The Mistake You Should Avoid When Making Salmon Cakes

Crab cakes may be a bit more popular, but salmon cakes are another crispy and delicious fish patty that's easy to make at home. Great on a burger bun or crumbled into a taco, salad, or protein bowl, salmon cakes are an excellent source of protein and can be seasoned in a variety of ways. However, some people get turned off from salmon cakes after finding that they come out dry and crumbly. Luckily, this is an easy problem to avoid.

The mistake that people make with salmon patties is not adding enough liquid. Most salmon cake recipes call for canned salmon, so the liquid you need for moist patties is right there in the can. Rather than throwing away the liquid when draining your salmon, simply reserve it and set it aside. When it's time to shape the patties, add the reserved liquid, especially if the salmon feels dry. Not only will this make the patties more mouthwateringly moist, but it will also prevent them from falling apart.

If you're looking for other tricks for transforming your salmon patties from dry to divine, you have options. If you're a bread maker, you can use the sourdough discard that you were planning to throw out to help bind the patty together and moisten it. If you've already tossed out or managed to repurpose your discard, sourdough starter also works. Another option that works both as a binding agent and a moistener for salmon cakes is egg. And if you have both sourdough discard and eggs on hand, you can use both.

In addition to adding water, egg, or sourdough discard to the patties themselves, dress the finished product in a tasty sauce for even more moisture and flavor. You can't go wrong with a classic tartar or dill sauce, but you can also use honey mustard, sriracha mayo, or even a barbeque glaze. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is the perfect finishing touch. Whether you're making salmon cakes for the first time or have been disappointed with them in the past, you can easily avoid the mistake of dry patties with the right preparation.