Before preparing fish such as salmon for cooking, many of us have been instructed to wash the fish thoroughly for many years. But is what we’re doing the correct thing, or are we really making things worse rather than better?
Should the salmon be washed before it is cooked? It is not recommended to wash salmon before cooking it since this actually raises the possibility of bacterial contamination rather than lowering it. The cooking procedure will kill any germs that may be present in the salmon, provided that the fish is fresh and appropriate for human consumption. When cooking raw salmon for sushi, it is important to take precautions to prevent the spread of germs.
Do you want to learn all there is to know about properly preparing salmon for the oven? Everything you could possibly want to know is right here in front of you!
Before you cook salmon, do you give it a good wash?
There are a lot of individuals who still wash salmon, other fish, and even chicken before they prepare it, and they are sure that this is the best practice to follow. You will run across a lot of these folks.
Do they assume that washing the fish gets rid of germs and cuts down on the smell of fish while it’s being cooked, but is this really the case?
Unfortuitously, this piece of advice is not right! Authorities in charge of ensuring food safety strongly advise against washing salmon before cooking, and they have scientific data to back up the reasons why they provide this recommendation.
Washing salmon may actually raise rather than lessen the danger of bacterial contamination, not just in the fish itself but also on other foodstuffs and kitchen surfaces. This is true not only for the fish itself but also for surfaces in the kitchen.
But what about that fishy smell? Will the salmon still have a foul odor when we cook it even if we don’t rinse it?
When cooked, salmon that is not quite as fresh as we would want it to be may produce a pungent aroma that is strongly reminiscent of fish, and this can also cause a change in the flavor of the fish.
It is believed that this is caused by an increased bacterial load on the surface of the fish; however, giving the fish a good rinse may help eliminate some of these germs. On the other hand, if your salmon has an overwhelming scent of fish, it is possible that consuming it in the first place is not the wisest choice!
Even after being cooked, fresh salmon that has been preserved properly will not have much of an odor at all.
If it begins to smell fishy, bacterial contamination has already begun to develop – we could wash this off the surface of the fish to get rid of the smell, but can you be sure that the fish is really safe to eat after it has been washed?
We recommend that, rather than depending on the rinsing approach, you keep purchasing fresh salmon of a good grade and eating it before it begins to smell rancid rather than relying on the rinsing method.
Why Is It Not Necessary to Wash Salmon Before It Is Cooked?
Now we get to the scientific part! If you were looking for a convincing argument as to why salmon should not be washed before it is cooked, the proof is out there for everyone to see.
We may believe that we are washing our salmon in the healthiest manner possible, but research has revealed that even minute droplets of water can transfer germs up to three feet away from your sink. We might think that we are rinsing our salmon in the safest way imaginable.
This indicates that they are falling into the countertop, chopping boards, various other goods, kitchen towels, and maybe even you!
When you really think about it, it’s kind of revolting.
No matter how well you rinse the salmon, there is still a risk of it being contaminated with other pathogens. Additionally, under circumstances of room temperature, the bacteria will rapidly reproduce no matter where they fall.
There will always be some germs present on the surface of the meat, poultry, and fish products; however, the manner in which we store and prepare these items determines whether or not they are safe for human consumption.
It is possible that washing them may temporarily lower the number of germs, but since bacteria reproduce so quickly, the number of bacteria will quickly return to its former level.
Cooking food to the necessary temperature is the most effective method for removing germs from food; in the instance of salmon, the fish should be cooked to an interior temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
In an ideal situation, the salmon would be transferred directly from its package to the frying pan, since this would reduce the likelihood of any cross-contamination occurring along the route.
However, if you need to perform any preparatory work before cooking your salmon, we have some fantastic safety advice for you and your family that you should keep in mind.
How should salmon be prepared prior to be cooked?
In a perfect world, we would remove the salmon from its packaging as it was stored in the refrigerator and place it directly onto a pan or grill that had been warmed. This would reduce the likelihood of bacterial infection.
But before we cook our salmon, we should probably prepare it in some way, such as by cutting the fillets, slicing them, marinating them, or seasoning them with salt and pepper.
Salmon may be easily prepared for cooking while reducing the likelihood that it will get contaminated with germs if one just adheres to a few general guidelines.
To begin, get started by preparing all of your other components. This involves slicing any veggies and putting them back in the refrigerator, as well as pre-mixing any spice blends or marinades that will be used.
This means that getting the salmon ready to cook will be the very last thing you do, and you can move all of the other meals to the side without worrying about them getting in the way.
Your cutting board and knife should both be spotless, so clear off the workspace first. Once you have removed the salmon from its packing, set it on the cutting board.
You are now able to proceed with any preparation that is required, such as removing the tiny pin bones from the salmon with tweezers or slicing the salmon into smaller fillets. If you want to peel the salmon, this is an excellent time to do it; otherwise, just leave it skin on.
Put the prepared salmon into a clean container and add any spice mix or marinade that you’re going to be using at this point. After that, it should be cooked as quickly as possible, or it should be placed in the refrigerator in a container that is airtight.
Wash the cutting board, the knife, and any other pieces of equipment or utensils that have been used as soon as possible.
Your kitchen work surface should be sprayed with a disinfectant and then thoroughly wiped off, with the cleaning process extending over a distance of at least three feet.
Finally, you should properly wash your hands and then dry them.
How should uncooked salmon be cleaned?
Salmon is one of the few fish that can be consumed in its raw form, something you may not be aware of. Salmon is often used in a variety of raw fish preparations, including sushi, gravlax, sashimi, tartare, and other dishes.
However, since we have previously determined that boiling salmon is the most effective method for removing germs, then how can we ensure that raw salmon is safe to consume?
As is the case with any raw fish, the first step is to make certain that the fish is as recent as it can be and that it has been kept cold from the time it was captured until the time it is consumed by you.
In an ideal scenario, the fishmonger would offer you a container that is already packed with ice so that you may take the fish home with you.
You’ll also note that many different kinds of raw fish recipes include marinating the salmon in an acidic liquid of some kind, like lemon juice or vinegar. This is a common practice in raw fish preparation. Fish is prepared in exactly the same way by doing this, the only difference being that no heat is used.
Because of this, the color of salmon will shift from light pink to white when it is marinated in lemon or lime juice. The consumption of raw fish that has been treated with acidic liquids not only causes a change in its color and texture but also helps kill microorganisms.
The fish will not be nearly as safe to eat after being prepared in this manner as it would be after being cooked over heat, and vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or pregnant women, should never ingest raw fish.
But what if you don’t feel like marinating the salmon and instead want to enjoy it in its natural state as part of a sushi feast?
To begin, you should never use any other kind of salmon but sushi-grade salmon for this. As soon as it was captured, this will have its internal organs removed, it will have been cleaned, and then it will have been frozen or cooled to reduce the chance of bacterial infection.
There is still going to be some effort involved in the preparation process in order to convert your raw salmon into sushi. It is possible that this will require filleting, trimming, and deboning a whole salmon, or slicing fillets that have already been prepared into very thin slices.
In order to maintain the highest possible level of cleanliness during the preparation of the fish, you will first need to properly disinfect your knife, cutting board, and work surface. It is imperative that you properly wash your hands at frequent intervals all the way through the procedure.
The process of preparing salmon for sushi is an art form that warrants much more than one article on its own; nevertheless, now that you have read this article, you are at least on the correct track to complete the process in the safest manner possible!