Brown Trout

Scientific Name: Salmo trutta
Brown Trout

Brown trout is one of the more versatile table species with a mild, nutty flavor. This one goes with good versatility for cooking methods grilling, smoking, baking, and mixing things up a bit by adding fresh herbs and lemon butter. Its neutral flavor allows this fish to pair well with a variety of simple and fancy dishes, taking on the flavors given by marinades or seasonings. It is also high in omega-3 fatty acids and low mercury, an excellent choice for a healthy diet while indulging in delicious meals. Widely available at fish markets and in the market we can find it both whole, fillets, or steaks style making for an easy cooking process that does not take a great deal of skill to prepare.

Culinary Values

  • Taste: Mild, slightly sweet, and nutty
  • Texture: Firm, flaky
  • Meat Color: Pink to red flesh
  • Round or Flat Fish: Round
  • Fat Level: Moderate to high fat content, especially compared to lean fish like cod
  • Muscle Composition: Skeletal muscle with connective and adipose tissues; higher fat content compared to lean fish
  • Mercury Level: Generally low, but can vary (e.g., baked rainbow trout: 0.18 mg/kg)
  • Iconic Dish: Smoked trout, Trout almandine
  • Market Form: Whole, round, drawn, dressed, pan-dressed, butterflied, fillet, steak
  • Can Be Frozen: Yes, up to 12 months in cold storage at -30°C
  • Market Availability: Yes
  • Price: Moderate to expensive, depending on the market and quality

Fishing

  • Weight: Up to 50kg (110lbs)
  • Live In: Fresh Water
  • Habitats: Streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs; coastal waters
  • Distribution: Temperate regions worldwide
  • Identification: Varied coloring from olive to brownish, red and black spots on sides, back, dorsal fin, and tail. No spots on fins, and a spotless adipose fin
  • Body Type: Elongated, streamlined body
  • Fishing Methods: Primarily fly-fishing, but can also be caught with bait and lures, Angling, netting, trapping
  • Game Fish: Yes
  • Can be Farmed: Yes

Cooking Methods

Large, predatory brown trout are known as ferox, or cannibal, trout. Once considered a distinct species, it is now known to be simply brown trout that have evolved into a primarily fish-based diet that sometimes includes smaller members of its species. Ferox trout have a bent jaw and live longer than most brown trout.

The brown trout (Salmo trotta, Morpha: Foreo), and its marine form, the sea trout (Salmo trotta, Morpha: Trotta), are among the most important fishery species and are found worldwide. The species is native to Europe and western Asia, but it has slowly been introduced to many other temperate regions over hundreds of years. Brown trout have a brown body with various red and black spots, but there are many variations according to habitat and genetic makeup.

This species is found in various bodies of water, from small streams to large lakes and reservoirs. It mainly feeds on insects, larvae, and small fish. Sometimes, as most trout anglers discover, this species can be very picky about what it will eat.