The pros: Trader Joe's Fresh Atlantic Salmon is farm-raised salmon in reasonably sized pieces available at Trader Joe's. This is one of two refrigerated options: wild and farm-raised.
The cons: Color is added to this. That makes me wonder what color this might actually is before the color is added. Not as cheap as getting it from Costco, but certainly not sold in the same quantity.
The verdict: More often then not, I get my fish from a local H-Mart that is located near the Trader Joe's where I frequent. If you don't have an H-Mart near you, then all it is is an Asian grocery chain here in the Northeast. The fish there couldn't be fresher as you can't even smell the department.
This time I just did not feel like making a second stop. You see the weather here in the northeast has just been terrible lately. We should be in Spring, but we've now been hit by four different storms with very little Spring-like weather to speak of. I just don't want to get in and out of my car more than once in this weather.
Since I am the only fish eater in the household, I wasn't going to make the extra stop on this particular week. So after trying Trader Joe's Wild Salmon, I opted for the more visually familiar fish: the farm-raised.
This is visually much different from the wild salmon and tastes quite different as well. If you are a skilled home cook, then absolutely reach for the wild salmon. It is much leaner as it has a much different taste to it. If you are looking for a more familiar flavor of salmon, then this is a solid option.
This is a more peach-colored fish rather than the deep red orange-hued wild salmon. I'm not sure why there is coloring in this, but it is mentioned in the ingredients. If you are a less experienced cook, on a budget, or you have a tendency to overcook your fish out of fear that it might be underdone then this is for you.
The package says you can BBQ, pan-fry, or broil this, but it can also be baked or even slow roasted. Because farm raised is much fattier, this will be far more forgiving. It is easy to dry out the wild salmon, whereas this has almost zebra-like stripes of fat to prevent dry meat.
This is the classic salmon flavor that you would expect. The package is pretty well sealed in case you do find the need to freeze this. For $9.39 or $9.99 per pound, this isn't cheaply priced, but it is fairly priced. This was a quality piece of fish. It's sold in a reasonable size for a smaller household.
Here is the visual rundown of what you get if you buy this product:
The package of Trader Joe's Fresh Atlantic Salmon:
The nutritional information and the ingredient:
After being baked with some butter, salt, and pepper you get:
Or if you are feeling adventurous, then try my Salmon Meuneire recipe.
Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Fresh Atlantic Salmon again. Whether you choose this or the Wild Salmon both are solid options.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Salmon get their color from the marine arthropods they eat. Farmed salmon have this added to their feed otherwise they would be a grayish-white. Responsible farms source this color from natural sources, but there is alot of salmon out there of dubious quality. I assume TJ's is sourcing from good farms, but I've only had their wild salmon.
Thank you sooo much for the really solid insight. I don't think the average consumer would know that. I really appreciate you stopping by and adding that!
I tried the bbq cut (it's already cut into 4 pieces) of the same product and we love it! I have bought it 5 or 6 times. It's just the right amount for us. I like to sear it skin side up in a cast iron skillet and then put it in the oven for another 6 minutes. It has a nice crust on top and it's delicious!
I saw those too. Glad to know theyre pretty much the same. Thanks so much for coming by and sharing your thoughts!
I kept mine in the refrigerator I bought it two weeks ago is it still good
Hi Andrea! I live by the rule when in doubt throw it out. I wish I could be of more help.
I absolutely love this Salmon. It really melts in your mouth, especially if you marinate it overnight. I’ve been marinading it with mustard bbq sauce and as weird as it sounds, it’s so delicious!
Thanks for sharing!