Rather farmed or wild salmon, Scottish salmon, Norway or Alaska ... as for everything, salmon also tastes vary from one person to another. But not easy to make your choice in front of supermarket shelves when you do not know the characteristics of this or that salmon. Small remedial course.

The 2 categories of salmon

There are 2 categories of salmon :
- Farmed salmon comes mainly from the Atlantic Ocean and is generally high in Norway , Scotland , Iceland , Ireland and more rarely in Denmark . Its flesh is orange-pink (it must be uniform) and its texture rather melting and soft. More fat than wild salmon, farmed salmon are preferred when cooked. Its small buttery taste also distinguishes it from wild salmon.
- Wild salmon are very little present in Europe, it comes mainly from the Baltic Sea and the Pacific Ocean. In the first case, its flesh is rather white and in the second, the color of its flesh is fairly strong, even on the red. Wild salmon has a pasty texture, more sticky than farmed salmon. It is also leaner and it is better to eat it raw than cooked. Namely: the color of the flesh of wild salmon may not be uniform and even have some hematomas, due to the fact that the salmon has evolved in the wild.

Salmon from Norway, Scotland, Iceland and Alaska: the differences

The main salmon , which are easily found in supermarkets, come mainly from Norway , Scotland, Iceland and Alaska . And each have their characteristics.
- Norwegian and Icelandic salmon live in Fjords, in calm and cold seas. These fish are less likely to move than others, so they are fatter, which is also a guarantee of flavor.
- Scottish and Alaskan salmon are more exposed to the flow of water. They are fish that move, their flesh is less fat and is firmer.
- Danish salmon is quite close to Norwegian and Icelandic salmon. But much rarer on the market.

Thanks to Axelle Roch, Labeyrie's seafood group leader.