Wild King Salmon
There is a reason why the Chinook is called "King Salmon." With its rich, buttery taste and formidable size (sometimes reaching 50 pounds), it is the epitome of fine quality when it comes to salmon. Keep in mind that this is the peak season for the king salmon--between late May and early June--so you want to take advantage and get these fresh, red-fleshed fillets while they're around.
Because king salmon is meant to be "shown off," we wanted to offer some tips for preparation.
For Perfectly Cooked Salmon
Salmon is actually quite versatile and easy to cook. It can be fried, poached, broiled, baked, or grilled. Just keep these things in mind while preparing:
Don't over-season - Salmon, especially Chinook, is naturally flavorful. Lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper make a wonderful base, and you don't need much else after that.
Don't overcook - Salmon cooks quickly, and when done right, has a lovely color and flakes nicely. If you cook it too much, however, the meat can get tough and dry.
Don't overfreeze - Freezing can create that "fishy" flavor we'd all rather avoid. You do want to keep it cold right before you use it, though. Refrigerate raw salmon, and use all of your cooked salmon once it's done. Throwing leftover chunks of salmon into salads, or making them into fried cakes is a nice option.
Pan frying - Make sure the oil or butter gets hot in order to seal the oils and juices into the salmon. Don't use high heat when cooking or it will burn quickly and the thicker meat inside will be raw.
Broiling - Keep the oven rack 2-3 inches from heat, baste often, and only turn once.
Baking - Bake at 350 degrees. For every inch of meat, bake 10 minutes (i.e., a 2-inch thick filet should take 20 minutes).
Because king salmon is meant to be "shown off," we wanted to offer some tips for preparation.
For Perfectly Cooked Salmon
Salmon is actually quite versatile and easy to cook. It can be fried, poached, broiled, baked, or grilled. Just keep these things in mind while preparing:
Don't over-season - Salmon, especially Chinook, is naturally flavorful. Lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper make a wonderful base, and you don't need much else after that.
Don't overcook - Salmon cooks quickly, and when done right, has a lovely color and flakes nicely. If you cook it too much, however, the meat can get tough and dry.
Don't overfreeze - Freezing can create that "fishy" flavor we'd all rather avoid. You do want to keep it cold right before you use it, though. Refrigerate raw salmon, and use all of your cooked salmon once it's done. Throwing leftover chunks of salmon into salads, or making them into fried cakes is a nice option.
Pan frying - Make sure the oil or butter gets hot in order to seal the oils and juices into the salmon. Don't use high heat when cooking or it will burn quickly and the thicker meat inside will be raw.
Broiling - Keep the oven rack 2-3 inches from heat, baste often, and only turn once.
Baking - Bake at 350 degrees. For every inch of meat, bake 10 minutes (i.e., a 2-inch thick filet should take 20 minutes).