You obviously won’t be able to taste everything, right? Some foods are out of reach, not available, or just not a part of your culture, locality, etc. And when it comes to seafood, you may have not even tasted half of what’s commercially there today. One such uncharted territory that comes to mind is trout. What does trout taste like – not most people know!
There are all kinds of trout fish out there. There’s Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Speckled Trout, Lake Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Char, and Steelhead. Needless to say, the taste characteristics of these are not the same. But the underlying flavor is much the same.
What also goes without saying is that the taste also varies depending on where the trout comes from – salt water, lake, farm, etc.
What Does Trout Taste Like In General?
Different types of trout, and that means a variety of different flavors. The most common or accessible type is Rainbow Trout, which has a very mellow taste and is slightly nutty too. On the other hand, oil-rich Brown Trout is stronger flavored. Then there’s Speckled Trout, once again with a delicate flavor. But fatty Lake Trout is fishy, thus not the best for flavor.
Dolly Varden, Arctic Char, and Steelhead – these 3 have a taste that’s quite much like salmon. Other varieties of trout are also found based on where you live.
If you’ve never tasted trout, then the most accurate way to describe its flavor would be to compare it with salmon. There’s a lot trout has in common with salmon, in terms of taste. Even the color of the meat is quite alike – pink. Not all types of trout have pink flesh of course. Freshwater trout seems to have a more bland flavor that’s a lot like catfish.
No matter the type of trout, to sum it up, the flavor is mild and the texture delicate.
The Taste of Trout and Salmon
To be honest, trout and salmon share a few similarities but the two are discernible. Not enough though because many people get confused between the two. Both salmon and trout have the same physical appearance, which is the main reason for confusion. However, the key difference between salmon and trout is flavor.
Salmon has a very distinct flavor, so it’s a lot sweeter. At the same time, salmon flesh is flaky and delicate. As for trout, it’s more mild-flavored and has a very subtle texture. The mild flavor of trout allows you to use all kinds of seasonings and ingredients of your choice.
Trout is unique in that its taste changes based on how they migrate. For example, steelhead or rainbow trout take the saltwater route during migration. And this boosts their levels of amino acids, which, in turn, has a direct impact on the taste of the fish.
But it goes without saying that both salmon and trout are packed with omega-3 fatty acids. And if you’re not consuming the two on a regular basis, it obviously becomes impossible to differentiate between them. In fact, many sellers also get confused when it comes to labeling salmon and trout.
Is Trout Very Fishy?
A frequently asked question – is trout very fishy? And the answer, quite fortunately, is NO.
Just in case, if your freshly caught or bought trout does have a fishy taste and smell, then it should not be consumed. Because fresh trout has a very mellow flavor with soft and flaky flesh. In no way is this supposed to be fishy. Period.
What Does Trout Taste Like – Best Ways of Cooking Trout
1. Battered Trout
Crispy, delicious beer-battered trout has a texture that’s light and flaky. It may not be the healthiest I know, but the taste is simply amazing. Plus, with the crispy beer batter coat, the fish fries up really well.
2. Pan-Fried Trout
Then a lot of people also pan-fry trout, which seems like the easiest and quickest way to cook this particular fish. Pan-frying works the best with mild trout such as Rainbow Trout as it could use a flavor boost. Because when you pan-fry, you get that perfect, delicious crispy skin infused with seasonings and butter that infuse a whole lot of flavor.
3. Grilled Trout
Feel free to grill trout as fillets or whole. Oil the grill really well and also brush some oil over the fish. Add seasonings of your choice – garlic, lemon, dill, etc. You want to be extra careful here because trout meat is very delicate, thus highly prone to falling apart soon.
The heat setting on the grill should be high to allow the fish to cook quickly without falling apart. Fillets usually take only 8 minutes to cook while a whole trout cooks in under 10-12 minutes.
4. Baked Trout
Already mentioned before is the fact that trout is incredibly light. And so it can be baked too in order to prevent causing any damage to the fish prior to and whilst cooking.
Begin by placing it (all seasoned with the sauces/seasonings of your choice) in your oven. The time taken for baking is certainly longer than grilling or frying, but the effort required is much less.
Conclusion
Not everyone who has tasted trout is going to describe its flavor in the same manner. But then the underlying factors remain unchanged or unaffected. Such as what type of trout is it, how you cook the fish, and things like that.
Even how the fish migrates is a determinant in this case. So both the species and also the life cycle of trout are crucial in terms of their flavor characteristics.
You can bake, pan-fry, grill, and fry trout – and that’s the best part. Another great news is that the mild-flavored types of trout allow you to add whatever seasonings you like in order to boost the flavor of the fish. The most common kind perfect for this flavor boost is Rainbow Trout. On top of that, Rainbow Trout is also very easily available and affordable.