I started using the Anova Sous Vide as a means to cook more meals at home and so far I really like it.
I wanted to try out some salmon so I did it with olive oil and tyme in a sealable bag using the slow immersion and then sealing at the top method. The guide said 45 munites at 120F which I did. When I pulled the salmon out and blotted it with a paper towel to get it dry, my thermometer was about 120F as expected.
However looking at the USDA food safety regulations they say salmon should be 145F in the middle. I have always been paranoid about food safety so I have not eaten this yet. Instead I took off the skin like the guide said and refrigerated them.
So what is the deal with this pretty major temperature disparity. Doing some research I get that some people eat salmon at this temperature, so what's the deal with 145F? Will I get sick eating this? Anything I should look out for? Thank you.
Best Answer
A fair amount of cooks and recipes disagree with the official guidelines when it comes to salmon's desired cooking temperature. The 145F guideline applies to all fish and shellfish, and is meant as a safety standard, not a culinary guideline. I've seen target temperatures for salmon ranging from 120 to 150F (most being in the 120-135F range).
The main reason for the 145F temperature is parasites such as Anisakis, which requires the following to kill:
You should research what other parasites and bacteria may be found in the salmon you source, and what mitigation strategies there are (such as freezing, as seen above). If all of them can be done without heating the fish above 120F, you may have a way to follow those guidelines safely. Otherwise, stick to what the USDA, FDA, and CDC agree on :)