There are so many different types of salmon, which is loaded with heart-healthy, brain-boosting omega-3 fats, and ways to serve them that it would be hard to get bored with this fish. Chinook Salmon is … But not all salmon is created equal, in fact there are six different types of salmon that are sold commercially in the U.S. © Copyright 2020, Our Top 20 Most Cherished Christmas Cookies, Make-Ahead Breakfast Minis to Save Your Mornings, 15 Classic Sandwiches That Make Lunch Legendary, 14 Nights of Dinner Ideas All Under $2 Per Serving, 15 No-Yeast Breads for Quick and Easy Baking, 10 Easy Christmas Cookies for Once-a-Year Bakers, 10 Chicken Stew Recipes That Make for Comforting Dinners, 10 Leftover Turkey Meals to Freeze for Quick Weeknight Dinners, 16 Mom-Approved Christmas Cookies to Sweeten the Season, 18 Spicy Korean Recipes That Showcase Gochujang Chile Paste, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. eyecrave/Getty Images, Credit: Chum's roe is often bigger and tastier than other types of salmon. King, Sockeye, Coho — what's the difference? Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbusha) are the most common Pacific salmon. Whether you cook it and put it on top of a bed of brown rice or chop it up and mix it into a spicy gumbo, the fillet will work if you’re ever in doubt about which cut to use. Thomas Kitchin & Victoria Hurst / Getty Images. The term “salmon” refers to a variety of species that are all “anadromous” fish, which means they are born in fresh water rivers and streams, migrate to the ocean to mature and spend much of their adult life, and then return to the streams and rivers in which they were born to spawn (reproduce) and then die. This cut can be seasoned, marinated, baked, fried, sautéed and whatever else you can possibly think of! Add comma separated list of ingredients to exclude from recipe. Salmon in all its forms is a favorite of gourmet chefs and moms alike. Tips for the selection & preparation of salmon. Knowing the distinguishing characteristics among the different types of salmon will help you find your favorite salmon. You can purchase as much or as little of the fillet as you like. THEPALMER/Getty Images. Most Pacific Salmon is wild, but there are some instances where it is farmed. It's said to have a richer flavor, or what some might describe as "fishier.". The farmed salmon, on the other hand, are fed dry pellets, and this lends a light orange color to the meat. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha), also known as King salmon, is considered by many to be the best-tasting of the salmon bunch. Salmon is the most popular seafood species in the U.S. with a commercial value of $688 million in 2017, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There are 5 types of Salmon in Ketchikan Alaska You can easily learn them on your hand! It's not its own species; it can be king, sockeye, or coho. They are listed by the most common names you'll likely see at markets. Sockeye salmon, or red salmon, is known for its striking red-orange flesh and strong scent. It's the lowest in fat and this is considered a bad thing. So most Atlantic salmon is farm-raised. Six types of salmon are consumed in the United States including: Atlantic, Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon. Because it's farm-raised, Atlantic salmon also tends to be cheaper than most wild salmon. Add comma separated list of ingredients to include in recipe. Although they don't get the attention that massive Kings and flavorful Sockeyes do, Coho has a medium fat-content and a more subtle flavor. However, fish farming is starting to see improvements as fisheries moved towards more plant-based feeds. It's not that Atlantic salmon is bad, it's just that there are very few Atlantic salmon found in the wild today, due to overfishing and habitat destruction. Considered the "tender loin" the top loin is the most-premium piece of a Norwegian salmon. Atlantic Salmon is endangered in the wild, so virtually all of it is now farmed. Fudio/Getty Images, Credit: DigiPub/Getty Images, Credit: T-bones are one of the few cuts of beef that are always served on the bone (which is shaped like a capital T, hence the name). AlessandraRC/Getty Images, Credit: The Spruce Eats uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience and for our, Silverbrite Salmon/Chum Salmon/Keta Salmon/Dog Salmon, The 8 Best Places to Buy Seafood Online in 2020, Salmon, Tuna, Sardines: This Is Your Complete Canned Fish Guide. If you're looking to stick to wild salmon, you're going to want to go with Pacific salmon, of which there are five types: King, Sockeye, Coho, Pink, and Chum. Wild salmon is salmon that is caught in natural environments like oceans, rivers, and lakes. However, all commercially available Atlantic salmon is farmed. Salmon are one of nature’s miracles, a resource of protein and nitrogen that feeds entire ecosystems, both marine and terrestrial. King salmon have reached up to five feet in size and over 100 pounds in weight, showing up everywhere from the Pacific waters of southern California to the freezing rivers of northern Alaska. I LOVE SALMON. And finally, the only salmon that doesn't hail from the Pacific ocean is, of course, Atlantic salmon. Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbusha) are the most common Pacific salmon. So, there are six types of Salmon in North America: five Pacific Salmon, one Atlantic Salmon. Roast beef is a classic main dish for holidays, family get-togethers, and elegant dinners alike. They have a high-fat content and corresponding rich flesh that ranges from white to a deep red color. They are known as "reds" both for their dark flesh color and because they turn deep red (from the bright silver pictured here, which is how you'll see them at markets since the commercial catch is caught at sea) as they move upstream to spawn. To confuse matters, each of these has at least one other name as well as their Latin name, as noted below.