Products | Fresh and Frozen | Farm Raised Steelhead

Farm Raised Steelhead

(Salmo gairdneri)

Physical characteristics: Steelhead have a silver skin with an olive to black colored back, faintly spotted sides and a reddish "rainbow" color along the lateral line. Most farms favor the astaxanthin feed which will produce a redder meat color that holds its color when frozen.

Color may have been added to the feed of any red meat aquacultured finfish that you purchase from Ocean Beauty Seafoods, but has been approved by FDA for human consumption.

Seasonality: Generally year round, but heaviest during October to May period.

Major catch areas: Washington, Maine, Nova Scotia, Chile, Norway.

Harvest method: Delivered to processing facility live, where they are bled before processing.

Product forms:

• Fresh: Dressed head-on gills-in, skin-on pin bone-in fillet, skin-on pin bone-out fillet.
• Frozen: Dressed head-off, skin-on fillets pin bone-in, skin-on fillets boneless, loins.
• Value-added: IQF and vacuum-packed steaks in 2 ounce increments from 4-10 ounce, IQF and vacuum-packed fillet portions in 2 ounce increments from 4-10 ounce. Portions can be produced either bone-in or boneless and either skin-on or skinless.

Flavor/texture profile: Meat color can range from orange to deep red and will lighten when cooked. The meat texture is moist, but firm with a moderate to full flavor.

Notes: World farmed steelhead production grew over 25% last year and is likely to continue its growth through the end of the millennium. Some projections indicate that steelhead will over take Atlantic salmon production due to cheaper production cost and a rapidly growing market. Typically, steelhead sell for less than Atlantics, and as most buyers are coming to find out the product is equally adaptable to most Atlantic salmon uses.