People ask me all the time what kind of salmon we’ve got in the freezer. Fair question, because out here “salmon” isn’t one fish. There are five types of Pacific salmon in our waters, and each one looks, tastes and cooks a little different. Here’s the quick tour, the way I’d explain it if you stopped by the shop.
King (chinook)
King is the big one, and the name fits. It’s the largest of the Pacific salmon. Kings can top 50 pounds, and the biggest one ever caught commercially weighed 126 pounds, up in Alaska.
King also carries the most fat of any salmon, which is why the meat is so rich and buttery, and why it’s so forgiving on the grill. Kings kick off our season in May, depending on openings. They’re also the main food for our Southern Resident orcas, so when the kings are doing well, the whole Salish Sea feels it.
How I like it: a thick fillet, skin on, a little salt and a hot grill. Don’t overthink it.
Coho (silver)
Coho show up late summer into fall. They’re smaller than kings, usually around 8 to 12 pounds, with bright silver skin, which is why a lot of folks call them silvers. The meat is leaner than king, milder, with a nice firm flake.
They’re fighters, too. Hook a coho and it’ll jump, roll and run you around the boat.
How I like it: coho is my pick for the grill or a cedar plank. It cooks fast, so pull it a minute early.
Sockeye (red)
Sockeye are the deep red ones. That color comes from what they eat out in the ocean, mostly krill and plankton packed with natural pigments, the same kind of stuff that turns flamingos pink. When sockeye head home to spawn, their bodies turn bright red and their heads go green, which is something to see.
A lot of the sockeye that pass by Bellingham are headed for the Fraser River in Canada. The Lummi Nation has been catching them with reef nets off Lummi Island for generations, one of the oldest ways of fishing around here.
How I like it: sockeye is firm and full of flavor, so it stands up to bold stuff like a soy and ginger glaze.
Chum (keta)
Chum might be the most underrated fish in the Pacific. They run in the fall, and they picked up the nickname dog salmon because the spawning males grow big, canine-looking teeth. Don’t let that scare you off. The meat is mild and lean, and it’s great smoked, in chowder or in fish tacos.
Chum also give us ikura, the big, bright orange salmon roe you see on sushi. Chum eggs are some of the biggest of any salmon, which is why they’re the go-to for ikura. Every fall you can watch chum spawning right in downtown Bellingham, in Whatcom Creek.
How I like it: smoked, or flaked into a hash with potatoes and a fried egg.
Pink (humpy)
Pinks are the little guys, usually 3 to 5 pounds, and the most common salmon in the Pacific. Spawning males grow a big hump on their backs, so you’ll hear them called humpies. Pinks live on a two-year clock, and in Washington they mostly run in odd years. When they show up in Puget Sound, they show up by the millions.
How I like it: pinks are soft and mild, perfect for salmon cakes or a quick pan fry.
A few fun facts
All five Pacific salmon die after they spawn, and their bodies feed the rivers, the bears, the eagles and even the trees along the bank. Scientists have found nitrogen from the ocean in trees near salmon streams.
Salmon find their way back to the stream where they hatched, mostly by smell.
Steelhead, Washington’s state fish, look a lot like salmon, but they’re actually sea-run rainbow trout.
Questions folks ask me
What’s the best salmon for grilling?
King or coho. King is richer and more forgiving, coho is leaner and cooks fast.
Which salmon has the most omega-3s?
Generally king, since it carries the most fat. Sockeye and coho are right behind.
What’s ikura?
Salmon roe, cured so the eggs pop when you bite them. Ours comes from chum.
What do you have right now?
It changes with the season. Text me at 360-927-1604 and I’ll tell you what’s in the freezer.
Austin