What is Pink or humpback salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)?

Pink or humpback salmon Pink or humpback salmon

Common names for Pink or humpback salmon

Pink salmon, humpy

Other languages for Pink or humpback salmon

  • French name: Saumon rose
  • Italian name: Salmone rosa
  • German name: Buckellachs

Introduction to Pink or humpback salmon

Pink salmon are the smallest and most abundant kind of wild salmon, accounting for the lion’s share of the canned pack. Pink salmon is mostly processed in cans due to its tendency to congregate in large schools for brief periods of time, necessitating fast, high-volume processing. Pinks, on the other hand, are making a comeback in the fresh and frozen markets. And other canners have gone a step ahead by packaging pink fillets in retort pouches that are boneless and skinless. The male pink’s prominent hump during mating season earned the fish the common moniker « humpback. » Pink salmon may reach a weight of 12 pounds, although those taken commercially weigh between 2 and 6 pounds. Pinks occur on both sides of the North Pacific, ranging from Puget Sound to Alaska and from Russia to North Korea, including the Bering Sea. They are caught using gillnets, seines, and trolling. They are not cultivated.

Product profile for Pink or humpback salmon

Pink salmon flesh is low in oil and small-flaked, making it a lean and mild-flavored fish. The flesh of this salmon is genuinely pink, as the name suggests. The meat is lighter in color and lacks the orange tinge of other salmon species. Its flesh is likewise softer than other salmon. Pink salmon eggs are the second most valued for salmon caviar (after chums).

Cooking tips for Pink or humpback salmon

Pink salmon does not cook as well as regular salmon due to its low fat content. It’s critical not to overcook the lean meat, no matter what method you use. Cook on a low heat setting with a moist heat source, or baste regularly while cooking. Chowders, sandwiches, pasta dishes, casseroles, and salads all benefit from pinks.

Nutrition facts for Pink or humpback salmon

Calories: 116 Fat Calories: 32 Total Fat: 3.5 g Saturated Fat: 0.6 g Cholesterol: 52 mg Sodium: 67 mg Protein: 19.9 g Omega 3: 1.1 g

Primary product forms for Pink or humpback salmon

Fresh: Dressed Frozen: H&G, Blocks Value-added: Canned (most common form), Caviar, Smoked, Roasts

Global supply for Pink or humpback salmon

Canada, Japan, Russia, United States, Iran