| Market Names |
Steelhead Trout |
| Where Caught |
Washington, U.S.; British Columbia, Canada |
| How Caught |
Farm-raised with limited amounts of wild |
Steelhead Trout
Steelhead Trout and Rainbow Trout are the same species, Oncorhynchus mykiss, but are different strains. Rainbow Trout is the freshwater variety and Steelhead is the seagoing variety. There a few physical differences between these varieties but coloration varies, with Steelhead having more silvery skin and redder flesh than Rainbow Trout. Steelhead also tends to be more slender and streamlined than Rainbow Trout.
Steelhead belongs to the Salmonidae family, which includes all Trout, Salmon and Chars. The flesh color and taste of Steelhead is similar to Salmon. And like Salmon, Steelhead is anadromous, living in the seas and then returning to a freshwater stream, where it was born and spent the first year of its life, to spawn. However, unlike Salmon, Steelhead then returns to the ocean and may spawn more than one time. The silvery sheen of the skin fades in freshwater but returns when the fish returns to the ocean.
Steelhead is found in the wild along the Kamchatka Peninsula and the U.S. and Canadian Pacific coast. There is only a very small amount of wild Steelhead commercially available, the majority is farm-raised. It is farm-raised in the U.S., Canada, South America and Europe.
| Sources | |
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Species NameOncorhynchus mykiss |
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SourceSteelhead is found from Alaska to Southern California in Pacific Ocean drainages as well as the coasts of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Asia. It is farmed in Chile, Canada and the United States. Seattle Fish gets our Steelhead from farms in Washington and British Columbia, Canada. |
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SeasonalityFarm-raised Steelhead is available year-round. |
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Fishing MethodSteelhead is farm-raised and only small amounts of wild may be available. |
| Features | |
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FlavorSteelhead has a mild trout taste with tender, flaky and soft flesh and delicate flakes. Its taste is similar to Salmon. |
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Dietary InformationPer 3.5oz (100g) raw portion: |
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AppearanceWhile the flesh of Rainbow Trout is whitish to brownish, the flesh of Steelhead ranges from bright red to pink. It cooks up lighter. |
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FormSteelhead is available fresh and frozen as fillet, whole head on, and H&G. |
| Uses | |
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PreparationSteelhead is quite versatile. Baking, broiling, grilling, poaching, steaming, sautéing, and smoking all work well. |
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SubstitutionRainbow Trout, Salmon and Arctic Char are good substitutes for Steelhead. |
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HandlingFresh Steelhead should be refrigerated at 30-34 degrees F. Whole fish should be surrounded with fresh ice in a perforated pan which allows any water to drain away from the product for maximum shelf life. Never directly ice a whole Steelhead that has had the bones removed or a fillet. Filleted or deboned product should be stored in a sealed plastic container and surrounded with ice. |
| Market | |
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Sizes and CutsAverage length is 20 to 30 inches and average weight is 8 to 9 pounds. Whole and H&G are available in 50 pound case. Fillets are packed in 10 pound and 30 pound case. |
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Pricing ScaleDue to market and currency fluctuations, please contact your Seattle Fish Company of New Mexico associate for up-to-date market and current pricing information. |
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Shelf LifeFresh Steelhead which has been handled and stored properly should retain optimum quality for 3-4 days. Frozen Steelhead can be stored for 7-9 months and should be used within 2-3 days from date of thaw. Do not refreeze. |