Wild Alaskan Salmon: Buying it where???

[Orchidflower]

From my homework, it seems that the wild Alaskan salmon from Copper River or the Yukon is the best. Regardless, does anyone here buy wild Alaskan salmon that is shipped to your house?
I am looking to purchase good quality--at not ridiculous prices--good wild Alaskan salmon to eat.

 

[Moemg]

I have sent presents from great Alaska Seafood . I thought the prices were good and my daughter said the salmon was great . When we were in Alaska we brought home several cans of smoked salmon . You put it on a cracker with cream cheese and it is heavenly .

 

[REWahoo]

You put it on a cracker with cream cheese and it is heavenly.

Sure sounds like it...

I thought the prices were god...

 

[bbbamI]

Sure sounds like it...

You don't miss a thing...do you?

OF...I can't help you with the salmon. I think I'm the only person in the world that doesn't like it.

 

[omni550]

OF...I can't help you with the salmon. I think I'm the only person in the world that doesn't like it.

+1

omni

 

[kaneohe]

If you have a local Costco, they have, at times, some good deals.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I can't advise on the mail order front, but I buy wild Copper River salmon here (southwestern PA) fresh when it is running, which is May-June. The cost this year was between about $16.00 and $25.00 a pound, and as I recall the higher price was for a different grade (King maybe?). I buy frozen wild salmon at other times. I also purchase cans of wild red Alaskan sockeye salmon, and I pile it on salads and crackers. Very tasty.
The only mail order fish I ever purchase is Scottish smoked salmon. It is expensive but I indulge so infrequently that I manage to justify it. I served it one year at a holiday party, and I was amazed at how indifferent my friends were. The takeout Chinese food was much more popular.

 

[haha]

From my homework, it seems that the wild Alaskan salmon from Copper River or the Yukon is the best. Regardless, does anyone here buy wild Alaskan salmon that is shipped to your house?
I am looking to purchase good quality--at not ridiculous prices--good wild Alaskan salmon to eat.

Copper River is one particular Alaskan river. A late spring early summer sockeye run from this river is very heavily hyped around Puget Sound. For reasons I don't understand, it is the only species marketed like this. It is long gone from our markets now, it is mainly available late spring-early summer. There is still some good sockeye around, but not for long. IMO the best salmon in markets today (meaning this week) is the King, which is bigger and somewhat paler color than Sockeye.

Unless you have money you are really eager to burn, just go to Trader Joe and buy some nice quick-frozen Alaskan Sockeye. Japanese consumers are very particular about their fish, and they are not poor, and they buy a great deal of this very same frozen Alaskan sockeye salmon.

Today I bought both some king filet, and some sockeye. They were featured at QFC, I believe the king was $13 or $15, and the sockeye was $9 or $10/#. I believe they are selling whole sockeye-like 4-6# fish- for $6/#.

That is a great deal, but I don't have the freezer space for what I can't eat right away.

Ha

 

[Orchidflower]

Groupon had a coupon here by a local company just outside Phoenix for 2 lbs. of smoked and 6 lbs, of sockeye salmon--from Alaska--for $86+/- a few bucks. Course, if I buy again from this company the price doubles cause no coupon.

I will try Moemg's company and see what luck I have. If I can get some great salmon at a decent price, I'm buying.

 

[DblDoc]

When in season here in the PNW we will get the Copper River Sockeye. Usually cook it teriyaki style - don't over cook it! It is a once a year treat. The texture of fresh salmon, never frozen, is noticeable and the flavour is very, very good. There is NO substitute, but expect to pay $$$.

DD

 

[SteveL]

As of the day before yesterday, Costco had wild Alaska Sockeye fillets for $7.99/lb.

Lay skin side down on foil, add lime juice, fresh ground pepper, and some creamy blue cheese salad dressing. Slide foil onto hot bbq grill and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Test with knife to see if cooked. Slide the foil onto a plate. The skin will generally stick to the foil, and the meat will easily come off with a spatula. Yum!

 

[MichaelB]

From my homework, it seems that the wild Alaskan salmon from Copper River or the Yukon is the best. Regardless, does anyone here buy wild Alaskan salmon that is shipped to your house?
I am looking to purchase good quality--at not ridiculous prices--good wild Alaskan salmon to eat.

Hi Orchidflower
Are you referring to salmon fillet to cook and eat or smoked salmon to eat direct from the package on a bagel or crackers, in a salad, etc? If you plan to cook, do you have a preferred method? Copper river salmon is tasty but has less fat and is a bit challenging to cook.

 

[Orchidflower]

I have been just putting pam in a skillet and cooking the wild Alaskan salmon I recently purchased. Nuttin' fancy...but darn good.
And I love smoked salmon...just love it. And I ain't classy enough to put it with anything, but I eat it right out of the package when hungry..haha!
It's fantastic!

 

[skyvue]

They sell 3 or 4 varieties at my local supermarket including the Cooper River variety this time of year. It is much more expensive than the farm raised kind you get from Maine or Canada. I know people like Dr. Oz tell you to buy the "wild salmon" but I actually find the cheaper farm raised stuff to taste better. The fillets are thicker and the fish doesn't taste as "wild" or strong.

I also always pay for the "skinless" variety as the sight of the skin on one side just kinda grosses me out.

I cook my salmon on my George Foreman grill. It actually comes out real nice and only takes about 3-4 minutes after the grill is heated.

 

[HFWR]

good quality--at not ridiculous prices

An oxymoron...

I buy frozen at Costco; around $10/lb.

 

[MichaelB]

Farm raised has a higher fat content, which affects taste and is easier to cook. Wild, like Alaskan, is a bit more challenging because it is so easy to overcook. We buy and eat both. For grilling, both stovetop and outdoor, we use farm raised. When wild Alaskan is on sale at Whole Foods we buy it but DW cooks it in the oven.

It is safer to buy wild from a large chain grocer. They are required to record the trail from water to market, and prove it is wild. These regulations do not apply to small grocers or fish markets. The last review I read, either in consumer reports or the NYT, was a year ago and it determined that every sample, without exception, that was purchased from fish markets or local grocers was called wild but tested farm raised. Every sample from a national chain that was sold as wild tested true.

I've never looked into buying salmon online but I have bought lots of bison online and shipping is very costly - it only works out with large quantities.

 

[haha]

if you know what these different fish look like, you cannot be fooled. To the best of my knowledge, the only US farmed salmon is Atlantic salmon. Sockeye, king, silver (coho) are all wild.

Look at the filet- if it has big whitish fat separating the myotomes, it is farmed Atlantic salmon. It may be farmed in BC, but it is still Atlantic Salmon. If it is a deep ruby red, and it looks as if the fish might have weighed 4-8 pounds whole, it is sockeye, always wild.

Learn to recognize what fish looks like and you will be fraud proof.

Same goes for meat. I see shoppers who are plenty old enough to have figured out what they are buying ask the butcher amazing questions.

There are places for trust( like mutual fund salesmen) , but not meat or fish counters.

Ha

 

[braumeister]

Extremely high quality wild Alaskan salmon is available for shipment from SeaBear. I've ordered from them a number of times.
SeaBear Smoked Salmon

It's expensive, but the quality and quick delivery are unbeatable, IMHO.

No connection, just a satisfied customer yada yada.

 

[Brat]

I know some of my Norwegian distant relatives will want to choke me but don't buy farm raised salmon. 1. They are fed fish processor scraps and unmarketable fish caught in nets made into pellets. 2. Wild fish are pink because they eat other fish, the pink color of farm fish is achieved through dye. 3. Farm fish poop and uneaten pellets kills life under the nets. The impact of the latter is diminished (not eliminated) by the farm in Rich Passage (WA) because the currents are hellacious there when the tides change.

 

[sanfanciscotreat]

The best wild Alaskan salmon I have had is caught by yours truly.
Also halibut. What we sent to Trappers Creek for smoking was out of this world.
Course the price was a bit more but included a lot of great scenery and bear watching. Going again in a couple of weeks.

 

[ERD50]

...

Unless you have money you are really eager to burn, just go to Trader Joe and buy some nice quick-frozen Alaskan Sockeye. Japanese consumers are very particular about their fish, and they are not poor, and they buy a great deal of this very same frozen Alaskan sockeye salmon.

Ha

Lots of good info on salmon here from many posters, but I'll just quote this one to post my question:

First, I'm as far from a connoisseur regarding fish as you can get. DW cooks salmon just about every week though and we enjoy it. Generally getting the salmon from Costco, and we have gotten both the wild and farm raised. Going from memory here, but it seems the farm raised is light pink (from dye in the food as listed on the package) and 'mushier' than the wild. The wild is almost red, and firm and maybe a bit 'drier' when cooked. Taste seems to follow those descriptions also. DW actually preferred the farm raised, as it was what she was accustomed to. I can see where the wild is considered a better product, but it wasn't a go-no-go for me.

So I'm curious about this frozen product from Trader Joe's. Would I expect this frozen Alaskan Sockeye to be better than the Costco farm raised we can get here? Maybe the price is much more, I don't even know what we pay for salmon, but I could compare next time I'm out.

Smoked salmon is a whole 'nother thing. DW started me on it, and it was an acquired taste for me, but I love all kinds of smoked salmon and esp smoked trout now. mmmmmmmmmmm

-ERD50

 

[haha]

So I'm curious about this frozen product from Trader Joe's. Would I expect this frozen Alaskan Sockeye to be better than the Costco farm raised we can get here? Maybe the price is much more, I don't even know what we pay for salmon, but I could compare next time I'm out.

-ERD50

If or your wife prefer farmed fish, or are indifferent as to wild/farmed, I don't think that the Trader Joe product I mentioned would be a definite step up for you. It's just like fresh sockeye ( the deep red stuff), but not quite as good because for me at least it is harder to prepare frozen fish. I just think it is a very good source for people who want wild fish, and do not live in a NW city and who do have a Trader Joe store nearby. Trader Joe stores are sometimes easier for city dwellers than Costco, and it can be a less overwhelming task to get there and get home.

Frozen fish can be great, for example if you are going to fry it. I've been to fish fries in Texas where the fish were caught over several weeks and frozen. Also my wife was good at broiling salmon steaks that we would cut from a whole fish and freeze. But I just don't have the knack. Another interesting fact is that the most expensive fish around (and tastiest!), that which is used in sushi and sashimi, is almost all frozen. A sushi chef told me it was all frozen, and it likely is, but I believe that the deep red tuna called maguro is not required by law to be frozen before being served. All the other finfish intended to be eaten raw must be frozen.

From others' comments I get the idea that sometimes at least, good fresh wild fish is available pretty much all over the country. I never see it when I visit my sister in the midwest, or my brother in Ft Worth. And I never saw north pacific fish when I lived in SoCal. I shopped in Chinatown and mostly saw seabass, snapper, tuna and other local fish, but that was along time ago.

BTW, not all wild salmon is deep red. Both Coho and kings are lighter in color than sockeye, but they do not have that striped look of farmed fish.

I just fixed a 1.5# sockeye filet I bought last night. Where I live now I cannot grill without going to a bit of trouble, so my favorite way to prepare is poached. I fill a fish poacher or a big tightly covered skillet with as much water as it will hold and still leave room for the fish without overflowing. I put a little celery, onion and carrot in, and bring it to a hard boil. Then I cut off the heat, and add the fish and set a timer for 20' or so. When it dings, I take it out, check to be sure it is done, and strip the skin off. This step is very easy while still hot, but much messier after it has cooled.

I eat it either hot, or after chilling with mayo and lemon or any other sauce. If I am going to have a party, I use a whole fish about 4-5#, and use my fish poacher the same way.

Ha

 

[ERD50]

Originally Posted by ERD50
So I'm curious about this frozen product from Trader Joe's...

If or your wife prefer farmed fish, or are indifferent as to wild/farmed, I don't think that the Trader Joe product I mentioned would be a definite step up for you.

Actually, I think DW prefers the wild now, it was just a little bit of getting accustomed to the difference. But yes, it isn't a huge deal to us - more important that it is cooked properly (she almost always grills it over charcoal, dill, lemon, and other things). She's never sure if it's done though, and always asks me to check, and it seems reliable to catch it just as it is 'flaking'.

From others' comments I get the idea that sometimes at least, good fresh wild fish is available pretty much all over the country. I never see it when I visit my sister in the midwest, or my brother in Ft Worth.

It might be that what we would call 'good and fresh' would not meet the standards of someone on the coasts. I'm that way with sweet corn, people will say 'yummm, so good' to stuff I wouldn't even think of putting in my mouth (if it looks bad, shriveled, dry kernels, it's not going to taste good). If it's mediocre corn, squeeze some fresh lime juice, salt & butter and hot sauce on it for something tasty. If it is fresh and a good ear, salt, butter and pepper only. When we lived on a farm, 'fresh' meant picked within a few hours of dinner - if it was picked earlier to sell at the stand, we went out and got 'fresh' corn for dinner. Anything left at the end of the day was fed to the cattle, our customers only got fresh corn.

Where I live now I cannot grill without going to a bit of trouble, so my favorite way to prepare is poached. ...

I eat it either hot, or after chilling with mayo and lemon or any other sauce.

Ha

I think poaching can work well, but DW isn't so fond of it. I think it's especially good poached when you are using it as you say - served cold later with mayo & lemon, maybe capers. It seems to hold up well to that.

Thanks for the fish info, we really need to work more of it into our menu.

-ERD50

 

[HFWR]

When it's too hot (like now) to grill outdoors, I use a cast iron griddle on the gas range. My rule is cook about a third of the way through, flip, and cook another two-thirds, leaving the center pink. Yum! Seasonings might include lemon pepper, ginger, cajun spices, or all the above...

 

[kaneohe]

So I'm curious about this frozen product from Trader Joe's. Would I expect this frozen Alaskan Sockeye to be better than the Costco farm raised we can get here? Maybe the price is much more, I don't even know what we pay for salmon, but I could compare next time I'm out.

-ERD50

Just to add to what haha already said, this question is kind of comparing apples and oranges........sockeye (wild/red/less fat) vs Atlantic(farmed/dyed light pink/more fat). I personally like wild king (chinooks) but unless we catch them ourself and charge to the recreation budget, I find it hard to pay market price for them (probably >$15/lb). My second preference is the Atlantic because of the fat.......though I have to suppress the idea that contaminants concentrate in the fat and that dyes are petroleum products (I was surprised when I read that; correct me if wrong). The higher fat content makes it much more forgiving when cooking......harder to overcook).

Perhaps a fairer comparison would be to compare the fresh sockeye vs
the frozen sockeye. In principle, fresh is better since the freezing/thawing process causes some degradation in quality. In reality, you have the compensating factor that most "fresh" fish are mostly fresh in the sense of
not being frozen and not necessarily that they are fresh in the common meaning of the word. I hope that I won't destroy your fish-eating forever but I have come the conclusion that the supply chain time for fresh fish makes it hard to prevent some degradation (or more) of quality. I don't know if fish outgas but every time I unwrap fresh fish from butcher (waxed) paper, I always smell some degree of unpleasantness and I have never smelled that from fresh or fresh frozen thawed fish. There probably is a lot of variation in that "fresh" quality and so I suspect that a well controlled flash freezing process (I suspect true for TJ) could be better/more consistent than fresh.