Tastier True North Eco-label Salmon | part 2 of my Eco-chic BBQ

This is part 2 of the eco-chic BBQ that I hosted last Friday night thanks to True North Salmon and iStudio. One of my guests goes fishing the Atlantic salmon every summer. He commented that it was the best farm salmon he ever tasted. Since they are foodies, this is a great compliment for this Canadian family-owned company based in New Brunswick.

Addressing the Common Problems with Fish Farming

To receive the eco-label certification from third-parties, True North Salmon addressed typical complaints about fish farming and put in place a series of  sustainable practices to farming and harvesting the fish. Amongst them, they use a 3-bay management system to allow from crop rotation and fallowing. The fishes are harvested when they have an order for it. They work hard to bring you a fresher product on your plate.

They carefully monitor the level of mercury and other chemicals in the water. The low level will please pregnant women since a good omega-3 intake is essential during pregnancy. Locating their farms in deep waters with good tidal movements provides a cleaner water. They also keep a lower density of fishes in their farms. This allows the fish to swim more freely and it helps in maintaining the quality of the water.

They also reduce their energy usage, carbon footprint, water use and try to be leaner with the packaging.

About the Salmon I received

I wanted to taste the fish with the minimal transformation so I requested fresh fillets. I received 3 fresh salmon fillets (I asked for 2), delivered at home the afternoon before the party. The Montreal representative of True North Salmon showed us at my door with the fish properly packed in a Styrofoam food carrying case with ice cubes.

I got a lot more than I needed for my party. The fillets were 3 to 3.5 pounds each. In fact, one fillet was plenty to serve 7 persons (3 guys, 4 girls).

I made gravlax with almost half of the second salmon fillet (recipe will be published later). I gave the rest to two families. B., who is an infrequent Facebook user, wrote a Status Update about how delicious was the fish we gave him.

Easy Fish Preparation

Just looking at the fillets was mouthwatering. We were all impressed with the fish appearance and freshness feel. Like I mentioned earlier, True North Salmon harvests to order. They typically deliver within 48 hours. Mine may have delivered within 24 hours.

Plus, True North really pays attention when they prepared the fish. They were absolutely no pin bones left which makes it so simple for us. I would feel confident serving the fish to young children. Notice that you must NOT wash or neither put the fish in contact with water. Refer to their dos and don’ts of keeping fresh salmon.

The Entertaining Props and The Maple Salmon recipe

It does not stop there. istudio prepared a box of goodies to reduce my amount of shopping. See the top photo montage to see what was inside the box. I feel they went the extra mile by adding 2 bottles of wine (Oyster Bay, a New Zealand Sauvignon blanc) that nicely paired with the Maple salmon recipe.

They included all the ingredients for the maple syrup salmon; even the garlic clove. Anyone that knows how to cook salmon on a grill is able to make the recipe blind folded. Even if you do forgot to turn at mid-point the salmon while it is marinating (we did not turn it), the recipe is delicious.

Since a fillet has not the same thickness everywhere, you will be able to serve different cooking preferences. It works us fine with our group. Just make sure to select a thick fillet at the center. For that piece, my husband cooked it about 10 minutes in total over medium/medium-high heat.

Where to Buy?

The True North Heritage Salmon brand is available at Loblaws, Longos, Sobeys and Metro stores across Canada. Ask your fishmongers if they carry the brand. In top of whole fish and fillets, you could get fresh center pieces in individual portions, steaks and ready-to-cook skewers.

+ Sustainable Practices of True North Salmon