Scientific name: Salmo salar
Market name: Atlantic salmon
Common names: Atlantic salmon, farmed salmon, Eastern salmon
French: Saumon de l’Atlantique
German: Echter Lachs
Italian: Salmone
Japanese: Sake masu-rui
Spanish: Salmón
All About Atlantic Salmon
One of the great success stories of modern aquaculture, Atlantic salmon farming first emerged on a commercial scale in the early 1980s, with Norway leading the way. Since that time, global production has increased tremendously, and Atlantic salmon are farmed in more than a dozen countries around the world — most notably, Latin America, Europe, and North America. Atlantic salmon lack the many common and regional names of the wild Pacific salmons, but countries that farm the fish tack on their national label: Scottish salmon, Norwegian salmon, etc. The fish are typically raised in large, floating net-pens, often in open bays, to help give them a “natural” flavor. The adult Atlantic salmon is a handsome, silver-skinned fish with distinct black cross-like spots over the body, head, and above the lateral line. It closely resembles the Pacific coho. Farmed Atlantic salmon start at 4 pounds, but fish up to 18 pounds are available.
Profile on Atlantic Salmon:
The flavor of Atlantic salmon is milder than that of wild salmon species. The meat is moderately firm and oily, though not as fatty as the wild chinook, king, and salmon. The flesh color varies, depending on the amount of pigment in the feed, but generally, Atlantics’ meat is a rich orange or pinkish-orange color. The fatty meat appears almost marbled when raw. Atlantic salmon retains its color when cooked and has a large, moist flake.
Nutrition Facts for Atlantic Salmon:
Serving Size: 50 g
Calories:100
Total Fat: 6 g / 9%
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g / 8%
Trans fats: 0 g
Cholesterol: 15 mg / 6%
Sodium: 310 mg / 13%
Protein: 11 g
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Atlantic Salmon Cooking Tips:
Fillets of Atlantic salmon are pleasing to the eye and should be used with recipes that show off the fish. With the Atlantic salmon’s delicate flavor, avoid accompanying flavors that overpower the fish. A light dill-and-yogurt or cucumber-dill sauce works well, and sliced cucumbers and new potatoes are ideal companions.
Substitutions: Other salmon, Rainbow trout
Cooking Methods: Bake, Broil, Grill, Poach, Smoke
Primary Product Forms: Fresh: Dressed, H&G, Fillets (skin-on/skinless, pinbones in or out), Roasts
Frozen: Dressed, H&G, Fillets (skin-on/skinless, pinbones in or out), Roasts
Value-added: Smoked
Global Supply: Australia, Canada, Chile, England, Faroe Islands, Norway, Scotland, Iceland, Ireland, United States