Easy Salmon Croquettes - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep salmon croquettes from falling apart? ›

Eggs. To keep salmon patties from falling apart, you need a binder. That's the egg!

The key to making salmon patties with staying power has a lot to do with the ingredients you use to bind the mixture, the moisture balance, and the temperature. Patties without enough sticky stuff to hold them together will be frustrating to work with. Ditto for salmon cakes that are too wet or too dry.

If you're really into technical terminology, the difference is that croquettes typically use breadcrumbs, and patties typically use flour. A croquette mixture is flakier and lighter than a patty mixture.

The best side dishes to serve with salmon patties are watermelon, feta, mint salad, green beans, or a spicy cucumber salad if you are looking to keep things light. For those looking for a heartier meal, lemon herb quinoa, mashed potatoes, or fried rice are more substantial options.

To prevent this, only fry the croquettes for three to four minutes — just enough time for the outside to crisp and the filling to heat through. Heat your oil to exactly 350°F. Any hotter can cause them to expand too rapidly and burst open.

What can I use instead of breadcrumbs in salmon patties? Instead of panko breadcrumbs, you can use cornmeal as we are or crushed Saltine crackers.

Salmon that's gone bad will often feel almost like it's about to fall apart, or sometimes mushy. Other things to watch for when examining your fish by touch are slimy or sticky residues, both indicators of spoilage.

Go easy on the shaping. When you're making your burgers, try not to manhandle them too much or else you'll end up breaking the meat into smaller pieces than you have to. We recommend simply shaping the beef into a vague burger shape with the least amount handling as possible.

That white gunk seeping from your salmon is called albumin. It's a protein—not fat—that pushes to the surface of the fish when you heat it. "Once this protein reaches temperatures between 140 and 150 degrees, its moisture is squeezed out, and it congeals and turns white," according to America's Test Kitchen.

Why do my potato croquettes fall apart? Croquettes may fall apart during frying if the mixture is too wet. As the croquettes get hot, moisture turns to steam, causing them to get soggy and lose their shape. Adding more of a binding agent (beaten egg and/or flour) should help the mixture stay together.

What is the base of croquettes? ›

A croquette (/kroʊˈkɛt/) is a deep-fried roll originating in French cuisine, consisting of a thick binder combined with a filling, which is then breaded. It is served as a side dish, a snack, or fast food worldwide. The binder is typically a thick béchamel or brown sauce, mashed potatoes, wheat flour or wheat bread.

Canned salmon is already cooked - just drain the liquid and it's ready to eat or add to your favourite dish. You can remove the skin if you like. Don't throw out the soft, calcium-rich bones! Mash them with a fork and you won't even notice them.

Drain a little of the naturally occurring juices (the oily liquid in the can comes solely from the fish itself, there is nothing added but a little salt), then add a little olive oil plus some chopped onion. That really evens the flavor out in a very delicious way.

How to Control Salmon's Fishiness with a Milk Bath. You can also lessen salmon's strong flavor by soaking it in a milk bath for 20 minutes and then draining it and patting it dry before cooking. The casein in milk binds to the TMA, and when drained away, it takes the culprit that causes fishy odor with it.

Ingredients in Salmon Croquettes

Panko Bread Crumbs: The breadcrumbs help to form the perfect crust. Flour: I used all-purpose flour in this recipe. Bell Peppers: These are optional, but I love the added color, crunch, and flavor they bring to the croquettes. Canned Salmon: Using canned salmon saves so much time!

Balance The Binders With The Moisture

Every salmon patty or cake recipe calls for some combination of binding ingredients. These usually include eggs, flour, breadcrumbs, cracker crumbs, ground flaxseed, and so on. Without these binders, the salmon has nothing to stick to, so you can't form patties.

If you feel that your recipe needs more of a binder, Melanie Cooks suggests adding a bit of flour into the mix to help hold the ingredients together more. Most crab or tuna cakes don't include flour because it's finicky. Too much flour can make them tough, but if you add just a sprinkle in, it will do wonders.