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Copper River Salmon is here! You need this Max!

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katman
katman Posts: 331
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Looks like Copper River Salmon is finally making the annual trip to the east coast. Had a piece last night that the wife picked up after getting the alert from one of the buyers for local grocery chain. I've looked forward to putting this fish in the egg every year since I first tasted it about a dozen years ago. Copper River salmon has become chic and, therefore, expensive. But if you can get it fresh from a reputable source you should treat yourself.[p]This ain't no "color added" farmed raised fish. Nice, naturally red (not pink) flesh loaded with the good kind of fat that won't hurt those cholesterol numbers. Get some for the egg, and get some to make gravlax. It will only be available for a few weeks and then we have to go back to color added salmon!
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  • mad max beyond eggdome
    mad max beyond eggdome Posts: 8,134
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    katman,
    thanks steve. .. i think harris teeter carries it sometimes. . .but i'l bet balducci's carries it (at a price), and i have a good fish monger right down the street from me, i'll check him out too. ...[p]how do you cook yours?? . ..i'm thinking cedar plank, or grilled on a bed of lemons. ..
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  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
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    katman,[p]Had a nice half a filet last night; egged with a little dijon,
    green onions, and a sprinkle of raging river. Of course just
    lightly seared with plain lemon is great too.[p]This is one time of year we get it better in the Northwest.
    CR salmon has been fresh here for 2+ weeks for $8.99 and up a
    pound, and the rest of the year we get fresh wild king for about
    the same price (and it's often just as good as CR).[p]Farmed salmon makes decent crab bait; I just hate paying $3/lb for it.[p]HS

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  • Babyray
    Babyray Posts: 250
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    mad max beyond eggdome,
    Does anyone know if these salmon can be purchased anywhere in Mississippi? We see the farm raised all the time in Walmart. Does someone know if they can be found anywhere in New Orleans?[p]Thanks,
    Ray Price
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  • katman
    katman Posts: 331
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    HolySmokes,[p]Darn right you get the good stuff in the Northwest! If you like pickin blue crabs or munchin on a softie life is good in Chesapeake Bay country, but I have had some great eats whenever I visit your territory. Just starting a search now for an RV and when I buy I'm headin for your corner of the country. You've had CR for two weeks! I hope we see it for two weeks. I bet tomorrow it'll be at least 14.99 at my local seafood market. King is available sporadically at around 12. It's okay, but the trip to get it here adds a new dimension to the meaning of "fresh."[p]LOL at you crab bait. Will pass that on to the chicken neckers!

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  • katman
    katman Posts: 331
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    mad max beyond eggdome,[p]I've never tried the cedar plank. Year after year this is some of the best salmon so I tend to go real light on the seasoning. A little lemon and just a tad of olive oil. A few capers won't hurt it. I leave the skin on and try not to overcook.

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,889
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    katman,
    It hasn't shown up here yet - but when it does it runs about $17 a pound for King steaks. For the last three years I have popped for $100 worth of them and then sealed individual meal portions in Food Saver bags. No noticeable taste problem - in fact I found a package once that was over 2 years old and it was fine!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • katman
    katman Posts: 331
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    RRP,
    Got my foodsaver last summer and will be doing the same. Used it to freeze whale-sized soft shell crabs last summer. Cooked some up the other day and they were still perfect.

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  • Unknown
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    HolySmokes,[p]Where are you finding it for $8.99??? I'm on Whidbey, it is quite a bit more here, but I have a trip planned off the island soon and could pick some up.[p]I'm getting dh a ceramic cooker (most likely an egg) for father's day and was thinking to put some copper river salmon in the freezer as that is his favorite but I don't know if it'll still be in the stores by 6/19. [p]Will also be looking for the best way to cook it here on this forum for our first meal on the new toy.[p]Gwen
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  • Unknown
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    katman,[p]Dh wants to try the cedar plank (in our weber). I was thinking on an egg, that would be redundant as isn't that what the wood chips are for, a similar type smoke environment?[p]Don't laugh, maybe a dumb question to you, but I'm 'eggnorant.'[p]Gwen
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  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
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    Gwen,[p]Fred Meyer (in Shoreline) has CR Sockeye for $8.99 (haven't seen any Kings yet this year);
    QFC has it on sale for I think $11.99/lb. where I picked up last night's filet.[p]Don't mess with this fish by adding too much flavor. Lemon, maybe a little oil.
    Grilled direct with some alder chips, don't overcook it![p]Whidbey's nice! Used to have a place up on Penn Cove.. years ago now.[p]best, HS.

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  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
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    katman,[p]If you don't mind the weather the Northwest is a great place.
    I've had some great eats in your neck of the woods, too (like the crabs),
    but... just not salmon :)[p]HS

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  • Unknown
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    HolySmokes,[p]We have kings and the sockeye. Is the king the one that's way more $$$? Which do you like best? If the king is the $$$ one, it is thicker, which to me is more appealing.[p]Will check those stores next week when I get off the island. Maybe I'll go to Whole Foods in Seattle and really blow some dough. (My bil calls it whole paycheck. <g>) Or maybe not.[p]Gwen
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  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
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    Gwen,[p]yeah, kings are generally about $3 more a lb. Still should be reasonable available though. I'll have to look some more myself this weekend and stock up before they go away.[p]Whole Foods is good; we spent a raft of bills at Central Market (Seattle/Shoreline 155th & Aurora) last week; they've got some of the best looking fish and meat in the area. I haven't been to Pike Market to check their supply of CR salmon; they usually get it from the same folks as everyone else and charge the tourist rates.[p]And your assumption about the cedar plank is correct; it does hold up the fish nicely but I think if you've already got alder or cedar chips/chunks in the fire it's not going to make that much difference. Pretty presentation?[p]HS
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  • katman
    katman Posts: 331
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    Gwen,[p]I find the copper river is such a treat that I don't add much flavoring smoke to it. Usually I'm cooking relatively fast at temp of 300-350, and using only a clean-burning lump (royal oak) fire. Might throw in a couple alder, apple or maple chips (in this case not chunks) at the start, but not much. Never soak chips when I used them.[p]I haven't experimented with slow cooking CR at low temps cause I just love the moist fat juices when cooked at a higher temp. Low and slow King is pretty darn good and I should try some on a plank. I tend to do a light brine with king and moderately smoke with alder.[p]Good luck with your decision on the egg. I'd go for a large. If you decide later that you really want the XL you won't have any problem selling the large. But...you might find you really want to keep the large and add a small!

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  • alternity
    alternity Posts: 49
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    HolySmokes,
    yeah I messed some up by over salting it but it was still good. I also like a pesto and crushed pine nut crust on salmon...uuumm good..now I want to run out and buy more!

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  • Unknown
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    katman,[p]I do think I'll go for the large. The only time I think I'd want more room is cooking burgers for a crowd. Could I use the grid extender and do two layers or would that not work well for grilling?[p]I'm really looking forward to cooking on this thing! I've found a couple dealers nearby (somewhat, only an hour drive <g>) who do demos so hope to get to one of those maybe even tomorrow.[p]Gwen
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  • Unknown
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    HolySmokes,[p]
    You're right, the presentation would be nice. My husband really wants to try that plank. On the weber as he doesn't know that he's getting an egg - won't he be surprised![p]I'm going to Pike's next Wednesday to do touristy with someone who's coming in from France so will check out those prices. Maybe they won't be too bad. When we first moved here 4 years ago, Pike had pretty good prices; now they have gone up quite a bit. :([p]Gwen
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  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
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    Gwen,[p]If you're going to buy from a local dealer, check out Sound Cedar in Mount Vernon;
    they're right up I5 (800) 468-6081.
    I don't know their pricing but they're great people.
    I'll drive the 90m from Seattle to buy charcoal from them when I get tired of paying
    downtown Seattle prices (and saving about $5 a bag doing so).[p]HS[p]
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  • Mariner Mike
    Mariner Mike Posts: 23
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    HolySmokes,[p]I just bought Copper River Sockeye at Costco in Seattle. Whole fish is $5.99/lb and fillets are $8.99/lb.[p]I'm going to try it on a cedar plank with some lemon pepper and fresh lemon slices.[p]MM

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  • Mariner Mike
    Mariner Mike Posts: 23
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    HolySmokes,[p]I just bought Copper River Sockeye at Costco in Seattle. Whole fish is $5.99/lb and fillets are $8.99/lb.[p]I'm going to try it on a cedar plank with some lemon pepper and fresh lemon slices.[p]MM

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  • Mariner Mike
    Mariner Mike Posts: 23
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    HolySmokes,[p]What brands of charcoal have you been able to find? I normally buy BGE lump from one of the local dealers or Cowboy from McLendon Hardware. Last weekend I found Lazzari at Safeway for less than $10 for a 20 lb bag. I haven't tried it yet, but it rates well on The Naked Whiz list and it's a lot cheaper than BGE.[p]MM
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  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
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    Mariner Mike,[p]You the Man!
    I just paid the $9 for whole sockeye;
    but I'll be at Costco in the morning.[p]thanks. HS[p]
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  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
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    Mariner Mike,
    heck, I aint been to Safeway in so long they could get lump in and sell it out before I'd find out.[p]I've only found Royal Oak charcoal from Aquaquip or BGE lump from either Ricks (Lynnwood)
    or the Pottery Barn on 1st Ave S. in Seattle. As I said, the other option I've found is Sound Cedar in Mt. Vernon;
    I know there are a couple other BGE dealers in Seattle but haven't checked them out.[p]What other folks mention as lump sources hasn't worked out; Wally world doesn't know from lump,
    though they had a nice bag of pure mesquite chunks![p]Let me know what you've found and I'll be glad to share info![p]best, HS

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  • Unknown
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    HolySmokes,[p]Anderson's Appliances, across the street from Sound Cedar, recommended them to me Friday. I called them, they were very nice, and said they were demoing this Sat. Unfortunately, I'll be out of town. But I do have to go to Anderson's to pick something up when it gets in,so will stop by SC then, even tho I'll miss the demo.[p]Sutter Hearth and Home, in Ballard and Woodinville, sells them too I have found out. Sutter was having a demo yesterday. (Apparently they do this every Sat in the summer.) So I made the trip off the island specifically to go to that and to get a new pair of shoes, which I desparately need. Missed the turn off to Sutter, so decided to continue on to Bellevue to get the shoes first. Got those, had to do some running around to find a trampoline net since I had picked up a tramp on the way to the ferry at a garage sale. <g> Never did find the net. [p]So...on my way to Sutter, get to Woodenville, and stop at Molbaks to take a quick look around and get directions to Sutter. An hour later, I'm on my way to Sutter, looking forward to seeing the Egg and also maybe even tasting a piece of meat cooked on it. Get there at 4:29. They close at 4 on Saturdays. What kind of place closes at 4 on a Saturday?!?!?[p]Totally broken-hearted.[p]Oh, and copper river king at our local store? $23 a pound. I think it's cheaper at our $$$ restaurants![p]Frustrated on Whidbey,
    Gwen
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