Salmon Collection
Wild Caught Salmon
Not only is wild caught salmon the best tasting, but wild salmon is the best-looking salmon, and it's healthier for you too.
You can buy salmon that is either wild-caught or farmed. But which type of salmon is healthier?
Wild caught salmon, otherwise known as Pacific salmon, comes from the cold waters off of Alaska. Wild Alaska salmon is better for several reasons. Wild salmon tends to have a better balance of omega 3's to omega 6's, which is healthier for you and your family than that of farmed salmon. Alaska salmon feeds on its natural diet of small fish and crustaceans giving its meat that beautiful pinkish-red color.
Whereas farmed salmon is often fed additives and dyes to create a similar color in its flesh. Wild Alaskan salmon raised in its natural habitat is also higher in minerals such as zinc, iron, and potassium.
Knowing that wild caught salmon is better for you is just the beginning. Salmon has become a favorite among seafood eaters because of its versatility, flavor, and superior nutrition. There are several different types of wild-caught salmon, and each variety has unique characteristics that you should know when choosing your flavors and recipes.
The next time you buy salmon, go prepared with everything you need to know about buying wild-caught salmon.
What Are the Different Varieties of Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon?
You already know that wild-caught is the best salmon to buy, but did you know that there are several varieties of salmon fish?
Nik Name | Scientific Name | Life Cycle | Price per Pound | |
Coho Salmon | Sliver | Oncorhynchus kisutch | 2 -3 Year |
$16.50 |
Sockeye Salmon | Red | Oncorhynchus nerka | 4 - 5 year |
$19.00 |
Chum Salmon | Dog | Oncorhynchus keta | 4 - 7 year |
$14.50 |
Chinook Salmon | King | Oncorhynchus tshawytscha | 3-8 year |
$27.50 |
Pink Salmon | Humpy | Oncorhynchus gorbuscha | 2 years |
$7.99 |
What Does Wild Salmon Taste Like?
The three most significant differences in the different varieties of wild salmon fillets are the:
- Taste
- Fat Content
- Fillet Color
Sockeye Salmon:
Sockeye salmon is also called red salmon. Sockeye salmon is a common variety of salmon that you find on restaurant menus and in fish markets. Sockeye salmon is higher in Omega 3 fatty acids and is an oilier type of salmon. Sockeye salmon has a slightly denser fillet, but the fish's excess oils give the salmon fillets a smooth buttery texture. Sockeye salmon fillets are known for their bright, impressive color and presentation when cooked. Sockeye salmon is popular for homemade sushi.
Sockeye salmon has 7 grams of fat per 3oz fillet.
Alaskan King Salmon:
King salmon, also known as Chinook salmon, is the largest and oiliest variety of salmon. Chinook salmon can reach weights of up to 100lbs! King salmon is famed for its superior oil content making its fillets smooth, buttery, and flavorful. King salmon is best cooked using harsher cooking methods such as grilling. Grilled king salmon is a staple on the menus at high-end seafood restaurants.
Chinook or king salmon has 11 grams of fat per 3oz fillet.
Coho Salmon:
Also known as Silver salmon, Coho salmon is a leaner variety of salmon. Fewer oils in this salmon lend itself to milder flavor and often softer color of its fillets. Because coho salmon has less fat content, it's easier to overcook and dry out. Coho salmon is best for gentler cooking methods such as poaching, baking, or grilling in a tin foil pouch with herbs and citrus.
Coho Salmon has 6 grams of fat per 3oz fillet.
Pink Salmon:
Pink salmon is the smallest variety of Pacific salmon. It's very mild flavor, and lean fillet are excellent choices for beginner seafood eaters or even parents looking to introduce salmon into their children's' diets. Pink salmon is best for smoked salmon or canned salmon. Pink salmon is best when marinated with citrus and herbs or other strong flavors to keep the fillets moist and flavorful.
We recommend that you brine pink salmon before smoking. Pink salmon is also perfect for making salmon patties or salmon burgers.
Pink Salmon has 5 grams of fat per 3oz fillet.
Keta Salmon (Chum Salmon)
Keta salmon or chum salmon used to have a bad reputation for eating, but its reputation has improved as cooking methods have improved for keta salmon. Keta or chum salmon is mild in flavor and texture and can quickly dry out while cooking.
Keta stands up well to a variety of flavors and cooking methods because of its firm texture and mild salmon flavor. Pair keta salmon with spice and heat, such as blackened salmon or chili lime salmon. Great for baking or grilling, keta is an affordable salmon choice for people looking to add more healthy seafood into their diets.
Chum salmon is also an excellent choice for making seafood stews and chowders.
Keta salmon has 3 grams of fat per 3 oz fillet.
Salmon Health Benefits:
While sockeye and king salmon might be higher in fat content, salmon fish oil is the source of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. The Omega 3's in salmon can:
- Help support your cardiovascular system
- Lower your blood pressure
- Fight against depression and anxiety
- Support eye health
- Support brain health in children and infants
- Improve cholesterol levels
- Fight inflammation
- Improve your sleep
- Promote soft and healthy skin
- Fight Cancer
Adding salmon to your diet once or twice a week is an excellent way to improve your health!
Salmon Calories:
The calories in salmon vary depending on the variety of wild-salmon you choose. King Salmon will have higher calories than pink or chum salmon because of its higher oil content. Don't stress over the calories in salmon too much. Salmon is a high protein choice of fish, and those oils are beneficial to your health!
Calories in Salmon:
- King Salmon: 195 calories in 3oz
- Sockeye Salmon: 144 calories in 3oz
- Coho Salmon: 150 calories in 3oz
- Pink Salmon: 129 calories in 3oz
- Keta Salmon: 105 calories in 3oz
What Makes Wild Caught Salmon Red?
Wild salmon feed on a high in shrimp and krill diet—both of these prey turn salmon's skin, flesh, and even their eggs an orangish-red color. Larger varieties of salmon tend to have a deeper hue than smaller varieties of salmon. Farmed salmon don't feed on the same diet as their wild counterparts. Farmed salmon fillets would be an unappealing grey or whitish flesh if farmers didn't provide chemical additives that caused their fillets to take on the signature pink color.
What is the Best Way to Cook Salmon Fillets?
Salmon and its higher oil content make it a perfect contender for a variety of cooking methods. Wild salmon varieties are ideal for harsher cooking methods using more direct heat.
Ways to Cook Salmon:
- Grilled
- Pan-seared
- Poached
- Baked
- Baked or grilled in foil pouches
- Smoked
When you find wild Alaskan salmon for sale, don't be afraid to buy skin on or even buy whole salmon for sale. The salmon skin is edible, healthy, and delicious!
Ways to Buy Salmon Near Me
When looking for Alaska salmon for sale, there are a few different ways to buy wild salmon. By knowing what variety of wild salmon, you are looking for, you can be better prepared to decide when you find salmon on sale.
Ways to Buy Wild Caught Salmon for Sale:
- Whole Wild Sockeye Salmon
- Salmon Fillets
- Sushi Grade Alaskan Salmon for sale
- Flash Frozen Salmon
- Salmon Steaks: Thick-cut salmon steaks, usually with skin on
- Salmon Tail: Thinnest part of the fillet.
- Second Cut Salmon: Widest and most versatile cut
- Belly: Fattiest part of the king salmon, perfect for roasting or grilling
- Salmon Nuggets
- Salmon Collar: First cut after the head, excellent for grilling or searing.
When eating salmon, be sure to watch for the pin bones; they can sneak up on you. The bones and skin are left in with canned salmon increasing the nutritional value, especially omega 3's, calcium, and collagen from the skin.
We offer four different varieties of salmon online:
- King Salmon: 8oz fillets
- Chum Salmon: 8oz fillets
- Sockeye Salmon: 8oz fillets
- Coho (silver) Salmon: 8oz fillets
When you buy Alaska salmon online from Global Seafoods, you can rest assured that you are getting the freshest, healthiest, and most sustainably caught Alaskan salmon for sale. Our salmon fillets for sale come from our trusted fishers who use sustainable practices ensuring you will continue to find salmon on sale with Global Seafoods for years to come.
If you're unsure which salmon sale you want to buy, look for our Bristol Bay Salmon Sampler that comes with Sockeye, Chum, and Coho salmon. You and your family can enjoy all three varieties and decide which one is your favorite for your next order.
We make it so you don’t have to wait for the next salmon fish sale at your local seafood market.
At Global Seafoods, we make it easy to find salmon for sale online anytime you're craving this seafood delicacy. We are so confident that we offer the very best wild Alaskan salmon for sale that we even provide you with a full money-back guarantee. If you don't like our salmon fillets, you can send them back for a full refund.
Does Salmon Freeze Well?
Salmon can be frozen and is best if flash-frozen quickly at peak freshness. Our wild caught salmon fillets are flash-frozen as soon as they are caught and processed to ensure the best flavor, texture, and quality. Our salmon fillets ship to you over dry ice, so they remain frozen until they reach your door for you to store in your freezer.
Salmon cannot be frozen, thawed, and then refrozen. The refreezing process ruins the texture, flavor, and color of the salmon fillets. Having perfected our processing and distribution process guarantees the freshness of your favorite wild salmon fillets.
How to Thaw Salmon:
Once you receive your shipment of wild-caught Alaskan salmon fillets from Global Seafoods, it's best if you place them in your freezer right away. When you are ready to enjoy salmon for dinner, put the salmon in your fridge in the morning, and the fillet should be ready for cooking by dinner time. When learning how to defrost salmon, don't worry if your fillets are partially frozen when you're ready to cook them. You can cook partially frozen salmon. To speed up the thawing process, soak your salmon fillets in a bowl of cold water.
Additional Questions:
What is Keta salmon?
Keta salmon, also known as chum salmon, is a smaller variety of salmon. Keta salmon is one of the most common types of salmon found in the Pacific Ocean. Chum salmon takes on the flavors of your marinade or seasoning beautifully and is an excellent choice for grilling or even smoking salmon. Many new salmon eaters prefer keta or chum salmon for its mild flavor and firm texture.
Is it safe to buy Alaska salmon online?
Buying frozen seafood online is often safer than buying seafood at the store because we flash freeze our seafood to guarantee the freshest taste and texture possible. When you buy fresh seafood at the store, you have no way of knowing how old that seafood is.
Here at Global Seafoods, we've worked diligently to establish and maintain relationships with the very best fishers worldwide, especially in the Northern Pacific Alaskan waters. We ensure that our fishers use sustainable fishing practices so that we can continue to offer you the very best and healthiest wild seafood our oceans provide.