There are plenty of fish in the sea, but one of the more popular varieties to date (pun intended!) is salmon.
Many wouldn’t think twice to buy fresh salmon fillets from the seafood bay, but give buying the whole salmon a thought! You can enjoy the rich texture, distinct colour and flavour of this well-loved fatty fish for longer when you choose to buy the whole fish.
Not convinced about going whole with this well-loved fatty fish? Beyond saving up 30% of your money, here are 3 more reasons that will surely convince you to buy and cook up a whole salmon!
1. You can ensure that you are eating the freshest fish
Compared to just looking at the colour of the fillets, there are more tell-tale signs that indicate how fresh a whole salmon is. It takes a lot of experience to be able to discern how fresh a fillet is and when it’s well over its use-by date!
Here is what you should look out for choosing a whole salmon at the fresh food bay:
✔️ Firm, moist and shiny skin
✔️ Skin should bounce back, not sink in when lightly pressed
✔️ Fresh salt water smell (like the ocean) or not at all
✔️ Bright and crystal clear eyes
✔️ Dark red gills (this is a sign of rich blood circulation and that it has been freshly caught, not sitting for days at the back of a musty freezer)
Tip: Once you’ve chosen your salmon, ask your fresh food bay specialist to scale and gut it with its head on!
2. You can ensure that you are eating the most flavourful fish
Comfortably sandwiched between a fish’s flesh is fatty skin and a gelatin-rich backbone¹. In this case, both drastically affect the flavour profile of a whole salmon. When you choose to buy salmon cuts (e.g. fillet, belly) separately, you are not bringing home the maximum freshness and flavour you can find. A whole fish will keep the flesh nice, moist and less likely to dry out until you get home.
Storage tip: Once you get home, refrigerate the whole salmon immediately until you decide to begin filleting it. Unrefrigerated raw salmon lasts for about two hours at room temperature before it begins to decompose².
If you’ve already filleted it and want it to stay fresh for longer, pack the different salmon cuts in an airtight container with plenty of ice!
3. You can ensure less food wastage
Compared to buying just the fillets, a whole salmon is not only 30% cheaper but also a more sustainable way of eating. With Singapore’s food waste volume having increased by about 20% over the past 10 years³, you’ll be surprised to know that you can even maximise unavoidable food waste such as the salmon head and bones to cook in ways you wouldn’t have imagined. Traditionally overlooked cuts like the head and collar best served up simply. This Salt Grilled Salmon Head & Collar dish is perfect even grilled with just a sprinkle of high-quality salt and squeeze of lemon juice!
Fancy an indulgent snack? Slice the skin off the salmon as thinly as possible to fry them up. Cold beer with a side of Crispy Salmon Skin will hit the spot!
Happening from now till 5 May, you can buy only the freshest whole salmon and more during the Salmon Fair at your nearest FairPrice or FairPrice Xtra store! Plus, you can get all the ingredients you need to whip up fresh and whole (pun intended) salmon dishes. “Bone” appetite!
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References:
¹ Seafood Shack, The importance of whole fish, viewed 19 April 2021
² Yummly 2020, The complete guide to salmon: buying & storing salmon, viewed 19 April 2021
³ National Environment Agency 2021, Food waste management, viewed 20 April 2021
