Is chum salmon an oily fish or not? Fat content of fish

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus) are the most abundant of all salmon; they stand apart in their family. First of all, they are characterized by a love of the sea. Almost all of them, unlike other salmonids, spend very little time in fresh waters and rarely and reluctantly form residential forms. All “Pacific” fish are characterized by complete death after the first spawning. The salmon that come to spawn will not survive; they will all die in the river, giving life to the next generation.

Pacific salmon are an example of how species differ very well from each other, in contrast to the same char. They have a pronounced breeding plumage, and for each species it is so original that it is impossible to confuse them; it develops fully only after a fairly long stay in fresh water, already near spawning grounds and during spawning.

At the mouths of rivers, the mating plumage is not expressed at all or is expressed very weakly; such fish are called “silverfish”. But it is much more difficult to distinguish “silverfish,” especially for people who are catching Pacific salmon for the first time.

The most powerful representative of the genus is the Chinook salmon; this fish sometimes reaches a weight of 60 kg. It reliably differs from all other relatives in two ways: firstly, only the Chinook salmon has a black lower jaw, and the oral cavity and lips are also black.

However, sometimes in some fish weighing about 4-6 kg, the lower jaw is not black, but dirty gray or even light, which happens in very small specimens weighing 1-2 kg, so a reliable sign for identifying chinook salmon is the number of gill rays: in Chinook have more than 15 of them - usually 16-17, while all other salmon have 12-13.

Pink salmon are also easy to distinguish. Of course, it’s hard not to recognize her when she flaunts herself on the spawning grounds in her nuptial plumage. The huge hump of the males makes it impossible to confuse this fish with any other. However, it is quite easy to identify pink salmon even at the moment when it has just come out of the sea - rows of large oval spots are clearly visible on its tail.

There is one more feature that is unique to pink salmon - it has very small scales. In the lateral line, this fish has more than 200 scales, while all other salmon have 120-140.

Of course, counting these scales is a boring task, but the sign is quite reliable.

But the other four species - chum salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon and masu salmon - are not so easy to distinguish. But they can be easily divided into pairs.

Chum salmon and sockeye salmon generally do not have black spots either on their bodies or on their fins—a figurative exception among all salmon. The masu and coho salmon have spots on the back, dorsal fin and tail.

Outwardly, chum salmon and sockeye salmon, when they are “silver fish,” that is, they have just entered the rivers from the sea, are very similar. An inexperienced eye will not immediately detect external differences, but there is a sign that can be used to reliably distinguish chum salmon from sockeye salmon.

Sockeye salmon has many gill rakers - more than 35, while chum salmon has 19-25. In addition, there are some other characteristics: sockeye salmon has a greenish or green back, while chum salmon has a gray or steel-colored back; the sockeye salmon has a gray tail and does not have such a strong notch on it as the chum salmon, while the chum salmon has a dark gray, almost black tail. However, these signs are so-called “swimming”, that is, they will only help you when two fish are lying next to each other. If you only have one fish in your hands, you will have to count the gill rakers.

The remaining two species of Pacific salmon are masu salmon and coho salmon. There are no reliable signs that would allow them to be clearly distinguished. Both species have black spots on the back and upper lobe of the tail, and all counting characteristics (number of stamens, number of scales, etc.) overlap and are similar.

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Sima salmon are taller in body compared to coho salmon (coho salmon are more elongated). The back and upper part of the head of the masu salmon are dark gray, while those of the coho salmon are light gray. The masu salmon has a notched tail, while the coho salmon has an almost straight, truncated tail. The fins of coho salmon are also lighter than those of masu salmon. Another sign of the masu salmon is 3 black spots on the body under the dorsal fin.

It is clear that such signs are not very clear and are really applicable when two fish lie next to each other and can be compared. But this is almost impossible to do: the period of movement of these fish is greatly disrupted in time. The salmon rises into the rivers from the sea at the end of May - June, and the coho salmon - only from the middle - end of August. Therefore, if an angler goes salmon fishing in June, then the fish in his hands with such signs will turn out to be mama salmon, and if in September, then it will be coho salmon.

The salmon family is distinguished by useful commercial fish varieties that are valued all over the world due to their exceptional taste and nutritional qualities. Some salmon species are quite common on the dinner table, while others are rare. Today we will talk about equally valuable, but still different varieties of fish - chum salmon and sockeye salmon. Which is healthier and what is the difference? Our experts know the answer.

Red salmon

Sockeye salmon is smaller in size and weight than chum salmon. It mainly feeds on small but very fatty calanid crustaceans, colored red. It is the coloring pigment of crustaceans that makes sockeye salmon meat very red. It has the reddest meat of all salmon. When salted, it does not fall apart and does not lose its appearance.

This fish has one amazing feature: when it enters fresh waters to spawn, irreversible processes . The body becomes bright red, the head acquires a green tint, the jaws elongate, become like a beak with teeth, and the scales begin to shine. All these are signs of slow death. Sockeye salmon is called “krasnitsa” due to its bright red body color.

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Krasnitsa is used to prepare both everyday dishes and dishes that can surprise any gourmet.

Features of salmon representatives

Chum salmon is considered one of the most common commercial fish of the salmon family in the world. Under natural conditions, there are two varieties of chum salmon: summer and autumn. The first species is an inhabitant of the northern part of the planet, the second is found exclusively in the south. The autumn chum salmon differs from the summer one not only in name, but also in size: it is much larger. It also differs in taste.

Chum salmon have an excellent memory of their birthplace and return there to spawn. This is a fairly large fish, reaching in some cases a weight of 15 kg and 1 meter in length. It has a soft, even silver color. During the spawning period, its body gradually darkens, pinkish stripes appear on it, and its teeth increase in size.

Chum salmon is a very nutritious fish, containing a significant amount of vitamin E, C, B vitamins, as well as micro- and macroelements such as phosphorus, chlorine, fluorine, potassium, iron, etc. It is a valuable source of protein (per 100 g fish contains about 19 g of protein).

ON A NOTE.

Chum salmon is considered a dietary fish and has tender, tasty meat. Since its fat content is low, we recommend using gentle heat treatment methods during its preparation: instead of frying, bake, stew, or add to soups. This type of salmon is also perfect for aspic, salting, smoking, and as a savory ingredient in salads.

Sockeye salmon is another representative of the salmon family. True, it differs from chum salmon in its much smaller size and not so impressive weight: on average, the fish reaches 30-40 cm in length and weighs 3 kg. The body of sockeye salmon is silver in color, oblong in shape, and has a rounded head without a pronounced jaw.

Sockeye salmon has an unusual feature: when entering spawning, its body sharply changes its color to bright red, its head becomes greenish, its jaw strongly stretches forward, becoming like a toothy beak, and its scales begin to shine. All this speaks of irreversible processes leading to death.

Regarding nutritional properties

, then sockeye salmon is not inferior to chum salmon in this regard, and in some aspects even surpasses it. For example, it contains a larger amount of protein - about 20 g per 100 product, a significant amount of phosphoric acid and fluorine. Sockeye salmon meat is an excellent antioxidant. By the way, this fish, unlike chum salmon, is very fatty and is perfect for smoking, preparing cold appetizers, and salting.

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Methods for preparing coho salmon and sockeye salmon

Coho salmon can be prepared in the following ways:

1. Grill over a fire (in the form of fish kebabs). Having tried this dish just once, many people refuse to eat meat shish kebab and cook it exclusively from coho salmon.
2. Coho salmon steak on the grill or in the oven.
3. This fish can also be boiled, salted, fried, canned and smoked.

Sockeye salmon is best prepared in the following ways:

1. Smoke. In this form it is especially tasty.
2. Salt (salt must be added strictly according to the recipe, otherwise the sockeye salmon will lose its taste).
3. Bake.
4. Steam.

Consider cooking a grilled coho salmon steak:

To prepare this recipe you will need:

• dry white wine or champagne;
• coho salmon steak;
• salt;
• red pepper;
• spices and aromatic herbs.

Cut fresh coho salmon into steaks across the body. Steaks should be at least three centimeters thick, otherwise the meat will be dry

Also, do not throw away the tail and head of the fish, as they can be used to make an excellent rich fish soup. Gently rub the steaks with the spices and place them on the hot grill. Cook for ten minutes. You need to turn the fish frequently so that it cooks evenly. During cooking, it is recommended to pour wine or beer over the steaks so that they absorb the desired aroma and acquire more flavor. When the fish is ready, you also need to sprinkle it with a little lemon juice to add freshness and the smell of citrus fruit to the meat.

It is recommended to serve this dish with a green salad, tomatoes and herbs. In addition, the fish can be washed down with the wine with which it was sprinkled. It is better to eat such steaks warm, while they are still warm.

Recipe for making coho fish soup

The recipe for making coho fish soup is also not very complicated. For it you should prepare the following ingredients:

• coho salmon (preferably freshly caught, but frozen will do);
• potato;
• onion;
• salt;
• pepper;
• semolina;
• Bay leaf;
• carrot;
• parsley;
• dill.

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The process of preparing fish soup is as follows:

Clean the coho salmon and wash under running water

Remove the entrails and wash again in water. Cut into small pieces (the head and tail can also be safely thrown into the broth). Boil three liters of water. After that, throw the fish into it and cook for half an hour over low heat. Meanwhile, peel three potatoes, three onions and one carrot. Cut the potatoes and onions into small cubes and add to the broth. Carefully grate the orchard on a coarse grater and also add to the fish soup. Pour half a glass of semolina into the broth (it is needed to make the soup more rich and thick). Season with pepper and salt to taste (it is important not to overdo it with salt, otherwise the soup will be too rich). Five minutes before removing from heat, add a little bay leaf. Also, carefully add a bunch of finely chopped parsley and dill into the pan. After cooking, it is recommended to let the fish soup sit for about twenty minutes so that it absorbs the aroma of fish and spices even more.

This dish should be served with warm vegetables and herbs. Bon appetit!

Which is better chum salmon or coho salmon?

Residents of the Far East and Kamchatka, connoisseurs and connoisseurs of red fish, greatly value coho salmon for its unusual taste of meat. For less knowledgeable people, it will be interesting to figure out which fish tastes better than chum salmon or coho salmon.

Coho salmon is considered a delicacy, which is reflected in its price; it can be found on the menu of the most famous restaurants with fish menus. Its meat is very juicy and tender with a slight bitterness. If we talk about beneficial properties and biochemical composition, then the indicators for chum salmon and coho salmon are approximately the same.

Coho salmon is a fattier fish, so it should be used with caution by people with problems and diseases of the digestive tract. If we talk about which fish is better than chum salmon or coho salmon for weight loss, then we need to compare their energy value

Chum salmon has 125 kcal, coho salmon has 140 kcal. Taste preferences are very subjective, so it is difficult to judge culinary preferences, but in the process of losing weight, chum salmon is the more preferable product.

The taste of coho salmon will be the best, then chum salmon, and then pink salmon.

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Red fish tastes very different depending on the type. One is too dry, the other is bitter, the third is too hard to chew. The best in taste and quality, which has the fewest shortcomings, is undoubtedly the Far Eastern coho salmon. Its meat is much softer, tastier and not as fatty as that of other species. It is especially tasty when salted, but this is provided that there is enough salt in it and it is fresh. This fish has been highly valued for a long time and is a valuable species of commercial fish, but its numbers are not very large.

Use in cooking

Thanks to its healthy composition and impeccable taste, coho salmon is always a welcome guest in any kitchen, especially since you can prepare a lot of dishes from it without having any special culinary talents. Another advantage of a tender, beautiful fillet is the almost complete absence of bones.

How to choose

We offer a few tips that will help you avoid making mistakes when purchasing and purchase a truly high-quality fresh product - an ideal raw material for culinary experiments.

Should be considered:

The scales are smooth, shiny, without stains or smudges

It is important that it does not separate from the body. By pressing your finger on the body, you can see that after a couple of seconds the resulting hole will completely disappear. If the trace does not disappear, then it is better not to take the fish - it was re-frozen. Cloudy eyes are a sign of a stale carcass. The body should be slightly damp to the touch, but the presence of mucus is unacceptable.

These simple recommendations will help you purchase a really high-quality fillet or carcass for preparing an amazing-tasting coho salmon dish.

Cooking secrets

You can create a real abundance of dishes from silver salmon, for example, bake it in foil in various ways, cook fish kebab, use it as a component of an unusual gourmet salad, or cook rich fish soup. But for everything to work out, you should follow the recommendations of experts.

Check them out:

1. Spices are not always good. In the case of red fish, they should be taken to a minimum. Coho salmon goes harmoniously with rosemary, garlic, and soy sauce. They will highlight its taste.
2. Breading in breadcrumbs will help fry the beautiful pieces in oil - they will prevent them from losing their shape. Fry for no more than 3-5 minutes on each side.
3. There is no need to use a marinade containing alcohol; it will overpower the taste. However, when grilling, it is permissible to lightly pour wine over the dish.
4. It is recommended to defrost fillets or carcasses in the freshness zone of the refrigerator. Experts point out that it is impossible to cook a product that is not completely defrosted, as this will greatly affect its quality.
5. Microwave is not used for defrosting.

These tips will help you avoid spoiling a dish of expensive and tasty fish, which deserves only the highest ratings in the reviews of those who have tried it. And only after tasting it, you can fully understand what kind of fish coho salmon is and what it tastes like.

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Which is better – sockeye salmon, coho salmon or salmon?

When comparing coho salmon with sockeye salmon, another representative of the Pacific salmon, preference should be given to the second. Research has proven that sockeye salmon meat is a way to slow down the aging process and strengthen the immune system, while the fat content and calorie content in it are lower than in coho salmon. However, due to the specific bitter taste and quite impressive price, many people choose the hero of our material.

Salmon is a more popular fish; many people in Russia have tried it at least once; it has tasty, tender meat, which is especially good when lightly salted. Just 100 g of product contains ½ the daily requirement of protein, while there are practically no carbohydrates. However, experts still advise choosing coho salmon, since low-quality salmon grown in Norway in an artificial environment often ends up on the shelves.

Which is better to choose?

Both types of red fish under consideration are distinguished by a significant amount of valuable substances, so it would not be entirely correct to choose one based on this criterion. Both chum salmon and sockeye salmon have a unique effect on the body, strengthening bones, improving organ function, blood composition, etc.

But as far as taste is concerned, everything is not so clear. Many say that sockeye salmon has an incredible, incomparable taste, vaguely reminiscent of beef.

The salmon family has been known since the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era (145-66 million years ago). Despite their rather extensive habitat, salmon are more valuable and expensive fish than white fish. We must remember that salmon are an irreplaceable source of another excellent product - red caviar . There are quite a lot of representatives of this species. Some of them are better known, others rarely come to our table. Such “exotics” include chum salmon and sockeye salmon.

The habitats of chum and sockeye salmon are extensive. They live in salt water, but swim to fresh water to spawn. Both of these fish are a source of valuable red meat, and both are a source of red caviar. A person unenlightened in the fishery issue will not always be able to distinguish chum salmon from sockeye salmon at first sight. But in fact, there are significant differences in appearance and taste.

Chum salmon is a Pacific salmon . There are two types: summer and autumn . The summer one lives in the northern part of the world, the autumn one (larger than the summer one) - in the south. The taste of the meat of summer and autumn salmon is different.

She remembers where she was born, so she always swims to her homeland to spawn. This is a large fish, reaching one meter in length and an average weight of about 15 kilograms. It has a dull silvery color, with pinkish stripes appearing during the spawning period.

Chum salmon caviar has ceased to be a delicacy and has become more accessible to consumers.