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wild king salmon. How does this compare to sockeye salmon?

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NDG
NDG Posts: 2,431
in EggHead Forum
I was in a hurry at the store and confused the two kinds of Salmon on sale at whole foods.  Ended up with Wild King Salmon that he said it was from California.  Besides the price tag, it was an amazing mistake.  Went raised direct on a soaked Alder Board at 400F for about 30 mins.  Just covered in some canola oil & dizzy pig raging river before the cook and some lemon after.  It basically melted in your mouth with a very smooth almost creamy flavor.  How would you fish guys compare King Salmon to the Sockeye Salmon?    
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Columbus, OH

“There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    That's some great looking salmon!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • Zaltydog
    Zaltydog Posts: 106
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    Wow! That looks really good.  I have been thinking about getting some Raging River.  After seeing these pictures I am going to be doing that soon.  Nice cook!
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,834
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    King and sockeye are the two best species of salmon for eating.  Both are really hard to catch for the individual fisherman, but sockeye is apparently not that hard for the commercial fisherman with a net who finds a school of them.  A lot of money is spent trying to catch king salmon in rivers.  From what I have read and learned from offshore guides in Alaska, they quote a statistic that varies from fishing season to fishing season, but in any given year they average 10 - 30 hours of time fishing with a guide for every 1 king salmon that is caught.  Fisherman without a guide catch king salmon at about 1/2 that rate.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • cfwilen
    cfwilen Posts: 27
    edited July 2013
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    Very similar in taste and texture and oil content.  Sockeye are typically smaller fish so require slightly different cooking times.  With the thicker filets of a King, you have some more options without drying out the fish.  Some of the best King I've ever had has been slow cooked at ~200 degrees.  Because of availability, we eat a lot more sockeye, but as far as local fish go, it's tough to beat a Columbia River Spring Chinook (King).  Catch rates were down during the regular season, but the fish came in late so the run ended up being pretty strong.  On the boat at 6am, limits by 8am, on the grill by 10am - the makings of a perfect day.

    I enjoy silvers as well, but totally different approach to cooking.  They don't have the Omega 3s and oils like the sockeye and king so they dry out much faster.  Sweeter meat though.

    Pinks become smoked salmon

    chum become crab bait.
    Portland, OR
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  • Gogogordy
    Gogogordy Posts: 460
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    Its called "King" for a reason....
    When I'm not Eggin', I'm scootin'   Eggin' and 'cueing from Temecula Ca; an hour from San Diego, an hour and five minutes from Palm Springs, and an hour and a half from Los Angeles (yeah, right. With THAT traffic?)
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    I'm on day two of curing 2 pounds of sockeye and 6 pounds of farm raised salmon.  The sockeye costs $20/lb.  The king was $29/lb. (passed).  The farm raised was $8/lb.

    I'm pulling them out of the cure later today and will check and adjust the salt if necessary.  Then let them sit overnight exposed in the fridge.  Tomorrow will go 6 hours of cold smoke.  Haven't made a batch in months...I'm overdue.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • bicktrav
    bicktrav Posts: 640
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    Well, King is definitely more expensive.  It's oilier, which makes it richer tasting.  But I think the price difference has more to do with availability than flavor (King is the least common).  I had some Copper River salmon recently that was (I think) Sockeye.  It was unbelievable.  I also had some Sockeye that came frozen from the market, and it was terrible.  I've also had bad King and great King.  Frankly, I think either variety can be great or not so great depending upon freshness. 
    Southern California
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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,431
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    Great information, thanks.  I think I am starting to understand different kinds of salmon now.  Also thank you @travisstrick because we enjoyed the top sauce you suggested (previous post below) and it will made often now.  Simple but tons of flavor, so I am sure it will be good with cheaper fish too.
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    "Top with a sauce made from mayo, lots of minced garlic, lots of lemon juice and a rub of choice" 

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    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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