[OnceUponADrive]

What's the difference between pink and red salmon? I'm talking about the canned type, specifically. I like to make salmon salad and put it on crackers. Pink seems to be in more abudance at the store, so that's what I opted to get, but I'm wondering if one is better than the other?

[ennay]

generally red salmon is sockeye salmon which should be of a higher quality but I dont trust the color of salmon anyway (farm raised salmon isnt naturally pink, its greyish, so they add dye - only wild salmon is naturally red/pink

[baffled111]

Ennay is right--most of the salmon you see in the grocery store has been dyed red. The really good stuff, which would be labelled and priced accordingly, like wild alaskan sockeye, is naturally red and stays that way during cooking.

If you ever see Copper River Sockeye or Yukon sockeye in the fish market during the summer, buy it! It's fantastic and should be served rare. Yummmmmm.

[zenor77]

I don't care about the color (pink vs red) as long as it's wild. I won't buy farmed salmon for a variety of reasons (ecological and health.) But most of the canned salmon that I've seen seems to be wild from Alaska. Mmmm... salmon patties... I may have to make those soon.

When I buy fresh I seem to find wild Coho most often. At least that's what I've found in my area.

[WaterRat]

There are actually 5 kinds of wild Alaska salmon. Here we usually call them by their colors, but they are: Chinook (Kings), Sockeye (Reds), Coho (Silvers), and Pinks or Humpies. The 5th is a chum (or dog) salmon, which while probably still nutritious, has a very soft, unappetizing texture and not a good flavor. It's used to feed dog teams a lot. You'll seldom see Chinook, even fresh or frozen, outside of Alaska or the Pacific NW. Sockeye and Coho are very popular as frozen filets or smoked. Pinks are the most often canned variety. Copper River Reds (Sockeye) are considered a delicacy. The very best fresh - imho - are kings, esp when my DH brings one home. Needless to say, we eat a lot of salmon.

[baffled111]

Pat, I had some King Yukon sushi in Seattle last summer and it was probably the most amazing thing I have ever put in my mouth. Sooooo delicious. I can't wait til all the good stuff gets here! Should be soon, no?

Last summer was my first in the NW and I was amazed and thrilled by the varieties of salmon coming out of Alaska. I never knew there were so many kinds, or that it would make such a difference. I adore it. You're extra lucky--where I live, fish gets flown in only two or three times a week.