Salmon - Chiliean Farm Raised Color Enhanced through feed vs Wild Alaskan

FLBentRider · April 16, 2008, 12:59:00 PM

Has anyone tried using the "cheap" (Sams Club) "Salmon" for lox / smoking applications ?

I know that fresh wild salmon would be better, but it is hard to impossible to find (afford) in my local area.

I'm sure there is no comparison of the "Salmon" we get here to the fresh caught (by hook and line) Alaskan salmon.

Would I be wasting time / money / pucks ?

Habanero Smoker · April 16, 2008, 01:48:38 PM

I've used SpyGuy's lox recipe using salmon from Sam's club and it was good. It wasn't a waste of money.

iceman · April 16, 2008, 03:58:51 PM

I recently bought some farm raised from costco to compare with the copper river reds I was smoking. Definate differance but by no means was the farm raised a throw away. I'm spoiled but if you can't buy troll caught go ahead and try the farm raised. Beats the alternative. ;)

KyNola · April 19, 2008, 01:55:11 PM

I have about 12 lbs. of the Sam's chilean salmon in the brine right now. I have used it before and it's OK. For a while the Sam's where I live was able to get fresh Pacific salmon and it was really good. They haven't had it in a while.

If you wish, I'll report back on this batch but at first glance, it seems fine.

KyNola

West Coast Kansan · April 19, 2008, 04:14:37 PM

When I seen the Salmon - Chiliean Farm Raised Color Enhanced through feed stuff it is usually followed by "previously frozen" as well as "fresh" and Pacific or Atlantic often thrown in... I laugh and wonder what nonfresh would be. I suppose those are the stubby little fish you see on the discovery channel being harvested in Africa ???

Kummok · April 19, 2008, 06:54:17 PM

I reckon that the farmed salmon (Soylent Green! ;) ) is better than no salmon at all. If I was in a location where wild salmon was impossible to find, I'd use the farmed stuff (Soylent Green! ;) ) instead of going without. Not being as "food picky" as I am merely protecting my life here in Homer by not being an advocate of farmed salmon (Soylent Green! ;) ). Joking aside....there's a few threads where farmed salmon (Soylent Green! ;) ) concerns are discussed in more detail.....just don't let it get back to Homer that Kummok said farmed salmon (Soylent Green! ;) ) is better than no salmon at all..... ;) ;D

La Quinta · April 19, 2008, 10:23:05 PM

Love the "soylent green" references!!! Cracked me up!! Ya know what Kummok...we have a tough time seeing anything but farm raised salmon where I live...(which is the middle of a desert)...but I know my Mom in Florida will eat anything BUT farm raised!!! You'd like her...she's a purist too!!!! :)

Kummok · April 20, 2008, 08:47:34 AM

Quote from: La Quinta on April 19, 2008, 10:23:05 PM
Love the "soylent green" references!!! Cracked me up!! Ya know what Kummok...we have a tough time seeing anything but farm raised salmon where I live...(which is the middle of a desert)...but I know my Mom in Florida will eat anything BUT farm raised!!! You'd like her...she's a purist too!!!! :)

Send her up LQ....we'll both eat the "food of the gods" fresh outta the sea!! I'll bet she would also like the ptarmigan dish I make with wild Alaskan Silver Sage too....takes two days to prepare but to us purists, that's nada. ;)

KyNola · April 20, 2008, 11:38:22 AM

Well, I can now report to you about the Sam's Club Chilean farm raised salmon. I have about 12 lbs in the smoker and I have NEVER seen as much "nuclear waste" as Kummok calls it cook out of salmon before. I'll let you know about the taste later.

KyNola

KyNola · April 20, 2008, 01:50:11 PM

The flavor turned out really quite good. It threw off a lot of moisture, the V-tray is completely covered but still turned out very very good. I had my doubts for a while!

KyNola

La Quinta · April 20, 2008, 07:32:48 PM

Ky...I assume you were hot smoking the salmon? Or no...?

KyNola · April 21, 2008, 06:25:14 AM

LQ,
Yes, hot smoking using Kummok's recipe of stepping up the heat in increments. 7 different people sampled it last night and thought it was really good but it sure made a mess in the smoker. Vac sealed some of it and stored away in the freezer. Should make for good eating later on.

KyNola

Lefty_Smoker · May 12, 2008, 07:12:54 AM

I just did about 6 lbs of Chilean farm raised salmon last night. I paid $4.99/lb for it at Meijers. The only place in town that ever has wild-caught salmon is $17.95/lb. I'm sure it's delicious, but can't justify spending over 3 times the $$$ for wild caught.

Seems the price of farm-raised salmon has been coming down a bit recently, at least around here. When I first got my Bradley, I typically paid $7.99/lb for farm raised salmon, and they would occasionally have it on sale for $6.99/lb. Lately it has been $5.99 every day, and $4.99/lb on sale. With the price of everything else going up, its a welcome change.

nsism · May 12, 2008, 09:24:41 AM

what is a good temp and time frame for salmon?

Lefty_Smoker · May 12, 2008, 09:37:54 AM

I, along with many, many, many, other people have had great success following Kummok's recipe that he shared in the following thread.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=107.0