What is it?

A small, full-flavored, white- to pink-fleshed fish. Trout is in the same family as salmon, but unlike their pink cousins, most trout species live in freshwater (a few are anadromous, like salmon, living in both fresh and saltwater).

One of the most commonly available varieties of trout in the U.S. is farm-raised rainbow trout.

Don’t have it?

salmon and arctic char can be substituted, though these are usually stronger-flavored fish than trout.

How to choose:

When buying skin-on fillets, look for intact skin and make sure the scales were properly removed. Most fish skin is edible and delicious, especially when cooked until crisp.

When shopping for whole fish, freshness is key. Try to buy fish on the day you plan to cook it, and seek out the freshest fish your market has to offer. Don’t be shy about asking to examine the fish closely. Here’s what to look for:

• Eyes should be clear, not gray, cloudy, or sunken
• Flesh should be firm to the touch and moist (not mushy or slimy)
• Gills should be vibrant and bright red
• Aroma should be clean and briny, like the sea (not fishy)

How to store:

If you’re using whole fish, rinse it well inside and out when you get it home. Pat it thoroughly dry, wrap it in paper towels, and store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Always store fresh fish in coldest part of the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. If you need to store it overnight, set the fish in its plastic bag on a bed of ice in the refrigerator.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Whole Grilled Trout with Charred Corn and Black-Plum ChowChow

  Marked by the grill, the silver skin of a whole trout looks beautiful on the plate. If you don’t want to grill trout on the bone, it’s easy enough to…

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  Recipe

  Smoked Trout and Summer Bean Salad

  This ingenious combination of tangy yogurt, oil-cured olives, fresh cucumbers, and bunches of fragrant herbs, along with hearty beans and smoky fish, offers intriguing flavors in every bite.

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  Recipe

  Smoked Trout, Egg, and Horseradish Tartines

  Tartine is a fancy way of saying open-face sandwich, but the word implies that the filling is somewhat elevated. Here, egg salad is gilded with smoked fish and a fresh,…

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  Recipe

  Smoked Trout with Apple and Crème Fraîche

  In this savory-sweet nibble, thinly sliced apple is a fresh, creative stand-in for crostini or crackers. If you don’t have roasted walnut oil, use any other roasted nut oil, such…

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  Recipe

  Pan-Fried Trout with White Beans, Bacon, and Rosemary

  Bacon and rosemary lend slow-cooked flavor to canned cannellini beans, making them a speedy but special accompaniment for tender trout fillets. Make sure to have your fishmonger remove the fine…

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  Recipe

  Salt-Crusted Trout with Lemon-Dill Beurre Blanc

  Salt-crusting has all the drama of a restaurant technique, yet it's easy to do at home. In this recipe, the trout becomes ultramoist and tender during roasting and pairs nicely with the…