There are so many salmon. If you would like wild-caught salmon, you want Pacific salmon. That’s not because wild-caught Atlantic salmon wouldn’t be fabulous if we could get it, but the Atlantic salmon sold commercially are all farm-raised.
Here is a list by the most common names you’ll likely see at markets.
1. King Salmon
Considered by many to be the best-tasting of the salmon bunch. They have a high-fat content and corresponding rich flesh that ranges from white to a deep red colour.
2. Silver Salmon
They are sometimes called “silvers” because of their especially silver skin. They have bright red flesh and a slightly more delicate texture.
3. Pink Salmon
Pink salmon are the most common Pacific salmon. They have very light-coloured, flavoured flesh and low-fat content. Pink salmon are often canned but also sold fresh, frozen, and smoked. They are sometimes called “humpies” or humpback salmon because of the distinctive hump they develop on their back when they spawn.
4. Red Salmon
Salmon are noted for their bright red-orange flesh and deep rich flavour. They are known as “reds” both for their dark flesh colour and because they turn deep red.
5. Atlantic Salmon
All commercially available Atlantic salmon is farmed. While farmed salmon has a bad reputation in terms of sustainability, salmon farming techniques have made great strides towards greater sustainability, so it’s worth looking into the specific source if sustainability is important to you.
6. Silverbrite Salmon
Also called dog salmon for its dog-like teeth. It is a smaller fish—averaging about 8 pounds—with pale to medium-coloured flesh and a lower fat content than other salmon. Silverbrite salmon is usually canned or sold frozen to foreign markets.
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