I didn't want to interrupt ArtieS's thread on salmon recipes as I have further questions about the cooking of salmon.

1)Why are we cooking our salmon past 125℉ internal temp?
If you do a search for "internal temp. for cooked salmon", only a USDA site would tell you to go to 145℉.
Most will tell you that's overdone and will result in a dry filet.
Having been a student here at Sigforum, my THERMOWORKS instant read thermometers have given me very moist salmon filets w/ just salt and pepper, a little lemon, cooked to 125℉ at the thickest part.

2)So I wonder, are the other ingredients meant to counter that dryness?
Moving on.

3)There's a rather large lake an hour to the west of me that is fresh water. Many rivers and streams lead to it. They are known to have salmon in them. https://www.planetware.com/usa...o-know-us-mi-111.htm
Now, if you know anything about sushi, which I don't know much about, fresh water fish don't make good sushi because w/o the saline environment of an ocean, you can get the vurms from eating raw fresh water fish. 125℉ doesn't seem like a sufficient temp. for fresh water fish so I asked my local fish monger (meat counter guys) and didn't get an answer. I asked a culinary student working w/ me and she missed the "salmon" day where I asked her specifically to ask the chef for that class.

So, while I've not done this w/ the lake salmon, I've been cooking store bought salmon to 125℉ internal temp. w/ good, moist results, but am not sure what to do w/ the lake and stream stuff.

Any ideas?

I'm a 135-140 kind of guy with salmon (mostly King) and it's never dry. To me it's perfectly moist and just starting to flake. 125 seems on the rare/mushy side, but to each his own I suppose.

I just did a google on it and some sites recommend 120 for wild salmon. That just sounds gross to me.

I’ve never checked temp of my salmon. Now I’m curious. I’ll check next time I cook it. I cook to moist and tender, not dry.

My understanding is that most fish in the supermarket is previously frozen and that freezing for 3 days kills the parasites.

But catching your own in fresh water, I’d probably cook to well done. Following the thread because I’d like to know. Figure it applies to trout too. Cornmeal trout fried in bacon grease - yum.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
I just did a google on it and some sites recommend 120 for wild salmon. That just sounds gross to me.

Saw something on the 120°F wild salmon on America’s Test Kitchen. Keep in mind this was a taste test. It mostly had to do with the fat content of wild vs. farmed salmon. Wild has less fat.

Coming from a commercial fishing family, having ate a lot of wild Pacific salmons, we cook til the flesh separates to the touch (about 125 degrees).

Freezing kills parasites, but it depends on temp and duration. It take 7 days frozen and stored at -4F to kill them or 15 hours at -31F. Cooking also works, 15 seconds at 145F.

Freezing does not kill bacteria, but it will slow their growth. Cooking kills bacteria.

I'm having trouble finding any information specifically related to Great Lakes salmon vs ocean salmon with respect to parasites or bacteria. Things that can't be killed like PCBs and mercury keep getting in the way.

I've never temp tested mine. I cook it until it looks and flakes "done" to me.

I shoot for 130 which is a bit tricky since the salmon we get is not consistent in thickness. Then By the time I get it off the grill (or oven) and other things for dinner are finalized the temp will climb a bit. Seems some salmon is more dense than others, so honestly, if it's too rare to your liking, 15-20 seconds in the zapper is all it needs. I don't mind it on the wet side, but the wifey freaks out thinking she's eating sushi.

The chart that came with my ThermoPen recommends 125°F for salmon.

Interesting. I had not considered the effects of freezing the fish.

Since getting my Thermapen and Thermopop, I've taken more interest in my foods temps.
I do a lot of cooking for Mom and she always worries the chicken I serve is not done. Partly because It's seen some smoke and she doesn't understand the pink smoke ring on the chicken parts.

Salmon, however, I end up doing 125℉-130℉ and it seems to be fine. Give 125℉ in the thickest part a try.
I normally cook it at around 400℉ but I read that a lower temp. helps keep the thinner parts from being as overcooked from the rest.

Any freshwater fish I guess I'll continue to go to 145℉+.
The images in the pictures of someone who's eaten fresh water sushi are still clear in my mind.

quote:

Originally posted by dsiets:
Interesting. I had not considered the effects of freezing the fish.

Since getting my Thermapen and Thermopop, I've taken more interest in my foods temps.
I do a lot of cooking for Mom and she always worries the chicken I serve is not done. Partly because It's seen some smoke and she doesn't understand the pink smoke ring on the chicken parts.

Salmon, however, I end up doing 125℉-130℉ and it seems to be fine. Give 125℉ in the thickest part a try.
I normally cook it at around 400℉ but I read that a lower temp. helps keep the thinner parts from being as overcooked from the rest.

Any freshwater fish I guess I'll continue to go to 145℉+.
The images in the pictures of someone who's eaten fresh water sushi are still clear in my mind.

As I mentioned above, for years and years I only did the finger/flake test on our Pacific salmon. However, since I got the nice Thermopen for Christmas, I used it to compare to my finger/flake test with results between 125 and 130. Dang, I love this Thermopen ... very fact and accurate !

Huh. Yeah, I never temped it, just visualized after cooking for 5he recommended recipe time. I’ll try 125º I’m not a parasite fan, but I do hate overdone.

I'll take mine less than over cooked any day.

I am like old dino, when it starts flakes apart with fingers, it is time to eat.
Canadian baked salmon is super good, start at about 425 degrees to seal the outside, then reduce heat to 300, maybe less. Sealing the outside keeps it from drying out.

Many folks do not know ... our wild Pacific salmon have two names : king/chinook, red/sockeye, silver/coho, pink/humpy, chum/dog/keto, steelhead is a landlock salmon ...