The fish should be deep, vibrant red—its natural color, unlike farmed salmon which is fed additives to make it pink—and it should be clearly marked as sockeye.

Sprinkle 1 lb. skinless sockeye salmon fillets, cut into 1" pieces, with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper; set aside.

Trader Joe’s Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon. Light pink color and a hint of true salmon flavor add up to a fair version of canned salmon. It has a fish-forward flavor, but a thorough rinse is a big ...