The Best of the PNW

[Ken]

Smoked some King Salmon today and I can’t wait for it to chill.  King Salmon is one of the world’s perfect foods and this time of year they’re plentiful and affordable.  I used the Native American wood of choice, alder.  The world smokes with the wood in their back yard. A bit of dark maple syrup in the dry brine and glaze.  Finished up with some black pepper.  Smoked at 170 to an IT of 135.  Yum! 

 

[old sarge]

Looking good Ken!

 

[barelfly]

That looks great! I absolutely love smoked salmon out of my #3!

 

[Lonzinomaker]

We have a local store that put sockeye on their half-price sale, today only for $6.99/lb with a limit of 2.  I bought 2 twice so I can smoke 2 and freeze 2.

 

[Ken]

Here in WA King Salmon fillets were $12.99 a pound which is great for very fresh fish.  I bought more just to eat grilled.  Sockeye fillets are $9.99 in many stores.  Steelhead fillets on sale has been $6.99.  The virus has been hard on restaurants so the price is now low in the grocery due to high supply.

 

[barelfly]

Best salmon I ever had was when I was in Washington St. about 15 years ago. We were at my BiL’s father inlaw’s house - he went out and bought a few filets of Copper River salmon from his fish monger.

I have had Copper River once since then, but that first experience changed me for the good with salmon

 

[Lonzinomaker]

Copper River Salmon is the equivalent of Wagyu beef, best there is.

 

[Ken]

Copper River fish are wonderful but much of that comes from the first major river to come into season.  Everyone is hungry for fresh, not frozen.  The truth is any of the very long rivers with a spring run of salmon produce wonderful fish.  After that, very fresh is the key much like any fish.  The reason long rivers are better is the fish spawn in the fall.  Since the fish really don’t eat much after entering fresh water, they have to rely on stored fat to make it.  These fish are caught at the river mouth.  Great marketing too.