What Does Raw Salmon Taste Like?

This guide describes to you exactly what to expect when taking a bite of raw salmon.  

Having tasted it in a delicious number of dishes myself, I can assure you no amount of disappointment from it. 

Let’s savor the smoothness on our palettes right in! 

What Is Raw Salmon?

Raw Salmon essentially is uncooked but well-prepared raw salmon fish. These fishes look similar to other freshwater fishes with a gray-silver scaly outer body and red-orange fleshy body. Salmons are native to the tributaries of the Pacific Ocean and North Atlantic. 

Raw fishes have been a delicacy in significant parts of the world with their smooth texture and health benefits. However, not all fishes are fit to be consumed raw.

What Does Raw Salmon Taste Like?

Raw Salmon has a smooth buttery taste, one that cannot be compared to that of any other species. A bite of fresh Raw Salmon is very similar to taking a bite of salted butter; both melt as soon as they reach your mouth.

The taste of salmons differs depending on their location, mode of preparation, season, and other such factors.

It is observed that wild-harvested salmons have a richer and more long-lasting flavor than farm-harvested salmons. 

There are several types of Salmons found in different water bodies and each one has its own specialty with not much difference in their flavors.

Some of these types are Chinook or King salmon, silver, pink, and red salmons, and Salmo Salar or Atlantic salmon.

What Is The Texture Of Raw Salmon Like?

Raw salmon has a creamy smooth and buttery soft texture, one that does not last too long inside the mouth. The reason behind some raw fishes like salmon and tuna are soft is because their muscles are not prone to heavy exercise, as compared to in-land creatures. 

These fishes remain afloat with the help of their organs without much muscle use and hence, their flesh is smooth and tender.

Is It Safe To Eat Raw Salmon?

It is safe to eat raw salmon only if they are well frozen and preserved. Any raw meat, fish, or otherwise pose the risk of parasites, viruses, and bacterial diseases. Raw salmon should be blast-frozen at -31°F and thawed for the unwanted and unobservable parasites to die. 

Most choose to buy packed and sliced salmon from the store where they are kept in extremely cold temperatures and are checked before they are sold.

Know how to cure your salmon at home.  

What Is The Difference Between Raw and Cooked Salmon?

Raw salmon and cooked salmon have minute changes in their flavor. Cooked or raw, salmon retains its buttery and smooth texture. It also does not lose any nutritional value once cooked; salmon is especially rich in omega 3 which is an important factor.

Cooking the fish, however, does lower the chances of bacterial diseases caused by consuming infected creatures.

Raw salmon from trusted sources are safe for consumption either way.

Does Salmon Taste Like Chicken?

Raw salmon has a unique taste that is not comparable to chicken, or any other form of meat. Salmon has a smooth buttery flavor while chicken has a tender savory taste, both very different from each other. 

Unlike salmon which can be consumed raw and cooked, it is hazardous to consume raw chicken.

It was noticed that salmon can sometimes acquire flavors, thus if cooked in the same utensil, salmon could have the essence of chicken.

What Does Undercooked Salmon Taste Like?

Undercooked Salmon tastes very different from both raw and fully cooked salmon. The interior of the fish is soft and slimy while the outer texture is firm and flaky. Often heat cannot reach all parts of the fish leaving some parts cold and others warm.

Undercooked salmon is best not consumed as any existing parasite may thrive at a moderate temperature that is neither too cold nor too hot to kill it.

Is Raw Salmon An Acquired Taste?

Raw Salmon is not fundamentally an acquired taste; it is rather the concept of consuming an entirely raw sea creature that makes many hesitate before taking a bite of raw salmon. The buttery salty taste is incomparable to other creatures and one that needs time to develop.

Many seem to like the taste of raw salmon the second time, then the first.

What Happens If You Eat Raw Salmon?

Raw Salmon is a widely savored dish in many parts of the world for its health benefits and buttery-rich flavors. It is completely safe to consume raw salmon as long as it is well preserved, bought from a trusted store, and prepared correctly.

Blast-frozen raw salmon is considered the safest as the cold temperature is capable enough to kill any surviving parasites or bacteria.

Is Raw Salmon Chewy?

Raw salmon is tender yet slightly chewy. It is stringy and tender but must be chewed properly before it is swallowed. The raw flesh has a smooth buttery texture but should not be swallowed altogether without chewing. 

Raw salmon is not crunchy when bitten but has tender chewy nature because of un-shredded tissues.

However, raw salmon could be extremely tough and chewy if it is not properly stored and handled.

What Tastes Best With Raw Salmon?

Raw Salmon is best paired with a small block of sticky rice making it the classic Japanese delicacy, Nigiri sushi. Raw Salmon Carpaccio is light yet deliciously tangy and savory food with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Shallots and mustard are great to pair with raw salmon for a tartare. 

The traditional way to enjoy Raw Salmon is with plain and simple soy sauce and some spicy wasabi to relish the buttery texture of the raw salmon.

A simple way to prepare salmon sushi and sashimi!  

Here are some great desserts which go well with salmon>

In The End

I hope that this elaborate journey to the land of delicate fishes helped you learn about the exact taste of Raw Salmon. 

I hope to hear more from you upon reading this article. Do keep us posted about any queries or feedback to help this guide move towards its betterment. 

Share this journey with your friends and family to take them along to experience more palettes together with us!