How to Choose the Finest Salmon at the Grocery Store

Whether rich or light, meaty or flaky, glazed or rubbed, grilled or roasted, there’s no shortage of ways to prepare a delicious salmon dish. Plus, with its exceptional health benefits, salmon is a fantastic choice for making a regular appearance at your dinner table.

When it comes to buying salmon at the grocery store, there are always some doubts. Is it affordable? Is it fresh? Will it taste great? Here’s everything you need to know to shop for salmon confidently, so you can skip the guesswork and get straight to the cooking and enjoying.

Types and Pricing

The key differences between salmon varieties are their size, color, and fat content. Generally, these traits go hand-in-hand: King (or Chinook) salmon is the largest, has the richest color, and the highest fat content, while chum (or dog) salmon and pink salmon are smaller, paler, and leaner.

Continue Reading: A Comprehensive Guide to the Various Types of Salmon

Where It Comes From

This is where things can get tricky, as many terms are used to describe where and how the salmon was caught or raised — and they can all sound quite similar. However, the source of your salmon affects both the environment and the nutritional profile of the fish.

Terms like 'Alaskan salmon' or 'Pacific salmon' refer to the region where the fish was caught but don’t tell you anything about the fishing or farming methods used. For more details, you'll need to look for 'wild' or 'farmed' labels.

For wild salmon, you'll encounter phrases like 'wild-caught,' meaning the fish was harvested in its natural habitat, or 'line-caught' or 'troll-caught,' indicating traditional hook-and-line methods. These options often come with a higher price but offer better nutritional value, including more heart-healthy unsaturated fats than farmed varieties.

Farmed salmon is typically labeled as 'farm-raised' or 'sustainably-farmed.' While fish farms have environmental drawbacks, they are hard to avoid — especially since Atlantic salmon, the most common variety found in stores, is exclusively farmed. However, advancements in farming technologies are helping make these practices more sustainable for both the fish and the consumers.

How can you tell if the salmon at your local supermarket comes from one of these sustainable farms? Start by checking the origin of the salmon in the store. Then, use the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch to find environmentally-conscious recommendations for which salmon to buy.

Fresh vs. Frozen

It's true that opting for fresh food over frozen is a great way to maximize your intake of healthy nutrients. This holds true for salmon, though with a few exceptions.

If you live in regions like Alaska, Oregon, or Maine, where fresh, never-frozen salmon is readily available, it's definitely your best option. If you can touch and smell the fish, and it feels firm with no off-putting odor, then you're likely getting a top-quality piece of salmon.

For everyone else, frozen salmon is often the better choice. Here's why: The 'fresh' salmon you see in seafood displays across the country was probably frozen by the fisherman, transported to the store, then thawed before being put out for sale. On the other hand, frozen salmon — particularly if labeled 'once-frozen' or 'flash-frozen' — is typically frozen right after being caught, which preserves its flavor, texture, and nutrients until you're ready to defrost and enjoy it.

Continue Reading: How to Select the Freshest Fish

Cut and Visual Appeal

The type of salmon cut you choose depends on how you plan to cook it and how many people you're serving. For a larger group, a whole side of salmon, or at least a 2- to 3-pound portion, is easiest. You can roast it and then cut it into individual servings.

A whole side of salmon is also ideal for those looking to cure or smoke the fish. If you’re cooking for a smaller group, individual fillets, with skin on the underside, or steaks, with skin around the edges, are great options. Salmon steaks are perfect for grilling or pan-searing and make an impressive presentation, though you may need to remove any small bones before cooking.

Individual fillets are typically the easiest to cook with and can be pan-seared, roasted, grilled, or poached. If you want to enjoy crispy skin, go for fillets. Regardless of the cut, quality salmon should look thick, moist, and vibrant, free from any bruises or blemishes.

Ready to cook? Check out these 20 irresistible salmon recipes for inspiration.