Throughout the years, people have found ways to put ketchup on just about everything. While you should avoid adding ketchup to some foods, others actually are ideal for one of America’s favorite condiments. A classic pairing for salty french fries or spread onto a juicy cheeseburger, ketchup is also delectable when mixed into a sweet, tangy glaze for salmon.
In addition to tomatoes, vinegar, and some other ingredients, ketchup is made with a lot of sugar, which you should always add to fish. Not only does sugar add to the inherent sweetness of salmon, it also does a bang-up job of muting that extra-fishy flavor, speeding up the Maillard reaction for better browning, and helping create a firm, moist texture. Many ketchup brands, after a little math, can be between 20% and 25% sugar; combined with the tangy acidity of tomatoes and vinegar, it makes the perfect baked salmon glaze.
A spoonful of ketchup helps the salmon go down
While we all love to deck out our salmon in garlic, butter, and fresh herbs, ketchup is an affordable and shockingly delicious alternative. The best part is that nearly all of us here in the States keep ketchup in our refrigerators or have dozens of little fast food packets socked away in the junk drawer. Using seasonings and condiments to upgrade salmon, including ketchup, can make the fish more palatable and enjoyable for us. This can only be construed as a benefit considering salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients for us to maintain healthy hearts and brains.
So the next time you’re preparing salmon, whether farmed or wild, smoked or salt cured, try painting on a ketchup and honey glaze, or layer ketchup with mayonnaise. See if the ubiquitous condiment doesn’t deserve a more elevated status on your ingredient list.
