For 10x More Savory Salmon, Add A Sprinkle Of This Cheap Trader Joe's Find (Under $3)

When cooking salmon, it can sometimes be difficult to get the exact taste you want the fish to have. While some appreciate the mild flavor of lightly seasoned cooked salmon, others prefer a much stronger, more complex flavor. Luckily for Trader Joe's fans, the grocery chain has the perfect product to achieve the latter. The Trader Joe's Salmon Rub Seasoning Blend is a simple yet effective ingredient that can absolutely revolutionize your fish, adding an explosion of savory flavors for just $2.69 per spice jar.

The seasoning mix in question features brown sugar, rice concentrate, smoked paprika, dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. The latter four ingredients contribute to the rub's uniquely savory flavor, while the brown sugar balances it out, imbuing the mix with sweetness that makes it much more complex in the process. This mix of savory, sweet, and smoky is what makes brown sugar barbecue seasoning a popular choice for giving salmon a delectable crust and creates arguably the ideal balance of flavors for salmon. 

Plus, considering that your rub and cooking technique are among the most important variables for your salmon's taste (alongside the season it's purchased in), having the Trader Joe's product on hand is in the best interest of those who frequently cook salmon at home. As for how to apply it, most say that patting the salmon dry, coating it with olive oil, and rubbing the seasoning blend into the fish before cooking will lead to the best results possible.

While the Salmon Rub Seasoning Blend wasn't quite hot enough to make it on our esteemed list of the best spicy seasoning blends at Trader Joe's, it impressed us as an incredibly tasty addition to salmon. However, we aren't alone in our appreciation for the product. Fans online have heaped praise upon the salmon rub over the years, calling it a must-buy item at Trader Joe's. " ... If you don't use the salmon rub, then you're truly missing out on a stellar product," one Redditor said. "It's such a problem because I now can't enjoy salmon any other way [...] just buy it."

And the fun doesn't need to end at just salmon. Some consumers say they put the seasoning on avocados to make a healthy and enjoyable snack. Others say it's even better on roasted chicken than on salmon. In fact, Trader Joe's website itself recommends utilizing the Salmon Rub Seasoning Blend for various other recipes when you get the chance. "We recommend giving it a go on roast pork loin, pan-seared steak, grilled shrimp, stir-fried tempeh, or even your everyday roasted veggies," the site reads.