Healthy Eating: Common Salmon Snafus
By Sara Butler
Salmon is good for your health and Americans are catching on. It's one of the most popular fishes out there, with the average person in the United States consuming over two pounds of salmon per year. While it's certainly a much-loved fish, that doesn't mean you're not doing it wrong. If you love salmon, then here are a few missteps you should avoid so you can get the most from this fabulous fish.
Where are You Shopping?
Your local supermarket is great from stocking up healthy staples for your kitchen, but if you want a really fresh fish catch, then it's time to hit up the specialty market.
Check out your local butcher shop or fish market to find the highest quality fish. Don't be afraid to find out where the fish came from and don't put too much emphasis on color. Salmon species can vary greatly in color and it has nothing to do with how high the quality of the fish is.
Smell It
Your senses won't lead you astray. Salmon comes from the ocean and it should smell as if it does. It shouldn't smell fishy and the place you buy it from shouldn't smell that way either. Avoid buying from places that smell fishy instead of salty and clean. Also, the fish should be properly refrigerated and all the steaks and fillets should look firm, shiny, and bright. If you find it any other way, skip it!
Don't Go With Pre-Cut
Fish is not something you should buy pre-cut. Sure, you see it a lot of places in neat little filets, but chances are those filets are not equal in size or shape, making it easy to overcook or even undercook your salmon.
If you can purchase a whole fish, then do it. It's an easy fish to learn to break down yourself and you'll impress your family and friends with your mad salmon skills. If you don't want to go that direction, then buy a whole center-cut filet and portion it equally at home.
Give it Some Skin
Are you using your salmon's skin right? Leaving the skin on the salmon as you cook it helps to make the flavor better and the texture more enjoyable too. Just make sure to score the skin to get an even cook on it. Cook it skin side down and it'll be easier to keep from overcooking it and the skin will crisp up for a tasty treat that's good for you too.
Salmon is a wonderful addition to a healthy diet, but make sure you're getting the most out of the salmon you eat!
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