Taste-Off: The best canned salmon — and the inedible stuff

Yikes, talk about an un-tasty tasting. The idea of opening a can of salmon and enjoying a bite of luscious, flavorful pink or red salmon sounds so very enticing. Warning: It is not. Sadly, most canned salmon is smelly — and tastes like low-quality tuna.

The good news is that in these wildly inflationary times, canned salmon is not only less expensive than fresh, it can find culinary redemption. Rinse and drain the fish, then toss it with fish-friendly ingredients such as onion, garlic, dill, lemon and more, and it can become a fine burger, a tasty addition to salad or pasta, or a tasty sandwich filling. The result is not only flavorful, but high in protein and omega-3  — minus the high toxin levels found in tuna.

Because the canning process for salmon is the same as it is for tuna, canned salmon suffers from the same ills. It’s salty, fishy in varying degrees and cooked under such high heat that any hint of juiciness and tenderness is quashed. On the upside, those high temps render the salmon bones entirely edible, if slightly mealy in texture.

Shopping for canned salmon requires reading the fine print, as most brands market several versions. Red salmon is typically Sockeye, which tends to have more color and superior flavor. Pink salmon comes with and without bones and skin. Other can descriptions, including “premium,” “jumbo lump” and “chunk style” are clearly open to interpretation.

The best cans of salmon are filled with large chunks of fish that look and taste at least a bit like fresh cooked salmon. The flesh is pink in color, dense and slightly sweet and has a mild, yet pleasant fish aroma that dissipates after a quick rinse. Bad canned salmon packs a potent, room-clearing fish odor that lingers, and it tastes like over-salted, old fish. The worst cans are filled with what look and taste like fish-packing dregs.

Here’s the scoop on canned salmon that’s worth giving a try, and cans that should carry warning labels. Just be aware that the rankings are on a scale of one to four stars. Nutrition info refers to 85 grams or about 1/3 cup.

Trader Joe’s Sockeye Salmon

This is as good as canned salmon gets. These bright pink chunks taste like salmon, but this might not be the perfect choice for those averse to bones and skin. 127 calories, 6 g fat, 371 mg sodium, 17 g protein. $3.99 for 7.5 ounces. (3 stars)

Bumble Bee Wild Caught Pink Salmon

The large, identifiable hunk of salmon pressed into this can has the distinctive flavor of salmon. It flakes nicely, and it’s easy to remove the edible bones, if desired. 120 calories, 5 g fat, 370 mg sodium, 18 g protein. $9.99 for 14.75 ounces at Whole Foods; $4.99 at Safeway. (3 stars)

Trader Joe’s Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon

Light pink color and a hint of true salmon flavor add up to a fair version of canned salmon. It has a fish-forward flavor, but a thorough rinse is a big improvement. 110 calories, 4 g fat, 320 mg sodium,17 g protein. $3.99 for 14.75 ounces. (2½ stars)

365 Wild Alaska Pink Salmon

These medium-sized chunks of flesh look and taste exactly like albacore tuna. The flavor is pleasant enough, but it bears no resemblance to salmon. It’s edible though. 80 calories, 1.5 g fat, 240 mg sodium, 17 g protein. $3.49 for 6 ounces at Whole Foods. (2 stars)

Signature Select Alaska Pink Salmon

The mushy texture and pungent smell upon opening are off-putting, but after a rinse, the flavor of salmon emerges. This won’t work in a salad, but it would be fine in a dip or sauce. 100 calories, 4 g fat, 300 mg sodium,16 g protein. $4.49 for a 14.75-ounce can at Safeway. (2 stars)

Wild Planet Wild Pink Salmon

Kudos to this company for it’s sustainable practices, but in a blindfold taste-test, the contents of this pricey can would never be identified as salmon. Plus, it’s extra fishy due to the abundance of dark brown shreds. 90 calories, 2 g fat, 200 mg sodium, 18 g protein. $8.19 for 6 ounces at Raley’s. (1½ stars)

Henry & Lisa’s Ecofish Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon

While the cardboard label wrapped around this can reads “premium grade,” it’s nothing of the sort. The can is packed tight with small bits of mushy fish with a tinny aftertaste. 100 calories, 2 g fat, 220 mg sodium, 19 g protein. $6.99 for 6 ounces at Whole Foods. (1 star)

StarKist Skinless Boneless Wild Pink Salmon

Curiously, this can contains half the fish of other brands, but the white-colored contents are far less fish-forward than other inexpensive brands. This is far from gourmet-quality, but it’s entirely edible. 90 calories, 1 g fat, 270 mg sodium, 19 g protein. $2.39 for 5 ounces at Target. (1 star)

Chicken of the Sea Wild-caught Pink Salmon

Inside this can is a mash of bitty bits of non-descript fish dregs so small, they need to be eaten with a spoon. Note that the pouch version is similar, minus the salty brine. 83 calories, 1.5 g fat, 180 mg sodium, 17 g protein. $3.19 for a 5-ounce can at Raley’s; $1.62 for a 2.5-ounce pouch at Walmart. (½ a star)

Great Value Skinless & Boneless Pink Salmon

There’s nothing to like about this dismal pouch. The hunk of ultra-dry shreds inside just disappoint.  70 calories, 1 g fat, 160 mg sodium, 16 g protein. $1.42 for a 2.5-ounce pouch at Walmart. (½ a star)