Salmon Meat Color

[Sitkaspruce]

quote:Originally posted by TelStar26

quote:

I could care less about flesh colour, they all taste the same to me. It is in how you kill them, clean them and prepare them that makes the taste difference.

Cheers

SS

What is the best way to kill them to get the best taste?

I find that you need to give them one good Whack to stun them, cut the gills to get a good bleed going and then get them on ice or some place cool. I try and clean them a couple of hours later, or when the fishing slows, a then get them on ice. I have a large fish box that can hold three bags of crushed ice and a block and still carry 6 good size fish.

I am sure there is others who do it differently, but if you follow what SS said in the above post, you should have great tasting fish.

Cheers

The other SS

 

[HSM542]

We get the reds, whites and marbles, and have no problems with getting them consumed. What I find works well for people who are partial to colour is to hot smoke whites, steak and barbeque reds or marbles, and cold smoke only reds. I've never had any complaints this way as far as asthetics are concerned, or had anyone refuse this tasty treat from the sea based on looks!

 

[gradyboat]

great cby.............. that answers the marble question.

GB

 

[Highliner]

quote:
What is the best way to kill them to get the best taste?

I just started bleeding the last few fish that I caught and was amazed at the difference in taste. It's definitely worth the effort.

Highliner

 

[Cannon Ballz]

We always bonk'em cut the gills,and leave the guts in,then fill our fish well with cold water,and change it out periodicaly as the water gets warm.works for us,have'nt had a bad one yet,wether it be white,red,marble whatever.

C-Ballz

 

[The Fish Assassin]

The whites are a real treat. My theory on it, and it may be totaly wrong, is that they must feed in warmer water with the tuna. They sure taste alot like fresh tuna when you cook them like blackend Ahi. Mix a little soy and wassabi and you can't tell them apart. To me catching a white spring is the top of the list when it comes to meal time!

 

[mr killer]

is it just me or do whites seem to have more spunk than reds? I've had some real scrappy whites and the reds seem to be lazy, that's just my thought, them whites put up a good fight. anyone else notice this?

 

[scott craven]

I have noticed that whites fight better also...
this year however i have nothing to make the comparison with

 

[tyeegalore]

Red, white, marbled, don't matter to me, its all good eatin fish. Granted the red's look better but try the blind taste test and you'll be surprised at how close they really are to the same taste!

Best fighting chinook I have ever had was a white out of Kitimat.

 

[KoneZone]

In Alaska the cool thing is to catch a White King! It kind of breaks the pattern of everything red I guess. I think the only color I would worry about is when a fish has been in the river too long. If there is five pounds of slime left in the net from a 15 pounder then you should probably let it go. If not let it soak in brine for a few days smoke it up and give it to your friends that like to buy from the roadside places. It would probably be an upgrade for their pallets and save them a few bucks.

 

[cby]

Bonk them, cut the gills bleed them and get them on ice, this is the best, then freezer pack them with a food saver and they last up to 2 years. Awesome.

cby

 

[jackin]

nothing like resurrecting the dead. I was brought here by a web search. Anyways, i read some of the answers and it seemed to conclude that it was 100% genetic. ...then explain why ANY coloring is needed at all in farmed fish. just choose the strain that goes naturally the color you want to raise and you will be 100% guaranteed the color you want and not that fake dyed meat look that farmed fish have. There must be more to it.

 

[FishBC.org]

All the big whiteys I got this year were line zingers... Great fights... The reds I caught did seem lethargic in comparison.
I love the taste of both as well. No difference that I can tell. The whites smoke really well for sure.

 

[Charlie]

nothing like resurrecting the dead. I was brought here by a web search. Anyways, i read some of the answers and it seemed to conclude that it was 100% genetic. ...then explain why ANY coloring is needed at all in farmed fish. just choose the strain that goes naturally the color you want to raise and you will be 100% guaranteed the color you want and not that fake dyed meat look that farmed fish have. There must be more to it.

What's a few years here and there? LOL

I don't believe very many farmed salmon have access to get any "natual" red pigment in those pellets they eat? Notice the "natural"? A fish farmer can actually pick the color of his fish by adding pigmentation to those pellets. Then remember also, if you ask any fish farmer they will tell you, that red pigment they add to those pellets isn't artificial... the coloring added to those pellets is "natural"!

You may have missed one of the better answers concerning genetics?

Ok I called DFO and they had the answer. It is Genetic 100%. It has to do with enzyems in the Meat that break down the red pigment produced from eating Shrimp, Krill and crabs. They said if you cut off a salmon steak and look at it closely there are 4 sections to the steak. Each section will produce different pigmentation. So if the enyzem is present in all four sections you will get a white salmon as it breaks down the pigmentation of red. If only a couple of sections marble and no section red or orange. Thanks for all the responses and feedback. I learned something today.

cby

 

[Theb55]

I've caught white salmon OSS Sooke & Renfrew, as late as this past summer

 

[wolf]

I like em all white pink red doesnt matter hell i even like fresh pinks on the BBQ !!!!When I get a fish in bonk into the back cooler slit the gill plate and every 10 to 15 mins i add about 5 buckets of water to drain all blood out the drain in the cooler i keep flushing till im in for the day the fish has all blood off and very clean for photos etc and kept cold forom the water .

I had a buddy whos wife said white spring was gross so smoked some up during wine and cheese and smoked salmon and crackers she was chowing down on the white spring like no tommorow. and told her it was white spring just like with any food its all on how you prepared fish and Game meats evryone has a vision its no good because somelse has totally wrecked a good moose steak or chunk of white spring. it all happens from the first moment you process something if you dont care for it properly how is it going to get better down the line of cooking it...

Its all about the care you put into it I cant tell you how many times I see guys at the dock who fish has been baking in the sun uncovered all day and go to clean it and its mushy!!!!or completlly covered in blood and fish slime every aspect is clean clean clean when you start of with a clean product it has a better chance...
to go off track A couple years back up hunting these guys shot a moose for 2 days they left the hide on and on the ground covered with a tarp in the sun when we dropped by you could smell it had gone bad and he said thats the way you do it it will be perfect.... fricken gross these are the same type of clowns who say there meat is gamey jeez i wonder why????? what it comes down to really is laziness and disrespect for what you have just harvested a few simple steps rewards you later down the road..

my 2 cents.....

Wolf

 

[baddogg]

Excellent post Wolf. I couldn't agree more. If you are going to kill it and eat it, then treat it with the respect it deserves.

 

[dmurph]

I always bonk my fish just enough to stun the fish and bleed it still with the heart pumping out the blood. I then clean on the boat and pack into the cooler full of ice. The fish always tastes very good. I will eat as sashimi and it always tastes as good as any fine sushi restaurant I have been to. Should add I always deep freeze for 48 hours before eating as sashimi.

 

[TheBigGuy]

Hey Murph

Glad you added the "freeze for 48 hrs before eating as sashimi".

 

[xavier]

I have seen many refer to their catch as a marble spring when it is simply a white that was not bled properly...

If your marble spring is one colour once cooked, it is not a marble spring. Just wasn't thoroughly bled.