How to cook trout

The trout is also part of the salmon family. It is found mainly in the cold, fresh waters of lakes and rivers, but it also can make its home in saltwater. Like the salmon, trout that live in the sea (the steelhead trout) return to freshwater to spawn. A favorite of sports anglers, the trout was the first fish to be raised in captivity to forestall its extinction. The most common species include the brown trout, the rainbow trout, the lake trout, the brook trout, the arctic char, and the common grayling. The trout is a smaller fish and ranges in weight from 1 1/2 to 13 pounds in the market and measures up to 20 inches.

How to cook trout

Trout has thin skin and minute scales, so scaling or skinning is not necessary. It is available whole or in fillets, fresh or frozen. Trout is also smoked, and a very small quantity is canned. In general, trout has tender, flaky flesh with a mild flavor. Its delicate flavor varies slightly from one species to another, as does its color, which can be white, pink, or reddish.

Serving suggestions

Although it is often served fried, trout also can be poached, baked, steamed, grilled, and broiled. Whole trout is sometimes stuffed before being cooked. Any seasonings should be kept mild so as not to mask trout’s delicate flavor.