Silvers and Reds

I worked with Kenny fishing on a purse seiner in Kodiak, Alaska for a couple of summers back in the late 1990’s. After proposing to him one February he said he’d wait to see how we did together on the boat that summer. I guess you all know how that turned out  

For greenhorns in Alaska, there is no training, everything is learned on the job, hands on. As you may know, there are 5 species of wild Pacific salmon and we had to learn the difference among all of them just by looking at the scales, tails and eyes. After fish are caught and stored in the iced or RSW (refrigerated sea water) fish hold, we’d typically deliver to an ocean tender and at that point we’d need to sort species as each one is a different pay rate. So we’d have to identify silver from red from humpy from dog and batch into the appropriate hold on the tender. This all happens very quickly and can be challeging for a greenhorn. Ocean run fish are bright and beautiful, it isn’t until they get into fresh water that you begin to see the iconic changes in color and facial shape. Silver salmon has more silver on the tailfin and a smaller eye relative to other species. Also in Alaska, they don’t really refer to each individual species by proper name, they use their own local names:

Sockeye = Red Salmon

Coho = Silver Salmon

Pink = Humpy Salmon

Keta = Dog Salmon

Chinook = King Salmon

We have just received a shipment of fresh coho/silver salmon! Coho is lighter and milder than sockeye with slightly less omega-3 oil and slightly more saturated fat, yielding a juicier, easier to cook salmon. Coho is quite similar to King salmon and slightly more abundant. The portions are 8-10oz each. Read more about Coho Salmon here!

Additionally, we still have plenty of fresh catch sockeye filets and our Fire Sale 2 for the price of 1 special on 2022 sockeye salmon harvest is still ongoing.

Here’s a great Coho Salmon recipe:

Salmon in Lime Ginger Sauce

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 Tbs. fresh ginger, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
Juice from one lime, (about three Tbs.)
2 Tbs. Bariani Olive Oil
¼ tsp. turmeric
Four, 8oz salmon filets

Combine first four ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, adding a little water if necessary. Add the next three ingredients and mix thoroughly. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish and coat the fish filets well, then cover and marinate for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

Spread enough marinade to cover the bottom of a large, heavy skillet, and add the filets. Spread the remaining marinade on the fish. Cover the skillet tightly and cook for 12-15 minutes over medium-low heat until fish is opaque throughout.

P.S. the 2024 wild Snow Crab harvest in Kodiak was a success! Almost all our case orders were picked up, yet we still have 2 x 25 pound cases of fresh harvest Snow Crab available now for $620 per case. Please Order in Advance

We’re loaded with silvers and reds! See you at the market!

Brenna