Smoked or fresh, whole or filleted, freshwater rainbow trout are among the most versatile and easy fish to cook. They’re a perfect size for two to share, the pretty pink flesh lifts easily off the bones, and smoked fillets are a great stand-by for quick meals. Try these easy rainbow trout recipes with salmon too.
Trout and salmon are close cousins, both members of the salmonid family. They’re very similar in flavour, appearance and texture and salmon recipes can often be adapted to use rainbow trout instead.
Ocean trout is raised in sea cages and grows to a similar size to salmon. Rainbow trout is grown in freshwater and typically harvested plate-sized (350–500g). Ocean trout has a richer, oilier flesh and a darker orange colour. Both ocean trout and rainbow trout have a distinctive red/orange band down the centre of their sides. See image here.
Remove trout from the fridge 30–60 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature.
Use paper towel to wipe the skin dry and, if whole, wipe out the belly cavity to remove any traces of blood or offal. Do not wash the fish or put it under water.
Remove trout from the fridge and set it aside, away from direct sunlight, to allow it to come to room temperature before cooking. This typically takes 30–60 minutes depending on the size of the fish and the air temperature.
After cooking, all fish should be ‘rested’ for a few minutes to allow the juices to return to the centre of the fish. Do this by setting it aside in a warm place (not on direct heat). This is especially important with whole fish. rainbow trout is also delicious served at room temperature, especially when it’s been poached.
The easiest way to eat whole fish is to remove the meat from one side then, starting from the tail, lift the backbone away with the other bones attached, revealing the meat on the other side; traditionally it’s considered bad luck to turn a cooked fish over.
