Salmon and whitefishes list. Salmon - The Encyclopedia of Fish. Roasting in foil

Salmon fish (salmon) found in most of the planet. You can see how she looks in the photo. Salmon has always been one of the most expensive and desired products on our tables. It was she who was considered the "royal" fish. And not only because of the size. Delicious and aromatic meat with high nutritional value has long won the hearts of culinary experts around the world. In whatever form this fish is served, each dish will be classified as a delicacy.

Is there a salmon fish? The question is quite popular. Sometimes he collects discussions among a large number of readers. But the answer to it is more than simple, and it is easily confirmed by scientific facts and the works of biologists. As such, there is no fish called salmon. This name is collective, uniting all fish of the same type, which belong to the salmon family. Sometimes salmon are called trout, which is not a mistake.

The salmon family, which include salmon, has many species of fish. The most recognizable of them can be called chum salmon, pink salmon, char, brown trout, coho salmon and others, falling on some grounds under general description appearance salmon fish. They have red meat, which is why they are called "red fish". Interesting fact suggests that some species of salmon fish (for example, Far Eastern whitefish and nelma) may also have white meat. But this is more the exception than the rule.

Salmon, like many other fish that represent the genus of salmon, are considered unique. For many, it will be a discovery that it cannot be characterized either as river or sea. This is because both salt and fresh waters are its habitat. Scientists, noting an interesting feature in salmonids, called this group of fishes diadromous. This should be understood as follows: salmon are born in fresh water and spend their childhood in such conditions. This usually lasts several months, after which it migrates to salt water, where it "feeds". During puberty, the fish (which corresponds to about five years from birth) returns to freshwater bodies for spawning. It is noteworthy that salmon meat becomes not so tasty during this period of life. This is because it is too saturated with fat, which allows fish to overcome long distances, transforming into energy.

For most individuals, spawning occurs only once in a lifetime, and this is due to the physiological characteristics of the fish. Although poachers also "contribute" to this in the pursuit of meat and, in fact, that very caviar. Fishing during the spawning season is not difficult because of the clumsiness and excessive carelessness, but it is prohibited by law due to the low population.

In fact, adults live in the seas and oceans (where there is a lot of food, because salmon is a predatory fish), and enter the lakes only to procreate. The size of the adult salmon feeds small fatty fish, shrimp and algae into its food chain. Interesting feature The life of salmon and many salmonids makes the meat of these fish unique in composition. The taste of salmon is quite high, but its quantity in the wild is limited, therefore, the cost of a carcass of this fish can reach incredible amounts, especially if you know that it can reach a weight of forty kilograms.

It is these facts that force people to breed salmon in artificial reservoirs, the living conditions in which are as close as possible to the wild. Rapid growth of fry also pushes for reproduction in a nursery, especially if "advanced" technologies are used: hormones that accelerate growth and puberty, and antibiotics, which prevent mass pestilence of young animals. The high cost of such salmon feeding in the conditions of a fish processing plant leaves a mark in the cost of fish, although this method is still cheaper than catching fish in natural reservoirs.

Where can I buy?

Where to buy salmon? This question can be seen quite often on forums in chat rooms. It arises because this fish is not eaten here every day, because it is very expensive. The answer is simple. You can buy salmon and many other types of salmon:

• in specialized departments of supermarkets;
• in shops specializing in the sale of seafood;
• on the coast where fishing is carried out;
• in nurseries where fish are raised.

Fish comes to store shelves in the form of portioned pieces. It will not be difficult to buy it, but not every inhabitant of the planet can afford to buy a whole fish. And there is no particular sense in this. You can learn how salmon is cut according to all the rules in production from the video attached to this article.

In most regions, salmon is sold exclusively frozen or ready-to-eat, for example, salted. In the latter case, salmon meat is most often packaged in vacuum bags, which help to extend the shelf life of the tasty product.

With regard to cooling, it should be noted that this method is carried out most often by the method of dry deep freezing, which does not violate the integrity of the outer covers and inner fibers. Properly prepared salmon meat does not lose its properties after defrosting, but, as with all other protein products, it should only be carried out once.

Fresh in Russia and some post-Soviet countries that have access to the sea, you can most often buy Kamchatka salmon, as well as fish caught in the White and Barents Seas. Sometimes the latter is also called Murmansk trout. In addition, live fish can be purchased in nurseries, which are located even in the interior of the continents, in areas where there are no seas and lakes.

How to choose a quality salmon?

At first glance, choosing a quality salmon can seem like a tricky business. This is especially true for those people who rarely buy delicious fish. But in practice, the choice of salmon should be approached, like the choice of any other fish.

The first thing every consumer needs to know is how fresh the product is on the counter. The main criteria that each buyer must evaluate are shown in the table below. For convenience, fresh and frozen fish are separated.

		Frozen
Appearance	The skin is shiny, firm. The scales adhere tightly to the carcass, in places near the head it has a slightly reddish tint, while the carcass color can range from light pink to pale peach. The gills are red. The eyes are light and shiny.	The skin is dense, light, easily separating from the pulp. The scales have a slightly dull shade, but at the same time they adhere well to the carcass. The color of the gills and eyes is often not possible to assess, because this fish is supplied already decapitated or cut in portions.
	Spring when pressed and easily restores its previous shape. Dry, that is, it does not produce juice. Leaves a greasy mark on a paper towel.	May release some juice mixed with fat. Has a dense texture and does not disintegrate when cut into portions.
	Nice, without pungent odor fish oil.	Similar to the smell of all frozen fish, without impurities and old fat.

Any deviation from the generally accepted norms for evaluating fish suggests that you need to refrain from purchasing salmon. And the point is not only in the money thrown into the wind, but also in the fact that improperly stored fish loses most of the nutrients, for which it is ranked as "royal".

Composition and nutritional value

The composition, nutritional value and useful properties of salmon are due to the lifestyle of this valuable commercial fish. The salmon meat in the section is red in color, the shade of which can range from light pink to bright red. There is no single color standard, but any of these extremes does not indicate the quality or safety of the fish.

In the composition of salmon meat, such useful substances can be distinguished as:

• potassium;
• sodium;
• phosphorus;
• fluorine;
• chlorine.

In addition, the meat of the “royal fish” contains vitamins A, B12, E and D (fish oil). The latter is found in large quantities in fish eggs, because it is an important "product" for the development of fry. The nutritional value of salmon differs from all other types of salmon fish primarily due to the composition and amount of fats. The calorie content of salmon is close to one hundred and forty kilocalories per hundred grams of raw product, and pieces of carcass from the middle are considered more nutritious than the tail. Regarding how much more nutritious it will be in comparison with other salmon species, I would like to cite as an example the calorie content of raw pink salmon (the fish of the salmon family most often used instead of salmon). According to the calculations of nutritionists, its nutritional value is also equal to one hundred and forty kilocalories. Like all cooked foods, boiled or fried fish becomes more nutritious, while salted fish remains the same nutritional value as raw fish. The most "heavy" is smoked and grilled salmon.

The beneficial properties of salmon

The beneficial properties of salmon are due to its chemical composition. The benefits of eating this fish are enormous. Regular inclusion of salmon meat in the diet can work wonders, which will manifest itself primarily in the beauty and health of the skin, luxury of hair, healthy teeth and strong nails. Moderate consumption of any kind of salmon helps:

• improve the general condition of the body;
• increase resistance to colds;
• normalize vision;
• make a beautiful figure;
• reduce the risk of developing strokes;
• strengthen the heart muscle;
• get rid of insomnia;
• improve the regeneration of the skin after burns and operations.

Regarding whether it is worth eating salmon for children, nursing mothers and pregnant women, the following must be said: these categories of people need to eat salmon in small quantities. A portion of salmon meat for babies over a year old should not exceed one hundred grams per day, while adults can eat up to half a kilogram of fish during the week. Children need to eat fish no more than once every ten days, always alternating with other types of fish and meat of birds and animals, so as not to cause an excess of nutrients.

The use of fish in cooking

The peculiarity of using this fish in cooking is the speed of its preparation. Facts are noted, but they are rather an exception to the rule that salmon can be eaten raw. Most often, this statement refers to the indigenous peoples inhabiting the northern part of Russia. In the rest of the world, the main cooking methods applied to salmon meat are:

• dry salting or brine;
• steaming or boiling in water;
• smoking and drying;
• baking in the oven, in a slow cooker or on the grill;
• frying in a dry frying pan or with the addition of a small amount of oil.

Many people like the fact that salmon is difficult to oversalt, and even if you miscalculate with the amount of salt, the fish will still turn out slightly salted. This is made possible by the high fat content of the meat. In addition to the meat of this fish, ridges can also be found on sale. It is impractical to salt them. The best way to use skeletons in cooking is to boil broths that are clear and rich. It is noteworthy that they do not need to be cooked for long: five minutes on low heat will be enough to get a delicious broth and tender meat.

It is salmon that is most often served in restaurants as a specialty dish, and in many of them they practice preparing delicacies right in front of the customer. Most often it is grilled or fried fish.

In general, salmon are prepared:

• soups;
• jellied meat or aspic;
• salads;
• casseroles on a baking sheet and in foil;
• cutlets and meatballs;
• fish oil;
• kebabs and barbecue dishes;
• pates and shavings.

But most often this fish is used for making sandwiches and filling pies, tartlets, pita bread, rolls, rolls, sushi or other cold snacks belonging to the cuisines of different nations of the world.

Salmon is served with simple side dishes, often in the manner of Japanese dishes, that is, with boiled rice, or with vegetables. It would be wrong to combine the meat of this fish with buckwheat and other cereals, potatoes or pasta familiar to many. Although the latter combination is often seen and tasted in Italian restaurants, pasta and its varieties are considered the "number one dish".

Salmon goes well with:

• cheese;
• butter;
• parsley;
• rice;
• mustard;
• wine;
• cream and sour cream;
• cottage cheese;
• chicken and quail eggs;
• olives;
• carrots;
• soy sauce;
• prunes;
• lemon, orange and other citrus fruits;
• dried apricots;
• nuts;
• vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, for example);
• onions;
• mushrooms.

Salmon, like most red fish, does not need spices, because the latter can not only drown out the delicate aroma of the fish itself, but also change the taste of the dish prepared from it. The only exception can be sesame seeds, which will not only decorate ready-made dishes, giving them completeness and an expensive look, but also help to hide the dryness of the finished fish.

The most common dressings for salted and heat-treated salmon are cream sauce and melted butter. Despite this, amateur cooks, using salmon for the preparation of multicomponent and sometimes the most unpredictable salads and other dishes in composition, use mayonnaise. It cannot be said that these "masterpieces" will not be tasty, but the true qualities of the "royal" fish will hardly be noticed and appreciated in such a company.

Given the high cost of salmon meat, many cooks use fish that is cheaper, but similar in taste to it. In the vastness of Internet publications on culinary topics, you can easily find about fifty recipes of different compositions, which tell you how to cook (more often salt) any other fish "under salmon" at home so that it is difficult to distinguish it from an expensive original, and many secrets telling how to replace salmon in recipes without losing the taste of the dishes. It is noteworthy, but most often the fish salted instead of salmon does not differ in taste from the real product, but in all other dishes it is dryish.

Use in cosmetology

The use of salmon in cosmetology is not limited to its use in the form of meat masks, as many will think. The rich vitamin composition of this fish, as well as caviar, allows the production of natural cosmetics in an industrial environment. These skin care products are as good as Korean mineral cosmetics, and in many ways even ahead of them. Such tools are capable of:

• regenerate the skin;
• saturate the integument with nutrients;
• restore elasticity;
• smooth out wrinkles;
• give a healthy color.

The cost of creams and masks based on salmon products, including ridges, is quite high. Although if we compare it with foreign natural remedies, we can say that it compares favorably. In addition, the consumption of salmon in food proves a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive tract. Thanks to this, hair, nails, and skin become healthy.

Harm and contraindications

Fish such as salmon, in addition to being beneficial, can also harm the human body. The risk group includes not only those consumers who have contraindications for use, but also those who do not follow certain rules.

You should not eat salmon for those who:

• has an individual intolerance to fish and seafood;
• sick with hypertension;
• suffering from dysfunction of the pancreas;
• has liver disease, including hepatitis;
• suffers from kidney disease.

Salmon should also be eaten with caution by mothers who breastfeed babies up to three months of age, because the baby's immature digestive system can react to this product by developing a fulminant allergic reaction, including Quincke's edema.

Another fact that does not speak in favor of the use of salmon can be considered latest research scientists. They indicate that fish such as salmon have recently become more dangerous in many ways than a century ago. The reason for this was the general pollution of the waters and the atmosphere, as well as the use of growth stimulants, antibiotics, hormones and feed with dietary supplements, which occurs in nurseries in which this valuable fish breed is bred.

According to microbiologists and ecologists, of all salmon fish, it is salmon that is most susceptible to the accumulation of heavy metal salts. Some of the studied indicators, for example, the level of contamination of meat with mercury, which can cause muscle collapse in the human body and the disorder of its basic functions, in many of the studied specimens reached a critical value. This applies mostly to wild salmon and especially the one that has reached the age of over five years and has an impressive size.

Whether or not to use salmon in the diet, each person must decide for himself. Although the amount of royal fish that the average consumer can afford to purchase, as well as the frequency of use of this product in the diet, is unlikely to cause significant damage to health.

Red fish, conventionally called "salmon", is considered a genuine delicacy that does not often appear on the tables of ordinary people. There are a huge number of representatives of the salmon family, many of them are distinguished by amazing taste and health benefits. These fish include salmon, trout, sockeye salmon, familiar to us, as well as many others, the appearance and features of which will be described in the article.

General description and features

According to science, salmon are representatives of the salmon order of the class of ray-finned fish.

This family can be divided into three subfamilies:

• salmon proper (7 species);
• whitefish (3 types);
• grayling (1 species).

The first subfamily is, for the most part, predators (some representatives have a mixed diet), differ in large or medium size, small scales and high commercial value. These are trout, chum salmon, salmon, pink salmon, salmon.

Whitefish are smaller in size, covered with larger scales; these include whitefish, omul, valamka, peled, broad and some others. Finally, grayling are inhabitants of fresh water bodies, their distinctive feature is their powerful dorsal fins.

Titles and short description

Let's take a closer look at the list of fish of the salmon family. Let's make a reservation that the fish “salmon” does not exist, this word hides the collective name of several species, so salmon or coho salmon are salmon.

In addition, they include two types of valuable fish:

• pacific (these are coho salmon, chum salmon, salmon, chinook salmon, they spawn once in a lifetime, after which the fish dies);
• noble or real (these are salmon and various types of trout).

The body structure of salmonids resembles those of herring, which is why for a long time they were considered relatives, however, as a result of detailed research, they were singled out into an independent family.

The distinguishing features are as follows:

1. The body is elongated, laterally compressed.
2. A horizontal line runs along the body of most species. There are also spots called nakrat.
3. There are two fins on the back: one with a large number of rays, the other - adipose (non-rayed).
4. Clear eyelids help protect your eyes.
5. Strong jaw with many teeth.

Each salmon species also has its own characteristic features.

Habitat

Representatives of the salmon family are found in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, as well as in the northern seas. So, a rich spawning ground was found in Kamchatka. Most of the species (with the exception of grayling) live in the seas, but they go to spawn in fresh rivers, therefore they are called freshwater (anadromous).

A large number is found in the rivers and lakes of Siberia and Of the Far East and other northern latitudes:

• taimen (Baikal, Yenisei, Amur, Lena, also found in Yakutia);
• grayling (Lake Baikal, Lena, Ob, Yenisei, Amur).

Certain types of salmon (salmon, trout) are bred on special fish farms, especially in Norway.

Features:

The diet of salmon fish species is diverse. Most often, adults feed on small fish, crustaceans, worms, molluscs, squid, sometimes they eat jellyfish. Juveniles use the larvae of aquatic insects and fry for food.

The natural enemies of young salmonids are numerous:

• pike;
• burbot;
• grayling;
• brown trout;
• fish-eating birds (seagulls).

Adults can also become prey for predators such as the bearded seal.

The way of life is anadromous: most of the species live in the seas, and go to spawn in fresh water bodies, most often when they reach the age of 5 years. The life span of most members of the family is about 10 years.

Spawning

For residents of northern latitudes, breeding time comes in mid-September or October, when the water temperature is 0-8 ° C. Salmon of southern waters start spawning in the period from October to January, at a temperature of 3-10 ° C. Females lay eggs in pre-prepared depressions in the ground, the masonry is sprinkled with a mixture of sand and pebbles.

After breeding, fish quickly lose weight, and a very large number of them die. Survivors return to the seas, but can sometimes remain in fresh water until warming. In the spring, young individuals emerge from the eggs, which will spend 1-5 years in the river, after which they will move to rivers or lakes, where they will actively feed and gain weight.

Economic value

Such species as Far Eastern salmon, char, pink salmon, chum salmon, salmon are of commercial importance - their meat is tasty, nutritious and very useful. In addition, salmon caviar is highly valued, which is considered a true delicacy. In the economy of the coastal regions, fishing plays a very important role.

Because of thoughtless fishing, the salmon population fell sharply in the middle of the last century. Therefore, now the issue is strictly regulated: there are restrictions on the catch of marine representatives.

You can catch freshwater salmon, which are objects of amateur and sport hunting. In relation to them, the restrictions are milder, therefore, various grayling and whitefish are desirable prey in the rivers of Siberia.

Fish list and description

There are a huge number of salmon fish, they inhabit both salty and fresh water bodies. Meet the most interesting views.

Salmon

it valuable fishfound in the northern seas, anglers often refer to it as “noble salmon”. Body length can reach 1.5 meters, weight - up to 45 kg. The body is compressed, covered with fine silvery scales, which are very easy to peel off during cooking.

It is born in fresh water. Then it moves to salt water bodies. In the Russian Federation, it occurs in the rivers and lakes of the Kola Peninsula, the White and Baltic Seas, Ladoga, Onega lakes.

For food, salmon uses small fish, crustaceans, larvae. During the spawning period, it practically does not eat anything, and characteristic bright orange or red spots appear on the body. Life expectancy is 13-15 years.

Coho

This is a rather large representative of the salmon family, reaching up to a meter in length and up to 15 kg in weight.

Distinctive features of fish:

• big head;
• broad forehead;
• silvery scales, because of which coho salmon were nicknamed "silver salmon".

Lives in the Pacific Ocean, also found off the coast of Kamchatka, in the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk, off the coast of Sakhalin and in the waters of the United States (states from Alaska to California).

It begins to spawn at the age of 3-4 years, for this it leaves the lakes and seas, goes to the rivers. Like other salmonids, coho salmon acquires a bright red color during the breeding season, and dies after spawning.

Chinook salmon

Another representative is the chinook salmon, which lives in the basins of the Amur and Anadyr rivers, as well as in the Pacific Ocean, on the coasts of the Kuriles, Kamchatka, and the Japanese islands. The weight of the fish is from 15 kg, but sometimes it was possible to catch real giants - up to 30 kg, body length - about a meter, although indicators were recorded and a little more than 2 meters.

It is born in a fresh water body, where it lives until it reaches 2 years of age, after which it goes into the sea, where it actively feeds for 5 years. Then it returns to fresh waters, most often small rivers, for reproduction. It feeds on larvae, insects, small fish and crustaceans, and in the seas it often eats plankton, krill and cephalopods. It has valuable meat, rich in selenium, fluorine, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and fatty acids.

Red salmon

This representative of the Pacific salmon can be up to 80 cm long and weigh up to 4 kg. Found off the coast of Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Alaska, as well as in the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk. The sockeye salmon feeds on calanidae crustaceans, due to the pigment they contain, fish meat is colored in a rich red hue. It begins to reproduce in those places where the fish itself was born. Dies after spawning.

Sockeye meat is considered a dietary product, it can be salted, smoked, baked. Balyk is especially fond of gourmets.

Trout

It has rich red meat and is appreciated for its low calorie content. It can live in both fresh and salt water, depending on the species.

The color of a trout directly depends on the environmental conditions in which it is found:

• if the reservoir is calcareous, then the fish is light, almost white, with a copper sheen;
• in peat lakes, the color is darker.

Trout, which feeds well, is almost uniform in color, but if the diet is poor, then its body is covered with specks.

It is customary to distinguish three types of trout:

• rainbow;
• lake;
• brook.

It uses plankton, insects and their larvae, small fish for food. Lives in small flocks, is known for its caution.

Pink salmon

It does not differ in impressive dimensions, the maximum can be 70 cm, the average weight is about 2 kg. Most often, pink salmon is found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic, but for reproduction it enters Siberian rivers. Another name for the fish is pink salmon, it stuck because of the specific color of the tender and tasty meat.

Pink salmon looks very beautiful:

• blue-green or bluish back;
• silvery sides;
• white belly.

During the spawning period, the color of the pink salmon scales changes to pale gray. Life expectancy is up to 3 years, after reproduction dies.

Chum

This is an anadromous fish that is caught on an industrial scale in the Far East. It features a conical head with small eyes and a compressed elongated body. It is very similar to pink salmon, but has larger scales. Approaching spawning, chum salmon acquires a black color. In this form, it is called catfish, it is not suitable for human food, but it can be used for feeding dogs.

It is customary to distinguish two types of chum salmon:

• summer, the average length of which is no more than 80 cm;
• autumn, it can be up to a meter long.

It feeds its weight in the seas for up to 2-3 years, after which it gathers in large flocks and moves to rivers for spawning.

Whitefish

It is found in clean water bodies saturated with oxygen, rarely sinks to the bottom or rises to the surface, preferring to stay in the water column. Weight up to 6 kg, average body length 60-80 cm.

Whitefish is silvery with dark fins. It belongs to schooling fish, begins to spawn in November, for this it moves to shoals overgrown with coastal plants. A distinctive feature of whitefish is white meat.

Other types

There are a lot of salmon fish. These include the following:

1. Brown trout... It is an anadromous fish found in the Baltic, Black and White Seas. Body length - up to 45 cm, weight - about 3.5 kg, but there are also more impressive individuals - 6-7 kg.
2. Neyma... A representative of the whitefish subfamily that prefers cold fresh waters. Length about 1.2 meters, weight - 30 kg. It is appreciated for its delicious dietary meat.
3. Lenok... In appearance it is similar to whitefish, but it has a darker color. It is produced on an industrial scale in the Far East.
4. Grayling... His appearance this inhabitant of the seas is not at all like other salmonids, has a large dorsal fin, decorated with specks, large scales, and thanks to various shades it looks very beautiful and elegant. The pectoral and pelvic fins of the grayling are yellow, the tail is crimson.

These are the main representatives of the salmon family.

Beneficial features

The commercial value of salmonids is primarily due to the high nutritional value these fish, whose meat is rich in vitamins and macro- and microelements (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron), as well as necessary for a person fatty acids. At the same time, it is non-nutritive, therefore it can be included in the dietary system, helps to strengthen the immune system, increases the efficiency of the brain, and is a powerful prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Salmon

This fish should definitely be included in the diet of everyone who cares about their health.

It is very useful:

1. Due to the melatonin it contains, it helps naturally rejuvenate the body.
2. Stimulates the work of the central nervous system.
3. Reduces the content of bad cholesterol.
4. Favorably affects the productivity of the brain.

It is important to remember that the most valuable is the fish that is caught in natural conditions, and not grown artificially.

Pink salmon

In addition to the above useful properties, inherent in salmon in general, pink salmon helps cleanse the body of toxins and toxins, fights bone diseases and is considered a means of preventing osteoporosis. It is rich in amino acids, so after a meal you can forget about hunger for a long time.

Contraindications

Despite the usefulness of salmon, there are certain categories of people who are contraindicated in eating fish:

• suffering from an allergic reaction to fish products;
• with gastrointestinal problems (especially stomach ulcers, pancreatitis);
• with pathologies of the kidneys and liver, urinary system;
• with individual intolerance to phosphorus and iodine.

Also note that fish should not be abused, it will bring benefits to the body only in case of moderation.

Breastfeeding mothers are advised to give up red fish until the baby is six months old, since the product can cause a strong allergic reaction in him. Prior to introducing salmon into complementary foods, you must obtain medical approval.

Cooking use

Salmon meat is considered a valuable and tasty product, most often it is eaten after heat treatment, however, some fish breeds also allow salting and drying. The meat has a beautiful reddish-pink hue, and the presence of beneficial fatty acids is greater in those species that lived in cold waters.

The best side dishes are potatoes, boiled rice, vegetables. Sweet and sour sauces perfectly enhance the taste.

Fresh fish should be cleaned of scales, gutted, rinsed, and then dried with a towel. The frozen product should be left in cold salted water for defrosting.

Suitable seasonings for salmon are:

• dill (fresh, frozen);
• thyme;
• basil;
• pink pepper.

Frying

Simple but very delicious recipe cooking red fish in a frying pan.

Procedure:

1. Cut the carcass into pieces, salt and season. Can be rolled in flour.
2. Fry in a preheated skillet for 5 minutes on each side.

Serve with potatoes, vegetables.

Roasting in foil

Procedure:

1. Prepare the carcass (peel, rinse, salt, season).
2. Lay foil on a baking sheet.
3. Place a layer of onion sliced \u200b\u200binto rings.
4. Place the fish.
5. Cover with foil.
6. Place in the oven. Temperature 210 °, cooking time - 20 minutes.
7. Open the foil for a crispy crust, then bake for another 5 minutes.

A tasty and healthy dish is ready.

Salting

Both fresh and frozen fish are suitable for this option.

Procedure:

1. Prepare the carcass, cut it into pieces of the required size.
2. Rub the fish with a mixture of salt and sugar.
3. Place the fillets in a glass container under pressure.
4. Place in the refrigerator, in the freshness zone, for a day. After that, the product is ready for use.

For 1 kg of fish you need 3 tablespoons. salt and 2 tbsp. Sahara.

Video

The following video shows a simple recipe for making red fish soup:

You will find an original and delicious recipe for a spicy breakfast with red fish in this video.

This video will help you to properly clean any salmon and prepare it for further processing.

The variety of marine life can surprise people. Today, several thousand species of fish are known to be found in the seas and oceans. Against this background, one species stands apart, which belongs to the salmon. This is because the fish in this family are not completely marine. After all, part of their life takes place in the seas, and the other in rivers.

Origin and description

Salmon belong to the group that appeared a long time ago: according to some sources, its ancestors originated on Earth millions of years ago. Although they took their current form much later. It is believed that about fifty species belong to this family.

Salmon can even be up to two meters long. At the same time, there are also species that are quite small - only twenty or thirty centimeters. The weight of this fish is also a serious indicator. For example, such types of salmon as taimen or salmon can reach seventy kilograms.

Their structure is as close as possible to herring. The laterally compressed body is distinguished by the presence of a lateral line. On the middle part of the belly, there are multi-ray fins, while there are no spiny rays on the pectorals. The characteristic of salmon is the spots, which are its “calling card”. Indeed, even the name itself, which has an Indo-European root, means “to be covered with specks”.

Kinds

This family includes quite a few varieties. Among them is the river or, for example, the Sevan ishkhan, the Atlantic one, a striking representative of which is the Siberian salmon, the loach, and, of course, the Pacific or Far Eastern salmon - pink salmon, chum salmon, etc.

Salmon species also differ in life expectancy. This is due to the unequal time of their freshwater period of existence. Hence the difference between species - in a complex and sharply simplified age structure. Salmon is a fish that easily changes its lifestyle, its appearance and color, which changes depending on conditions.

The meat of this marine life tastes great, which is why many types of salmon have become fishing targets.

Pacific salmon

This variety in our country is known under a different name. This is Far Eastern salmon. His family includes six representatives, which die after spawning. Most often, Far Eastern salmon in Russia is found in Kamchatka, the Kuriles and off Sakhalin Island. Far Eastern salmon are monocyclic. This fish dies soon after spawning in fresh water.

Far Eastern salmon is found throughout the northern Pacific Ocean, including the Sea of \u200b\u200bJapan, as well as the Okhotsk Sea and the Bering Sea. It does not form large clusters and stays in the upper layers, as a rule, up to ten meters depth. Salmon food is very diverse. It can be small and its juveniles, crustaceans, pteropods, small squids, worms, sometimes even jellyfish and comb jellies. Fish from the genus of the Far Eastern in the marine period of life is covered with silvery, easily falling scales. At the same time, there are no teeth on the jaws.

It is an anadromous genus that spawns in and feeds in the sea. Six different representatives are known - these are pink salmon, red salmon, chum salmon, chinook salmon, coho salmon and sima. Far Eastern salmon spawn only once in their entire short life, dying after spawning.

Spawning grounds

Sexually mature males and females of the same age "put on" a mating outfit. They acquire a special body shape and color. For spawning, they choose mainly deep-water areas of rivers, where there is a fast current. Far Eastern salmon like chinook salmon use quite specific places for spawning. This can be a place in front of a roll, which has sufficient depth, and in front of a fast flow of water, especially in the upper reaches of rivers in Kamchatka.

During spawning, the Far Eastern salmon can also enter lakes with sandy-pebble soil with a well-defined under-channel flow. Pink salmon and chum salmon breed in small tributaries or upper reaches of rivers, choosing areas downstream.

Spawning features

During migration to spawning grounds, this fish does not feed. It exists solely due to the reserve accumulated in the muscles, therefore it is extremely depleted on the way.

During spawning, the Far Eastern salmon buries fertilized eggs in the ground, so they lay them in places where the bottom is not silted, but covered with pebbles or gravel. The female, surrounded by one or more males, holds her head against the current, scattering the ground with strong movements of the tail. After spawning, mass death salmon. The most emaciated individuals die already at the place of spawning, while others are carried by the current, where they die on the way to the mouth.

Often the bottom and river banks are literally covered with dead fish. In the Far East, this phenomenon is called "snacks". Crows, seagulls and all sorts of animals, including bears, gather for such abundant food.

Pink salmon

This is the most numerous representative of the Far Eastern salmon. Pink salmon is somewhat different from other varieties. For example, its last fin has round black spots, while the caudal peduncle is much thicker. In addition, pink salmon are relatively small in size. This fish rarely grows more than eighty centimeters in length, and weighs up to five and a half kilograms.

Chum

In terms of numbers, this representative of the Far Eastern salmon is in the second place after pink salmon. However, the chum salmon differs in that it does not have spots in body color. In addition, entering rivers for spawning practically does not lead to its striking external differences related to mating season... However, the dimensions of the chum salmon are somewhat larger: the length is up to one meter, and the mass is up to fifteen kilograms.

"Noble" kind

This most famous salmon - salmon - reaches a length of one and a half meters, and in weight - up to almost forty kilograms. The meat of this fish is highly valued, especially when it is already fat before spawning. This species spends most of its life in the sea. For example, this salmon in Karelia, where it is found in the Onega or Ladoga lakes, can form a separate subspecies. At the same time, salmon prefers to stay close to the coast in the sea.

It has an oblong body with very small silvery scales. The back is usually darker with a bluish tinge. The fins are rather short: the dorsal and caudal fins are gray with a brownish tint, and the rest are light. The head of the salmon is somewhat elongated, with many strong teeth in its wide mouth. Atlantic salmon, or salmon, like all other members of the species, has a characteristic adipose fin.

Lenok

This fish is represented by two pronounced forms - blunt and sharp-snouted. They differ not only in their appearance, but also in food preferences. For example, blunt-nosed ones prefer to feed only on insect larvae, while sharp-nosed ones prefer rodents.

Far Eastern salmon lenok is widespread in Siberia and in the Far East in lakes and rivers. There is a lot of it in Mongolia, as well as in Western Korea and China. West of the Urals it is not. Lenok prefers cold fast rivers, especially their upper reaches.

Large specimens live alone, those that are smaller gather in a few flocks. Lenok grows up to six to seven kilograms and ninety centimeters in length.

It is growing at a slow pace. The shape of its body is similar to a whitefish - with small, but dense scales, lumpy in appearance. The color of the lenok expresses the living conditions of this fish: on the back and sides there is a dark brown color with numerous dark spots. The abdomen is light.

At the onset of spawning maturity, red specks appear on the lateral parts of the body. Lenok can live up to fifteen years, reaching sexual maturity by the fifth year. This salmon spawns at a depth of one and a half meters in May or June.

Taimen

This subspecies is found in almost all big rivers and lakes in Altai, the Far East and Siberia. Taimen is a predator that grows up to one meter in length and weighs up to sixty kilograms. Among other representatives, this fish from the genus of Far Eastern salmon is a long-liver, lives up to fifty-five years.

Small specimens have up to ten transverse dark stripes on the sides, as well as dark x-shaped spots. During the spawning period, the body of the taimen turns copper-red.

This salmon lives exclusively in clean water and is considered an ideal predator. He eats fish, although sometimes he is not averse to having a snack and rats, squirrels, mice swimming across the river.

Taimen is not an object for fishing. He never moves in a pack, living in deep channels or under rifts in pairs or alone. The most catchy habitats of large taimen are the basin of Lake Baikal, Yenisei, Lena. In the mountain rivers of the south of Siberia and the north of the Sayan, large specimens are very rarely caught. Moreover, for many kilometers around such large cities as Yakutsk, Ulan-Ude, etc. taimen has not been found for a long time. The meat quality of this fish improves towards the north.

Atlantic salmon

The lifestyle of this family is practically no different from that of the Pacific or Far Eastern salmon. This species includes the Baltic, Caspian and Black Sea varieties, as well as salmon, trout that lives in streams and lakes, and trout. The latter, in particular, prefers to live in the northern seas, although it is distinguished by a great attachment to fresh water. Even when this species of Atlantic salmon is found in sea areas, it continues to stay close to the coast. As for the trout, experts believe that it descended from the brown trout. This is also due to their external similarity.

Whitefish (Latin Stenodus leucichthys) - belongs to the group of whitefish, from the salmon family (Salmonidae). Nelma, which is found in the Northern Dvina, Pechora, Ob and others northern rivers, is, perhaps, a kind of white fish. One of the largest whitefish, reaching 100-120 cm in length and up to 15 kg in weight and more. Sexual dimorphism is poorly expressed, the male [...]

Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) is distinguished by small scales; its body is painted in a silvery color in the sea, and there are many small dark specks on the caudal fin. In the river, the color changes: dark spots cover the back, sides and head, by the time of spawning, the head and fins become almost black, and the whole body becomes brown, except for the belly, which remains white. The proportions change especially strongly [...]

Chum salmon (lat. Oncorhynchus keta) One of the most widespread representatives of the Pacific salmon. In Primorye, it is found everywhere from the Tumannaya River to the northeastern coast, in the rivers of which, (Edinka, Kabanyu and others) in last years chum salmon, after a long break, regularly comes in for breeding. The total area covers the entire North Pacific Ocean. At sea, before entering the rivers, it has a silvery [...]

Coho salmon (lat.Oncorhynchus kisutch) - large fish, reaches a length of 98 cm, a weight of 14 kg. Coho salmon are distinguished from other salmon by their bright silvery scales (hence the Japanese and American names - "silver salmon" and our old - "white fish"). Belongs to the salmon family, a genus of Far Eastern salmon. Along the Asian coast, it lives from the Anadyr River along the Kamchatka [...]

Kilets (C. albula infraspecies kiletz Michailovsky). A very rare deep-water lake fish that lives in Russia only in Lake Onega. In summer, the kilts are kept at a depth where the water temperature does not exceed + 7 °. The weight of an adult specimen can reach 1 kg. In Lake Onega, kilts is found only in the southern - wide part, mainly near the western coast; in the northern lips [...]

Lenok (lat. Brachymystax lenok) - freshwater fish the salmon family. The genus contains only one species, but there are two pronounced forms - sharp-nosed and blunt-nosed. Distributed in the rivers and mountain lakes of Siberia and the Far East, China, Mongolia and also in Western Korea, west of the Urals is not found. Prefers fast cold rivers, mainly their headwaters. It keeps in small flocks, [...]

Muksun (Coregonus muksun) has 44 to 72 stamens. This is a semi-anadromous whitefish feeding in the freshened coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean, from where it spawns in the Kara, Ob, Yenisei, Lena and Kolyma, without rising, however, high. Muksun in the sea feeds on amphipods, mysids and sea cockroaches. Occasionally, it reaches more than 13 kg in weight, its usual weight is 1-2 kg. […]

Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) is a fish of the salmon family. In length, representatives of this species reach 80 cm, weight up to 3 kg. The sockeye salmon resembles a chum salmon in size and body shape, the easiest way to distinguish these species is by the number of gill rakers on the first branchial arch: chum salmon have them from 18 to 28, and sockeye salmon always have more than 30. Sexually mature [...]

Salmon, or atlantic salmon,or landlocked salmon (Salmo salar) belongs to the class of fish-finned fish, the order salmonids, the salmon family, the genus salmon and has no subspecies.

Salmon (Atlantic salmon) - description and characteristics

The salmon has a long laterally compressed body, covered with silvery, easily exfoliating small round scales with a comb edge. A small adipose fin located opposite the anal and posterior dorsal fins is a characteristic feature indicating that the Atlantic salmon belongs to the genus of salmon. The pelvic fins, located in the middle part of the body, have more than 6 rays. The pectoral fins of the salmon are well below the midline. Both paired and single fins are devoid of spiny rays, and there is an angular notch in the tail.

Mouth salmon fish framed by short maxillary and long maxillary bones. The eyes are provided with transparent eyelids. In juveniles, unlike sexually mature fish, teeth are fragile and there is no characteristic hook on the lower jaw, and in the upper there is a corresponding notch for it. Above the lateral line on the body of the Atlantic salmon there are spots that resemble the letter X.

Salmon live up to 13-15 years. Salmon weight can reach 43 kg, and body length is often 1.5 m.

Colour salmon scales depends on the age of the fish:

• young representatives are distinguished by a dark color, with clearly distinguished transverse spots
• adults have a belly colored in white color, green or bluish back and silvery sides
• in spawning salmon females, the color acquires a bronze tint, on which red spots are visible

Where does salmon (landlocked salmon) live?

Salmon is a diadromous fish that is born in fresh water. As a result of age-related mutations, it migrates to salt water bodies, in which it lives for almost the rest of its life. Therefore, its habitat is very wide. Atlantic salmon is found both in the waters of the North Atlantic and in the Arctic Ocean, freshwater bodies of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Finland. On the territory of the Russian Federation, salmon lives in the lakes and rivers of the Kola Peninsula and Karelia, the waters of the Baltic and Of the White Seas, in the Onega and Ladoga lakes.

What does salmon (Atlantic salmon) eat?

The diet of salmon fish depends on age. Youngsters living in rivers or lakes, up to the age of five, first feed on plankton, various larvae and insects, adding crustaceans, shells and small fish to the menu as they grow older. After moving to the sea for walking, the main food of adult fish is sprat, capelin, herring, smelt and herring.

Spawning of salmon, Atlantic salmon

Salmon reaches sexual maturity at the age of 5-6 years. Having walked in sea or ocean waters a sufficient amount of fat reserves, starting from September to November, sexually mature individuals of Atlantic salmon are sent to spawn in places located in the upper or middle reaches of rivers with a winter water temperature from 0 0 to 3 0 C. The best place for it facilities are rapids with a spring feed and a bottom consisting of sandy-pebble soil.

In a shallow but long groove dug by the tail, the female salmon lays from 6 to 26 thousand eggs, which are fertilized by the male salmon. After that, the masonry is covered with sand and pebbles. At the end of the salmon spawning, which can last up to 14 days, the fish slide downstream. The fry begin to appear only towards the end of winter, grow rather slowly, reaching only 12-15 cm in length by the age of one year.

Unlike Pacific salmon, which spawn only once, Atlantic salmon can return to spawn multiple times. Nevertheless, most individuals spawn no more than 1-2 times.

Breeding and growing salmon

The growing need for gourmet and delicious salmon meat has led entrepreneurs to develop ways of artificially growing this fish in marine cages. Norway and Chile are particularly successful in this industry. The methods used on fish farms make it possible to achieve an unprecedented increase in one year and to grow mature five-kilogram fish from a twenty-centimeter fry. Due to the high cost of the technology for growing Atlantic salmon in the Russian Federation, artificial breeding is not yet widespread.

Salmon - useful properties

Salmon is very tasty and healthy fish... Its meat contains many vitamins and minerals: calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iodine, fluorine, vitamins D, A and B. Atlantic salmon is very rich in protein and is more nutritious than white fish. Salmon contains many omega-3 fatty acids, which have a positive effect on the human cardiovascular system. These unsaturated fats are extremely beneficial. Fish fat salmon lowers blood cholesterol levels. Eating this fish improves vision and brain function, improves blood circulation, liver function and gastrointestinal tract, vascular and nervous system, improves mood and immunity, reduces the risk of thrombosis, reduces psoriasis symptoms, relieves asthma symptoms.

• Salmon fish smells their native river at a distance of 800 kilometers from the mouth.
• During spawning, salmon lays from 6,000 to 26,000 eggs. After spawning, the fish lose half of their weight.