More often than not, I get my fish from a local H-Mart that is located near 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. Depending on the weather we can get cool days and making multiple grocery stops is ok. But some spring days quickly turn into summer where the clock is ticking to get the frozen items home before they defrost.
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 tend to overcook your fish out of fear that it might be underdone, 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. This isn't cheaply priced at $9.99 per pound, but it is fairly priced. This was a quality piece of fish. It's sold in a reasonable size for a smaller household.
Would I buy this again? Yes, Trader Joe's Fresh Atlantic Salmon is a regular purchase in my household and saves me from going to a separate grocery store.
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!
Trader Joe's Fresh Atlantic Salmon
Product Name: Trader Joe's Fresh Atlantic Salmon
Product Description: Trader Joe's Fresh Atlantic Salmon is a solid farm-raised fresh fish option in the refrigerated case of Trader Joe's.
Price: $9.99
Summary
If you are looking for a quick and easy dinner and aren't near a solid fish market then this is one of the best farm-raised salmon I've tried.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Packaging keeps this fresh
- Makes for a quick dinner with little effort
- Can be frozen in its packaging for use for a later date
Cons
- For some, only wild will cut it. And yes, Trader Joe's Wild Salmon is solid as well.
buyingseafood says
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.
becomebetty says
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!
Karen G says
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!
becomebetty says
I saw those too. Glad to know theyre pretty much the same. Thanks so much for coming by and sharing your thoughts!
Andrea says
I kept mine in the refrigerator I bought it two weeks ago is it still good
becomebetty says
Hi Andrea! I live by the rule when in doubt throw it out. I wish I could be of more help.
Roune' says
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!
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing!
Luminosity says
Betty, you discuss the differences between the TJ's "farm-raised" salmon and the TJ's "wild" salmon but the true difference is that this "farm-raised" salmon is Atlantic salmon and the aforementioned "wild" salmon is one of the 5 Pacific/Alaskan salmon species. They are completely different fish.
Steve says
The T J Atlantic wild Salmon is farm raised. That's why they add color. Also there is no more wild salmon in the Atlantic,
it's been fished out. I am never buying the T J salmon again. Farmed raised Salmon is not a good choice, it contains too many harmful substances .
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Steve.
Sarah says
Apparently there are different types of farm raised fishing methods. The recirculating water tanks is better and there is less disease and toxins. But how do you know which farm raised methods are used on TJ's fish. My son saw a documentary Seaspiracy and was appauled at the farming methods. I love TJs salmon and it is cheaper that fresh plus other issues with that too. Would love to know how to find out what farming methods are used by TJs.
becomebetty says
I think that question can only be answered by Trader Joe's directly. Thanks for sharing!
Lyn says
I don't like that there is dye in the norweigen salmon. I don't like the wild version as it's a bit dense in texture and tastes a bit fishier. I wish they would not add the color. Even if they say it comes from krill or other 'natural' sources. The word 'natural' is a cover for many additives.
becomebetty says
Hi Lyn! Unfortunately, farm raised salmon wouldn't look like salmon to most of us if we saw it. It would likely be grey in color and many consumers wouldn't take well to a grey colored salmon. But I totally agree with you.