How Do You Know When Salmon Is Perfectly Cooked?

If you’ve ever stood in front of the freezer wondering whether to choose hake or kingklip, you’re not alone.

Both are delicious—but they’re quite different.

Hake

Hake has a mild flavour, soft flakes and is incredibly versatile.

It’s ideal for fish and chips, fish cakes, curries and everyday family meals.

Kingklip

Kingklip has a firmer texture and a richer flavour.

It’s often served in restaurants because it holds together beautifully when baked, grilled or pan-fried.

Getting children to enjoy fish doesn’t have to be a challenge.

The secret is choosing fish with a mild flavour and a soft, flaky texture.

For many families, Norwegian salmon is an excellent choice because it’s easy to cook, naturally tender and incredibly versatile.

Hake is another family favourite thanks to its delicate flavour.

If you’ve got particularly fussy eaters, crumbed fish fingers made from quality fish can be a great introduction.

Absolutely—and it’s one of our favourite ways to cook it.

If you’ve forgotten to defrost dinner, your air fryer can come to the rescue.

Preheat your air fryer to 200°C.

Brush the salmon lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and cook for approximately 12–15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.

The outside becomes beautifully golden while the inside stays tender and flaky.

Ordering fish online has never been easier—but how do you know you’re choosing the right supplier?

Whether you’re buying Norwegian salmon, white fish or smoked fish, there are a few things worth checking before you place your order.

Forgot to defrost dinner?

You’re in good company.

The good news is that Norwegian salmon can be cooked straight from frozen, making it one of the easiest proteins to keep in the freezer.

Simply add around 8–10 extra minutes to the normal cooking time.

Pat away any surface ice, brush lightly with olive oil, season generously and bake at 190C until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.

Avoid turning the oven up too high. Slow and steady produces beautifully moist salmon.

If you’ve ever wondered why restaurants and chefs often choose Norwegian salmon, you’re asking a great question.

Norwegian salmon has earned an international reputation for its consistent quality, rich flavour and beautiful texture.

The cool, clear waters of Norway provide ideal conditions for salmon farming, while strict quality standards help ensure consistency throughout the supply chain.

Professionally flash-freezing the salmon at peak freshness helps preserve that quality until it reaches your kitchen.

This is the most asked question.

Is fresh fish actually better than frozen?

The answer isn't quite as simple as you might think.

Professionally flash-frozen fish is frozen at peak freshness, helping preserve its natural texture, flavour and quality until you're ready to cook it.

Fish sold as "fresh" may already have spent several days travelling from producer to distributor before reaching the shelf. That doesn't make it poor quality—it simply means "fresh" doesn't always mean "recently caught."

Flash-freezing helps stop that clock.

That's why many restaurants around the world proudly use professionally frozen seafood.

One of the biggest advantages of keeping quality fish in the freezer is knowing dinner is always within reach.

But how long does frozen fish actually last?

When stored correctly at -18°C or below, frozen fish can maintain excellent quality for many months.

Keeping fish well sealed helps prevent freezer burn and protects its texture and flavour.

Once thawed, it’s best to cook it within one to two days.

If you've been searching for where to buy fresh salmon in Johannesburg, you're not alone. It's one of the questions we're asked most often.

The answer, however, might surprise you.

When it comes to premium salmon, the most important question isn't simply  "Is it fresh?" It's "How has it been handled?"

At The Fish & Food Co., we believe that professionally flash-frozen Norwegian salmon, frozen at peak freshness, offers the perfect combination of exceptional quality, convenience and consistency.