So I'm curious about this frozen product from Trader Joe's. Would I expect this frozen Alaskan Sockeye to be better than the Costco farm raised we can get here? Maybe the price is much more, I don't even know what we pay for salmon, but I could compare next time I'm out.
-ERD50
If or your wife prefer farmed fish, or are indifferent as to wild/farmed, I don't think that the Trader Joe product I mentioned would be a definite step up for you. It's just like fresh sockeye ( the deep red stuff), but not quite as good because for me at least it is harder to prepare frozen fish. I just think it is a very good source for people who want wild fish, and do not live in a NW city and who do have a Trader Joe store nearby. Trader Joe stores are sometimes easier for city dwellers than Costco, and it can be a less overwhelming task to get there and get home.
Frozen fish can be great, for example if you are going to fry it. I've been to fish fries in Texas where the fish were caught over several weeks and frozen. Also my wife was good at broiling salmon steaks that we would cut from a whole fish and freeze. But I just don't have the knack. Another interesting fact is that the most expensive fish around (and tastiest!), that which is used in sushi and sashimi, is almost all frozen. A sushi chef told me it was all frozen, and it likely is, but I believe that the deep red tuna called maguro is not required by law to be frozen before being served. All the other finfish intended to be eaten raw must be frozen.
From others' comments I get the idea that sometimes at least, good fresh wild fish is available pretty much all over the country. I never see it when I visit my sister in the midwest, or my brother in Ft Worth. And I never saw north pacific fish when I lived in SoCal. I shopped in Chinatown and mostly saw seabass, snapper, tuna and other local fish, but that was along time ago.
BTW, not all wild salmon is deep red. Both Coho and kings are lighter in color than sockeye, but they do not have that striped look of farmed fish.
I just fixed a 1.5# sockeye filet I bought last night. Where I live now I cannot grill without going to a bit of trouble, so my favorite way to prepare is poached. I fill a fish poacher or a big tightly covered skillet with as much water as it will hold and still leave room for the fish without overflowing. I put a little celery, onion and carrot in, and bring it to a hard boil. Then I cut off the heat, and add the fish and set a timer for 20' or so. When it dings, I take it out, check to be sure it is done, and strip the skin off. This step is very easy while still hot, but much messier after it has cooled.
I eat it either hot, or after chilling with mayo and lemon or any other sauce. If I am going to have a party, I use a whole fish about 4-5#, and use my fish poacher the same way.
Ha