key points about the spec: Good rich colour No napes or tails Atlantic farmed salmon Deep skinned Fully trimmed with fatty thin meat removed Full traceability Knife cut fresh then vac packed anf frozen See the product detail

Salmon: Comparing Apples & Pears