Savoury-pancake hosts
If salmon will be visible in the finished pancakes, a red salmon tin is a useful starting point. Check its size against the number of pancakes you plan to serve.
Who is this for?
Low-prep filling makers
If you want to drain and flake the fish with less skin and bone handling, look for a skinless-and-boneless format. Marks & Spencer warns that small bones may still remain in its 170g red salmon tin.
Pack-detail checkers
If ingredients, portion planning or leftover storage will decide which tin you use, compare the exact pack labels rather than relying on the words red, pink or boneless alone.
What matters when choosing a tin?
Decide how prominent the salmon should be in the pancake, then check how much preparation and fish you need for the filling.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Red salmon presentation | Check whether the pack says red or sockeye salmon, and whether its size suits the filling. | If the fish will be visible in a plated pancake, I want red salmon to be a deliberate part of the presentation. About 36% of consumers put that need first. |
| Less skin and bone handling | Look for skinless-and-boneless wording and read the exact pack’s small-bone warning. | When I am folding a filling together quickly, I want less skin and bone handling, while still checking for small bones. That is the main concern for about 29% of consumers. |
| Enough for the batch | Compare pack quantity and any stated drained quantity with the number of pancakes you are making. | For a batch of pancakes, I need a tin size that fits the portions I intend to make. About 21% of consumers make quantity their first concern. |
| Label details | Read the ingredients, fish allergen declaration and after-opening instructions on the current pack. | If I am checking what goes into the filling, I want the ingredients and allergen information in front of me before choosing. Roughly 14% of consumers prioritise those label details. |
What should you watch for?
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Treating red and pink salmon as the same choice
The distinction matters if the salmon’s appearance is part of your planned presentation; a mixed filling may call for a different choice.
Choose the salmon type to suit how visible the fish will be, then check the preparation format separately.
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Assuming a red tin has no bones
Marks & Spencer says its standard 213g red sockeye salmon contains bones. Its 170g skinless-and-boneless red product also cautions that small bones may remain.
Read the warning on your exact tin and inspect the fish as you flake it into the filling.
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Choosing by tin size alone
Listings from Tesco and Sainsbury’s include different sizes and preparation formats. A pack’s stated weight alone does not tell you whether it is skinless and boneless or how much drained fish it provides.
Plan the pancake quantity, then compare the pack size and any stated drained quantity for the format you want.
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Using one storage rule for every opened tin
After-opening instructions can differ between products, so a rule remembered from another tin may not apply to yours.
Follow the storage container, refrigeration and use-by instructions printed on the exact pack.
Brands and ranges to consider
M&S
Its Wild Alaskan Red Salmon listings include standard and skinless-and-boneless formats.
- Marks & Spencer describes its 170g red salmon as skinless and boneless.
- Its standard 213g red sockeye salmon states that it contains bones; the 170g product warns that small bones may remain.
Tesco
Its own-label listings include red and pink salmon in different tin sizes and preparation formats.
- The range includes a 170g skinless-and-boneless wild red salmon listing.
- Check the exact listing before treating another Tesco salmon tin as the same preparation format.
Sainsbury's
Its own-label range lists both red and pink skinless-and-boneless salmon.
- Sainsbury’s lists 170g skinless-and-boneless formats in both red and pink salmon.
- Check the current pack for the salmon type and bone caution you need.
Princes
Its wild Pacific red salmon appears in standard and skinless-and-boneless listings.
- Princes lists red salmon and salt as ingredients for its Wild Pacific Red Salmon.
- Check which format you are buying: Tesco also lists a separate 105g skinless-and-boneless Princes red salmon.
John West
A 3 × 80g skinless-and-boneless wild pink salmon multipack appears in retailer product listings.
- The multipack format offers separate small tins for planning a filling.
- The Joybuy product information cautions that small bones may still be present despite the skinless-and-boneless description.
Joybuy tinned salmon selection
This pink salmon selection is relevant when the fish will be mixed into a savoury pancake filling rather than chosen for a red salmon presentation.
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Morrisons Pink Salmon 213g (4 packs)
A pink salmon option for a mixed savoury pancake filling. The product title states 213g and four packs; check the pack to confirm the total quantity and read its skin and bone information before buying.
Common questions
Can I use tinned salmon in savoury pancake batter?
Yes. An Alaska Seafood Kitchen recipe uses drained, flaked canned salmon in savoury pancake batter. Drain and flake your chosen salmon, then follow the recipe and the product instructions.
Does skinless and boneless mean there cannot be any bones?
No. Marks & Spencer cautions that small bones may remain in its 170g skinless-and-boneless Wild Alaskan Red Salmon. Check the warning on the exact pack and inspect the fish while preparing the filling.
How should I keep salmon left over from an opened tin?
Follow your exact product label’s instructions for transferring, refrigerating and using the leftovers. Storage directions can differ between salmon products.
What allergen information should I check for salmon pancakes?
Check the salmon label for fish and read the labels of the pancake mix, sauce and any toppings for their own allergens. The Food Standards Agency identifies fish as an allergen for which food businesses must provide information.