Fish
Steelhead
A tier
Under trout, steelhead means the sea-run rainbow trout form—larger, often richer than resident rainbows, with salmon-like life history. Markets also sell farmed rainbow as “steelhead,” so colour and oil vary. True wild steelhead is scarce and regulated; farmed product is the volume fish. Cook as a premium trout or mild salmon: pan-sear, roast, light cure. Pin bones and skin behave like other Oncorhynchus. Ask whether the fish is wild steelhead or farmed rainbow if the distinction matters to you.
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Pacific steelhead returned to western rivers as a distinct migratory trout resource.
Sport fisheries elevated wild steelhead while hatcheries expanded runs.
Farmed steelhead/rainbow filled retail cases under the steelhead name.