What Does Trout Taste Like? All Secrets You Need To Know

Trout is a species of fish that can be safely eaten. It’s found all over the world and you will find species of different sizes and colors (and spot patterns for the spotted ones) depending on their country of origin.

If you’re curious as to how trout tastes like, let me tell you right now that it doesn’t taste like chicken. It tastes like fish, but it’s also referred to as the “chicken of the sea” because it generally carries a mild or bland flavor.

Don’t worry, this article is dedicated to describing the real taste of trout. I will also compare it with other types of fish to give you an idea as to its taste and texture.

What Trout Tastes Like

To compare the taste of trout with other types of fish, I want to present to you a grouping of fish according to their taste.

Saltwater Vs. Freshwater Vs. Farmed

As you can see in the above grouping, trout belongs to the mild, bland tasting group. However, the flavor of trout will also depend on where they were sourced (or caught).

Freshwater Trout

From freshwater sources, freshwater trout have bland taste. The reason for this is that they live all their lives in an environment that’s low on salt (bland water). Their diet is likewise composed of organisms that live in the same environment.

Saltwater Trout

Saltwater trout live in waters with high concentrations of salt all their lives. Because of this, their meats are more flavorful when compared with freshwater trout. If the source of water is clean, you will harvest trout with flavorful meat (pleasant flavor). Still, some people find the taste of saltwater trout too strong and gamey (unpleasant for some).

Farmed Trout

Farmed trout are kept in ponds. If the water system is protected from contaminants, the fish are clean and safe to eat (and pleasant-tasting). As with other types of farmed fish, however, the cleanliness of such a setup is not without controversies. In fact, some people refuse to eat farmed fish for the simple reason that they are confined in a limited space and are swimming in their own poop.

Note: Fish activities also play an important role in the ultimate taste of their flesh. With more movements (swimming), the fish will develop more muscles. Furthermore, their meat will be more oxygenated when compared to inactive fish. It is for this reason why wild types of fish are generally more flavorful than farmed fish (limited movement in confined spaces).

Factors that Affect Trout’s Taste

As you already know by now, the place of harvest (or source) is one of the main factors that affects a trout’s taste. However, listed below are some of the things you should know when it comes to the flavor of trout.

How to Prepare Trout for Cooking

While you can prepare trout like any other fish, consider the following points:

6 Ways to Cook Trout

Method #1 – Bake

Here’s one way to bake trout:

Method #2 – Grill

Follow these steps if you want to grill trout:

Note: As much as possible, don’t flip the trout too much. Remember that its meat is very delicate and the whole fish can fall apart with constant flipping.

To fry trout, follow these steps:

Method #4 – Smoke

Here are the steps to smoking trout:

Method # 5 – Steam

To steam trout, follow these steps:

Method #6 – With Sauce

You can cook trout using recipes with sauces. For this method, you can choose to cook it in the oven or over the stove.

Oven:

Stove:

Here are some of the sauces that you can use for trout:

• Tomato sauce
• Garlic and lemon sauce
• Lemon cream
• Butter sauce

Note: There are recipes that coat the fish in a flour mixture. This procedure results in a crunchy crust and makes the fish crispy outside.

Why You Should Eat Trout

Here are some of the reasons why you should eat trout:

FAQs

Top 3 Trout Recipes

If you really want to try eating trout, I have 3 simple recipes for you.

Recipe #1 – Smoked Trout

This is a very simple recipe, it basically involves stuffing the trout with a mixture of:

• Onion
• Garlic
• Butter
• Lemon juice

You then need to wrap the fish up in a foil before putting it on the grill. Cook it at low heat (around 200 degrees) and it will be done in about 15 minutes.

You can bake trout using a very simple recipe and end up with a delicious dish. In this particular recipe, all you need to do is stuff the trout with the following:

• Lemon slices
• Herbs (sage, thyme, oregano, etc.)

You also need to season the fish with salt and pepper. And after that quick preparation, simply put the fish in the oven (350 degrees) and cook the trout for about 20 minutes.

For a really simple cooking technique, you can cook trout in a frying pan (Amazon). The steps to doing this are as follows:

Note: Add the butter when the fish is almost done (to avoid burning the butter).

Trout Tastes Like Fish – So, It Must Be Good

So, what does trout taste like? I’d say it tastes like fish – but with its own flavors (like other types of fish). Keep in mind that the trout’s final taste will depend on its source, the way it was cooked, and the ingredients used.

Fish lovers should really try trout – so, if you are one (a fish lover), go for it. I think you would like it. Look for the Rainbow or Steelhead trout as they’re the most popular.

Let me know how it goes (leave your message in the comment section below). And if you found this article useful, do share it with others.