The health benefits of fish are well documented, as evidenced by the American Heart Association’s recommendation to eat at least two servings of fish per week for a healthier heart. Salmon has received praise as one of the top varieties of fish to eat for health reasons. It is at the top of the list of fat burning foods.
Salmon has the added benefit of being very tasty and easy to prepare. Due to its high demand, farm-raised salmon has some health risks that the industry has been unwilling to address. Since practically all the fresh salmon we eat comes from farms, if we are going to reap the benefits of this delicious fish it is important to know the healthiest ways to prepare it.
Most of the contaminants in farmed salmon are found in the fat of the fish and on its skin. So as we look towards your healthier preparation, we’ll be looking at ways to cook or remove these contaminated areas. Also, some ways of cooking are inherently better than others, so we’ll take a look at these factors and come up with recommended ways to prepare salmon.
With this in mind, we’ll steer clear of pan-frying or frying, and oily fish like salmon don’t steam well. In preparing salmon, because it has a bolder flavor than most varieties of fish, you will be able to use bold seasonings and marinades. There are literally hundreds of salmon recipes on the internet, so I won’t go into my favorite recipes, other than I love dill with my salmon. But it’s all personal choice.
1. On the grill. Quick and healthy, broiling works well for salmon because it’s typically a thick cut and considered fatty. If you’re worried it might fall apart on the grill, cook it on a piece of aluminum foil.
2. Bake. As with the grill, the fish can be marinated before cooking or sprinkled with a squeeze of lemon and your favorite herbs and spices. You should avoid recipes that call for large amounts of mayonnaise, butter, oil, or cheese.
3. Poached. I’m not a big fan of poached salmon, but a lot of people use this method. I think it works great for tilapia and other light fish, but other cooking methods bring out the wonderful qualities of salmon better.
One constant with fish is not to overcook it. Even salmon is much more delicate than meat and can easily dry out when overcooked, so grill, bake, or broil on high heat for shorter periods of time. Also, overcooking will destroy much of its high nutritional value. The other constant is when buying fish, the fresher the better.
Of course, there’s nothing like a beautifully prepared piece of fresh salmon, but another safer and perhaps even more nutritious alternative is canned Alaskan salmon. On the internet there are many recipes for salmon cakes, chowder, salads and many other alternatives. Just because it’s canned doesn’t mean it can’t be delicious.
