Flavor of Trout

[Hopz]

I have a confession, of sorts. I have never tasted Rainbow or German Brown Trout.

I would appreciate someone's attempt to profile the flavor. Since they are both salmonids I was wondering if they bear a resemblence to the Salmon we are familiar with?

I realize it would be easy to just buy some and taste, but I would appreciate your input to the question.

I am quite familiar with most ocean fish. I love Halibut and Dolphin. I appreciate Red Snapper, Orange Roughy, Cod and others. Catfish I don't seek out, but do not actively avoid. Bass/Crappie/Blue Gill and others I pass on.

What is Trout like? Fishy? Bland? Does it take up cooking flavor like some do, e.g., assumes the flavor of the oil, garlic, etc...?

Your experience would be valued.

[boufa06]

Hopz, I have only tasted Rainbow trout which is easily available here. I may be wrong (in which case I do expect a few members to jump all over me), but it may very well be that brown German trout is not readily available at the supermarket. Therefore, my comments refer to Rainbow trout.

As you have guessed, the taste is nearer to salmon than any of the other fish you mentioned. My DH is a trout lover and he will only have it either pan-fried in olive oil or grilled and served Greek-style with olive oil and lemon. He insists that cooking it in any way will overwhelm the fine natural taste of trout. As a result, I almost always pan-fry or grill. A minor variation would be to add some chopped walnuts to the hot oil during frying. The trout could then be served pan-fried as usual or with a sauce made out of the oil and chopped walnuts with the addition of some thickening agent such as cornflour poured over it.

In my opinion, the similarity to salmon is not all that great as trout has a lighter and finer taste than most kinds of salmon.

[BreezyCooking]

Here in the U.S., I find the taste of trout blander than bland. But having been raised on the shores of Long Island Sound in NY, I am definitely biased towards sal****er fish.

The few times a year I make trout, I either stuff it with a handful of fresh sage, roll it in a salt/flour mixture to make a crust, & saute it in a hot extra-virgin olive oil/butter combo; or make sure I'm serving it with some type of light but flavorful sauce. In my opinion, it needs it.

[boufa06]

Breezy, just out of curiosity, do you ever eat mackerel? If yes, how do you find the taste?

This is not a trick question. Obviously, our tastes differ quite a bit and the mackerel question is just to help me gauge the extent of the difference.

[BreezyCooking]

An enthusiastic YES Boufa - I not only eat Mackerel, but really enjoy it. Bluefish too. Husband, however, hates it, so I only make it for myself.

There is absolutely no comparison between Mackerel & Trout. They're as different as night & day. Literally. Mackerel is a very strong-flavored fish (which accounts for all that great Omega 3 oil it has), while (in my opinion) trout is virtually tasteless. I'd compare trout to a blander version of catfish or flounder, if that helps at all.

I usually cook Mackerel &/or Bluefish one of two ways: either slathered with a mustard sauce, or "Greek" style - with a layer of thinly sliced red onions, feta cheese, kalamata olives, oregano, etc. A lot fish can't stand up to such strong flavors, but both Mackerel & Bluefish really shine with them.

[boufa06]

Originally Posted by BreezyCooking

An enthusiastic YES Boufa - I not only eat Mackerel, but really enjoy it. Bluefish too. Husband, however, hates it, so I only make it for myself.

There is absolutely no comparison between Mackerel & Trout. They're as different as night & day. Literally. Mackerel is a very strong-flavored fish (which accounts for all that great Omega 3 oil it has), while (in my opinion) trout is virtually tasteless. I'd compare trout to a blander version of catfish or flounder, if that helps at all.

I usually cook Mackerel &/or Bluefish one of two ways: either slathered with a mustard sauce, or "Greek" style - with a layer of thinly sliced red onions, feta cheese, kalamata olives, oregano, etc. A lot fish can't stand up to such strong flavors, but both Mackerel & Bluefish really shine with them.

Breezy, thanks for your answer. Of course, it should be quite obvious that no similarity between mackerel and trout was implied. The reason I asked the question was because I have heard quite a few Americans opine that mackerel is inedible. I do love mackerel too. As I said, I was only trying to gauge the extent of our differences in taste with respect to fish. Now I am rather befundled. Could it be that the taste of trout is our only difference in this area?

[kadesma]

Here in Califonia, I grew up catching rainbow and german brown trout in mountain streams. The german brown I don't remember much and it is not usually available in stores and it's scares in streams now. The rainbow was my favorite fish as a child and young adult. It was a yes mild fish, but it had a smooth slightly sweet taste,depending on what it had been feeding on.We, only had it during summer months when on vacation and my mom use to dip it in flour, egg then flour and pan fry it in olive oil with salt and pepper and usually fried potatoes and biscuits that kind of thing. You couldn't do much else on a wood burning cast iron stove in the mountains. And yet, it's one of the things I remember from those days, catching that trout and cleaning it, then mom cooking it for dinner or breakfast. I really feel what the trout feeds on determines it's taste when cooked.
kadesma

[BreezyCooking]

You know, I'm thinking that as far as trout "tasting like salmon", you may be thinking of what's known here as "Salmon Trout" - aka "Steelhead Trout". The meat is pink/red like salmon, & has a similar taste, & I believe (although don't hold me to this) that these fish spend a part of their lives in salt water like regular salmon.

Freshwater trout like the Browns, Rainbows, Brooks, etc., etc., definitely do not taste ANYTHING like salmon. They are a bland white fish, closer - as I said before - to catfish or flounder.

[BreezyCooking]

Another reason why I don't eat much trout is because around here it's all "farmed", & I have issues with that.

We visited a couple of trout farms in the area, & the fish were all swimming in small ponds full of their own you-know-what. It was rather disturbing. Especially when one considers these folks are supplying all the local fish counters. I have a LOT of trouble getting past that.

Plus - these farmed trout sometimes escape into the wild (just like farmed salmon), & there have been problems with this environmentally.

[boufa06]

Originally Posted by BreezyCooking

...as far as trout "tasting like salmon", you may be thinking...

Breezy, who/where in this thread said that trout tastes like salmon?