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Copper River Salmon


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Some foods are meant to be consumed where they are harvested/raised/gathereed, etc. I think this is particularly true for many crustacaens and mollusks, though a few do ship well (oysters, mussels). Fortunately, tho pricey, when properly packaged salmon ships well.

Bob Libkind aka "rlibkind"

Robert's Market Report

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Costco has whole sockeye at $6.99/lb. I grabbed three nice fish.

It was a funny scene around that cooler. It was like a cabbage patch doll frenzy the day before christmas. I think I just dated mice elf.

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I had Copper River salmon for the first time last Saturday. My husband brought it back on the plane (48hr packaging) from Seattle, with a cedar plank.

We cooked it on the plank in the oven with just a bit of Maldon salt and served it with petit pommes, asparagus and hollandaise. We had a bottle of 2002 Vacqueyras to go with it which I felt was not quite robust enough. Next time maybe a Gicondas.

It was really, really good, but if I was to cook it again, I think I wouldn't use the plank, which I think is more suitable for a salmon of lesser quality. The leftovers made wonderful fish cakes which we had the next day with aiolli and a mixed green salad with crunchy sliced fennel.

Really delicious!

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Sounds pretty delicious to me! Next time, though, you might consider just using kosher salt. I love Maldon salt, but "designer" salts, for lack of a better word, shine when sprinkled on at the table, since what they are all about is the crunch or flake; as far as taste goes, the differences are virtually imperceptable vs. regular salt when you cook with these salts, IMHO.

Bob Libkind aka "rlibkind"

Robert's Market Report

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Uwajimaya prices as of June 1st:

King salmon fillet $19.99/lb

Sockeye fillet $11.99/lb

Whole sockeye $5.99/lb

Also saw a live fish taken out of the tank, killed, cut and cleaned while waiting for my turn at the seafood counter...

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  • 11 months later...

Seems like the CR salmon season has started.

It should get to the Seattle area maybe on Wed? *drool*

It's going to be more expensive than last year though...

The markup is so much higher when it gets to consumers.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Norquest Seafoods posted record high prices of $3.75 a pound for sockeye salmon and $6.25 a pound for kings in advance of the famed Copper River commercial salmon run, which opens Monday.

"The pricing this year is the highest opening price ever, reflecting increasing consumer demand for wild Alaska salmon," said Bill Gilbert, spokesman for Norquest Seafoods in Cordova.

"The prices for longline halibut and sablefish are also up. There is increased consumer awareness of the attributes of wild Alaska seafood driving the demand."

The prices recorded Tuesday compare with $3.25 a pound for reds and $5.25 a pound for kings for the 2005 opening of the Copper River run.

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Met Market posted that they get their first CR salmon on Friday and they have their cookout again on Sat.

lol, they really do promote CR salmon.

The whole of next week is all CR salmon stuff.

ok, i did do a test when i got some wild Alaskan King and grilled it a few weeks ago.

It definitely wasnt as tasty as I remembered the Yukon/CR salmon from last year.

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It's in, at the beginning of the season prices.

I picked up a pound of CR Sockeye from Uwajimaya in Bellevue a few minutes ago, now safely packed on ice and in the office 'fridge until the end of the day.

I'm thinking of frying up a bit of orange bacon for use in a salad, and using the flavored rendered lard to cook the salmon lightly, then top with Hawaiian salt and serve...

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Well, as a native of Unalakleet, Alaska (home of the awesome Unalakaleet River Salmon!) I can tell you, unequivocally, that Copper River Salmon is all about marketing! The salmon that travel much further North in Alaska have more fat and much more flavor. For your spending dollars, I'd go for Yukon River Salmon, since you can't commercially get mine! :angry:

Carolyn

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

J.R.R. Tolkien

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Well, as a native of Unalakleet, Alaska (home of the awesome Unalakaleet River Salmon!) I can tell you, unequivocally, that Copper River Salmon is all about marketing! The salmon that travel much further North in Alaska have more fat and much more flavor. For your spending dollars, I'd go for Yukon River Salmon, since you can't commercially get mine! :angry:

And when the Yukon arrive, we will pay dearly.

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*sigh*

CR is so beautifully hyped. $36/lb for fillet?

I'm all for premium ingredients. What I fail to understand is how seined and gillnetted sockeye is even remotely a "premium ingredient". My criteria for spending over $15/lb on salmon happen to be:

1) Line Caught. No exceptions. Firmer flesh, less bruising.

2) Wild. Also no exceptions.

3) King/Chinook. Yes, there are other fish in the sea, but I'm picky.

I'll put well-handled Columbia, Trask or Rogue/Klamath river Chinook up against CR any day. I agree the Yukon fishery produces fantastic fish as well, and the hype surcharge sure seems lower.

Eric, Crankily.

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*sigh*

CR is so beautifully hyped.  $36/lb for fillet?

I'm all for premium ingredients.  What I fail to understand is how seined and gillnetted sockeye is even remotely a "premium ingredient".  My criteria for spending over $15/lb on salmon happen to be:

1)  Line Caught.  No exceptions.  Firmer flesh, less bruising.

2)  Wild.  Also no exceptions.

3)  King/Chinook.  Yes, there are other fish in the sea, but I'm picky.

I'll put well-handled Columbia, Trask or Rogue/Klamath river Chinook up against CR any day.  I agree the Yukon fishery produces fantastic fish as well, and the hype surcharge sure seems lower.

Eric, Crankily.

If money wasn't an issue and since I agree with your three above, I'd pick the cold water fatty CR or Yukon over even well-handled Columbia, Trask or Rogue/Klamath river Chinook anyday.

The marketing efforts on the Yukon Gold put it right up there in price with the CRs.

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Fred Meyer had CR for $12.99/lb - not sure of the fine details (I was caught in a moment of impulse buying). That was for whole fish but I overheard him say he had a few fillets to the guy in front of me. He snagged, one, I the other for $12.99/lb. I grilled it briefly and it was wonderful.

Whole Foods had it for around $16.99 Sat if memory serves.

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