Wash Salmon Before Cooking

Okay, let’s talk about salmon. You just brought home a gorgeous, shiny fillet from the market. Your fingers are itching to run it under the faucet, right? It feels like the right thing to do—like you’re washing away the ocean.

But wait. Should you actually wash salmon before cooking? The answer is a little weird, and honestly, a total game-changer.

The Splash Zone: A Science Lesson in Your Sink

Here’s the chill truth: most experts say don’t do it. I know, I know—it feels counter-intuitive. We wash apples, we rinse rice, so why not fish?

Because when you turn on that tap, you’re not cleaning the salmon. You’re turning your sink into a tiny, wet biohazard zone. Think about it: water hits the raw fish, bounces off, and sprays microscopic bacteria (like salmonella or listeria) all over your counter, your sponge, and that clean dish towel.

It’s like you’re water balloon-ing your kitchen with germs. Cool party trick? Not so much.

The Slime Factor: Why It’s Not Dirt

That slippery, slightly icky feel on a raw salmon fillet isn’t mud. It’s a natural, protective layer of proteins and moisture. This stuff is actually your friend when cooking.

Washing it off doesn’t make the fish “cleaner.” It makes it dryer and more prone to sticking to your pan like glue. Why would you do that to your beautiful fillet?

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Think of it like a good rain jacket. You don’t wash the waterproof coating off before a hike, right? Same vibe here—keep that layer intact.

But What About the “Fishy” Smell?

“But it smells like the ocean!” you say. Yeah, and that’s a good thing. A fresh salmon doesn’t smell like a dirty dock. It smells like clean, briny water.

If it smells super “fishy” (like, offensive), that means it’s starting to turn. Washing it won’t fix that—it just spreads the stinky bacteria around. The fix? Cook it sooner, or run it under cold water only if you’re cooking it immediately after (and even then, pat it bone-dry with paper towels).

The Counterintuitive Clean-Up

So if we don’t wash it, how do we “clean” it? Easy. Skip the faucet. Grab a paper towel and gently pat the fillet dry. That’s it.

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This does two magical things: it removes any excess moisture (hello, crispy skin!) and it gives you a chance to check for any stray scales or pin bones. Just pluck those out with tweezers. No water ballet required.

It’s like grooming a pet, not hosing down a dirty car. Simple, direct, and way more effective.

The Golden Rule: Heat Kills Everything

Here’s the best part: you don’t need water to kill bacteria—heat does that. Your stove, oven, or grill is the real cleaning machine. Cooking salmon to a safe internal temperature (145°F or until it flakes) makes it perfectly safe to eat.

Washing is just theater. It makes you feel like you’re doing something, but you’re actually adding risk (cross-contamination) and reducing quality (soggy flesh). It’s like brushing your teeth with a glue stick—looks active, does nothing useful.

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Fun Comparison: The Burrito vs. The Salmon

Imagine you buy a perfect burrito from a truck. Do you unwrap it and rinse the tortilla under the tap? No way—you’d ruin it. You trust the truck to have made it safe, and you eat it as is.

Your salmon is the same. The farm or fisher handled it safely. Your job is just to season it and heat it. The rest is just noise.

So, next time you’re at the sink with that gorgeous fillet, take a deep breath. Hold back. Pat it dry, season it fabulously, and let the heat do the hard work. Your salmon—and your kitchen counters—will thank you.

Now go make some crispy, delicious fish. No washing required.