There are few subjects more confusing in the culinary world than trying to differentiate between salmon and trout. This was further compounded by the 1989 DNA test results that revealed that some trout varieties are, in fact, salmon. And just to throw the cat amongst the pigeons some salmon were found to be trout. So in a discussion that goes right down to DNA testing to separate the wheat from the chaff, how can we differentiate between salmon and trout? Let us start by understanding each one of our subjects.
Contents
Trout
Trout is not one single type of fish but rather a group name that includes many species of fish. The fish all belong to the Salmonidae family of fish. Most of the fish in the trout grouping live in freshwater though species like rainbow trout are known to spend some years in the sea and return to freshwater. Trout are described as being a spotty fish with a rounded head from an appearance perspective. They have rounded bodies compared to their contemporaries and straight ended tail. The flesh of trout is a florid-red colour and is fatty compared to most other fish.
Salmon
Salmon, just like trout, is a group name for a wide variety of fish. Salmon are as the name suggests also members of the Salmonidae family. Other members of this family include Char, Grayling and Whitefish. Salmon are predominantly salt-water dwellers that migrate to freshwater to reproduce. Therefore salmon are born in freshwater, live in salt-water and come back to freshwater to reproduce. If you’re thinking about the aforementioned rainbow trout we will get to that one in a bit. Salmon in appearance have a slender and streamlined body compared to their cousins while possessing very few spots. They can also be distinguished by their slender and forked tail. The flesh of salmon has a colour that is a mix of orange and pink. Their flesh is also much leaner then Trout flesh. So what are the differences between salmon and trout?
Appearance : Trout Vs Salmon
If you’re going to go out fishing for them or buy from a fresh fish market this could be one of the most important ways to tell them apart for you. Trout have rounded bodies as compared to salmon’s slimmer, sleek bodies which possess a pointed head. Trout generally have rounder heads as well. Trout have spottier bodies. Salmon will have spots on their bodies in some varieties but will not be very spotty. The tail fins are different with trout having a straight ended tail fin while salmon have a forked tail fin. If you have time to count the rays in the anal fin you can tell them apart based on this. Trout will have less than 13 rays while salmon possess 13 or more rays in their anal fins.
Habitat
Again this difference between the two is better appreciated by those who fish or buy from fresh fish markets. Trout are freshwater fish. They live and die in freshwater. So if you catch it in freshwater or buy it from a freshwater fish market it is almost always trout. Almost. Salmon live in salt-water almost all their lives. Salmon are however born and reproduce in freshwater. Salmon will make their way back to freshwater when it is time to mate. They lay their eggs in freshwater so salmon are born in freshwater. Earlier we mentioned the rainbow trout which is born and reproduces in freshwater but can go out to sea for years. Well, it turns out that the rainbow trout is salmon. Those 1989 DNA tests conducted by Margaret F Docker and Daniel D Heath proved that the rainbow trout was the same fish as Steelhead salmon. Likewise, Atlantic salmon was reclassified to being trout. For the most part, we can say trout are freshwater fish whereas salmon are saltwater fish.
Flesh : Trout Vs Salmon
We can also compare these two fish in terms of their flesh. The flesh of trout has a florid-red colour to it. This is compared to salmon’s orange to pink colour. Outside of the colour of the flesh of the fish the fat content of the two is another difference. Most trout varieties contain more fat per pound than salmon varieties. Sometimes as much as 60% more though this not discernible by the naked eye. Some believe that this occurs because salmon swim back to freshwater to reproduce. The journey happens against the flow of the river so this is plausible. In the same breath, saltwater fish should cover greater distances because of the size of water bodies they live in. That said salmon is by no means a dry fish.
Taste
We can also compare the taste of salmon to that trout to point another difference if ever so slight. Trout has a mild flavour. It is not quite nondescript but isn’t pronounced. Salmon, on the other hand, has a much more pronounced flavour that is discernible even by unaccustomed pallets. Salmon has a sweet taste to it and this one of the reasons that salmon is very popular. You’ll even find salmon as a common feature in sushi. Trout has a flavour that is akin to other oily fish.
Price : Trout Vs Salmon
Pricing is always going to depend on where you are as in some places one of the two may be more widely available than the other and hence cheaper. That said in most instances salmon is more expensive than trout. Experiences may differ but we found that the difference between the two in price can be as much as 70% with salmon being the dearer. One could argue that this is due to salmon being saltwater fish and trout being freshwater fish but this is inconclusive as both a reared commercially. What we know for sure is that salmon tends to be more expensive.
Two very difficult fish to compare and at the end of it all, we can safely say there are slight differences in appearance, flesh colour, fat content and taste. Simply speaking trout is a freshwater fish while salmon lives most of its life as a saltwater fish. Salmon costs more than trout in our findings.