Here’s the fun part. Not washing is actually a flavor move. A dry surface is the secret to crispy, golden skin.
Water is the enemy of a good sear. It turns your sizzle into a sad, steamy puff.
By skipping the wash, you get that restaurant-quality crust. The kind that cracks when you tap it with a fork.
And the texture? Unwashed salmon stays juicy. Waterlogged fish gets mushy and sad.
Your dinner guests will think you went to culinary school. You just didn’t wash the fish.
But what about the "fresh from the ocean" myth?
Some folks swear they must rinse off the “sea.” Newsflash: the ocean is saltwater. Your tap is freshwater.
You’re not honoring the fish. You’re confusing its cells. Freshwater makes the flesh swell and get weird.
If you want that briny taste, cook it with sea salt flakes. Much more reliable.
Do You Wash Salmon Before Cooking? - Substitute Cooking
And here’s a weird fact: salmon has natural antioxidants. The orange color? That’s astaxanthin. It’s a powerful pigment from the algae the fish eats.
Washing it does nothing but waste water and your time. That pigment stays put.
So why does this topic even go viral? Because everyone loves to argue in the kitchen.
It’s the ultimate “yes you do, no you don’t” debate. Like pineapple on pizza, but with more raw protein.
And people get passionate. I’ve seen it tear apart family dinners.
