Copper River Salmon

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Well, it's here- for 24.99 a pound! It is beautiful stuff, but I just
can't justify it (yet)! Thankfully, the price should drop in the next
few weeks. Have any of you tried it, and do you think it's worth the
price?

It's certainly great stuff, but with two caveats. First, the salmon sold
under that name are almost all sockeye salmon, and while sockeye is
certainly good it is not considered the best species of Pacific salmon
(that honor goes to the king or spring salmon). Second, the name "Copper
River" has gotten a lot of marketing and publicity so you pay extra for
that, you can get equally good salmon from elsewhere at less cost.

On the other hand, the people who are pushing the Copper River name have
a reason to provide only good products, otherwise the name brand would
lose its value.

--
Peter Aitken

merryb said:

Well, it's here- for 24.99 a pound! It is beautiful stuff, but I just
can't justify it (yet)! Thankfully, the price should drop in the next
few weeks. Have any of you tried it, and do you think it's worth the
price?

The last two years it's stayed pretty expensive throughout the
season. The couple years prior to that, it got down to $7-$8/lb
by mid-season.

Anybody know how much they've "allotted" this year compared to the
last couple seasons?

-sw

In article <[email hidden]>,

merryb said:

Well, it's here- for 24.99 a pound! It is beautiful stuff, but I just
can't justify it (yet)! Thankfully, the price should drop in the next
few weeks. Have any of you tried it, and do you think it's worth the
price?

Today (5/23) it was $14.99/lb at Metropolitan Market in Seattle. Since
MM's prices tend to be high, it might be cheaper at other stores in this
area.

Since I was already in the store, I bought some for tomorrow night's
dinner (tonight's meal was already down the hatch). We'll probably
grill it, maybe on a cedar plank.

--
Julian Vrieslander

"Julian Vrieslander" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,

merryb said:

Well, it's here- for 24.99 a pound! It is beautiful stuff,
but I just
can't justify it (yet)! Thankfully, the price should drop in
the next
few weeks. Have any of you tried it, and do you think it's
worth the
price?

Today (5/23) it was $14.99/lb at Metropolitan Market in
Seattle. Since
MM's prices tend to be high, it might be cheaper at other
stores in this
area.

Still $24 a pound at Balducci's in Rockville, MD tho' that is
probably the most expensive grocery around here. I'll have to
see what Whole Foods are charging.

--
Jim Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

In article <julianvREMOVE_THIS_PART-AB3911.20540323052007@customer-201-
125-217-207.uninet.net.mx>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

Since I was already in the store, I bought some for tomorrow night's
dinner (tonight's meal was already down the hatch). We'll probably
grill it, maybe on a cedar plank.

I have never tried the cedar plank grilling - does it really impart a
good flavor? And, how does it work? I picture the fish on a cedar board,
which would then be between the fish and the heat of the grill, so how
does it work?

--
Peter Aitken

Peter A said:

In article <julianvREMOVE_THIS_PART-AB3911.20540323052007@customer-201-
125-217-207.uninet.net.mx>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

Since I was already in the store, I bought some for tomorrow night's
dinner (tonight's meal was already down the hatch). We'll probably
grill it, maybe on a cedar plank.

I have never tried the cedar plank grilling - does it really impart a
good flavor? And, how does it work? I picture the fish on a cedar board,
which would then be between the fish and the heat of the grill, so how
does it work?

As I recall reading in "The Egg and I" the board was upright with the
fish facing the fire. It was tacked to the board. Otherwise it would
have to be cooked under a broiler/grill.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Steve Wertz said:

merryb said:

Well, it's here- for 24.99 a pound! It is beautiful stuff, but I just
can't justify it (yet)! Thankfully, the price should drop in the next
few weeks. Have any of you tried it, and do you think it's worth the
price?

The last two years it's stayed pretty expensive throughout the
season. The couple years prior to that, it got down to $7-$8/lb
by mid-season.

Anybody know how much they've "allotted" this year compared to the
last couple seasons?

Quoted message said:

If you mean by "alloted" is a salmon forecast ... check out ADF&G's website @

http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/region2/pwshome.php
And remember to savor Copper River salmon and consider buying directly
from fishermen who direct market their harvest. www.crsalmon.org will
be happy to provide a list of participants.
Thanks
M
WildCatchDirect

Peter A said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Well, it's here- for 24.99 a pound! It is beautiful stuff, but I just
can't justify it (yet)! Thankfully, the price should drop in the next
few weeks. Have any of you tried it, and do you think it's worth the
price?

It's certainly great stuff, but with two caveats. First, the salmon sold
under that name are almost all sockeye salmon, and while sockeye is
certainly good it is not considered the best species of Pacific salmon
(that honor goes to the king or spring salmon). Second, the name "Copper
River" has gotten a lot of marketing and publicity so you pay extra for
that, you can get equally good salmon from elsewhere at less cost.

On the other hand, the people who are pushing the Copper River name have
a reason to provide only good products, otherwise the name brand would
lose its value.

--
Peter Aitken

Hey Peter
Copper River salmon include all 5 species. KIng, Sockeye, Coho ( as
well as Pinks and Dogs which tend more to PWS to spawn )

In article <[email hidden]>,

Peter A said:

I have never tried the cedar plank grilling - does it really impart a
good flavor? And, how does it work? I picture the fish on a cedar board,
which would then be between the fish and the heat of the grill, so how
does it work?

I've seen pictures of the technique that you describe, with the fish
lashed to a board and stood vertically alongside a camp fire. This
probably works best if you have a whole split fish or large thick pieces.

A 1 to 1.5 pound chunk of filet is usually enough for me, Cindy and the
cats. That's a smallish delicate piece. So we buy small precut cedar
planks - here in Seattle, they are sold at most grocery stores and
hardware stores.

The planks are 1/2" thick. We soak one for about an hour, and then it
goes on the grill to preheat, before the fish goes on. Grill is
covered. Eventually, tiny wisps of smoke start to come out of the wood.
This is what we want. We plop the salmon on the plank, put the cover
back on the grill.

Temperature is fairly critical, so we have to watch it and adjust as
needed. Too hot and the wood ignites. That gives a charred acrid
flavor to the fish. Too cool, and there's no smoke. On our gas-fired
Weber, I get best results around 350 F.

The cedar plank definitely makes a difference. It imparts a nice
piney-smoky flavor. We usually use a marinade or basting sauce: various
concoctions made from soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, ginger, etc. The
idea is not to make fish candy - just a light touch of sweetness to
balance the subtle bite of the smoke. With really good salmon, the
marinade might be unnecessary.

--
Julian Vrieslander

Quoted message said:

Steve Wertz said:

Anybody know how much they've "allotted" this year compared to the
last couple seasons?

If you mean by "alloted" is a salmon forecast ...

No, I mean allotted. It's my understanding that there is a limit
set at the beginning of each season, and it may be adjusted
during the season depending on how much salmon they count going
upstream.

-sw

Steve Wertz said:

On 24 May 2007 15:49:22 -0700, [email hidden] wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you mean by "alloted" is a salmon forecast ...

Quoted message said:

No, I mean allotted. It's my understanding that there is a limit
set at the beginning of each season, and it may be adjusted
during the season depending on how much salmon they count going
upstream.

Season ends, at least temporarily, in Northern California
on June 1. I don't know what this translates to in tons
of fish, but I do know I'm gonna be eating salmon until then
as much as is convenient.

Steve

Update - we just polished off a nice filet of Copper River Sockeye
(planked/grilled at home). Very good stuff.

I can't say that CR is unequivocally better than salmon from other
areas. But I don't think we've ever had CR that was disappointing.
Maybe it's the geography, maybe it's the genetics, or perhaps the people
that control the marketing and distribution just do a good job of
maintataining a quality product attached to that name.

--
Julian Vrieslander

Peter A said:

I have never tried the cedar plank grilling - does it really impart a
good flavor?

I think I'd rather chew on wooden popsicle sticks.

-sw (getting the goosebumps?)

Steve Wertz said:

Peter A said:

I have never tried the cedar plank grilling - does it really impart a
good flavor?

I think I'd rather chew on wooden popsicle sticks.

-sw (getting the goosebumps?)

It actually gives it a subtle, smokey flavor. I've seen it cooked like
mentioned before- upright next to the flames. This was on Blake Island
at the Native American boat ride/dinner/show thingy out of Seattle.

Steve Wertz said:

Quoted message said:

On May 23, 7:09 am, Steve Wertz <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anybody know how much they've "allotted" this year compared to the
last couple seasons?

Quoted message said:

If you mean by "alloted" is a salmon forecast ...

No, I mean allotted. It's my understanding that there is a limit
set at the beginning of each season, and it may be adjusted
during the season depending on how much salmon they count going
upstream.

-sw

Hey Steve
Do check out that website for all info.
Fisherman are given an opener ( ex. 12 hours 2X a week ) based on
ecsapement goals determined by ADF&G..... they base their figures by
counting the # of fish passing Miles Bridge sonar station.. Depending
on the life cycle of each species they have an approximate # that they
would expect to return to spawn at the end of their cycle. At that
point they watch the #'s again and determine how many fish have passed
the sonar and will call an Opener when #'s are met. It's not a science
because you can get a glut of fish passing the sonar within a few
hours .. or none. But CR has historically been very sustainable.
(Actually certified sustainable by the International Marine
Conservation Council.) Additionally fisherman are permitted only to
fish pre-determined areas per opener.

At this time sockeye harvest's anticipated goal was 152,923 fish
while the actual harvest came in at 202,420 fish. The chinook
harvest, on the other hand had an anticipated # of 16,714 fish while
only 7,288 were harvested. So the fisherman have been shut down until
more reds escape ( overharvest ) and more kings arrive.This process
continues throughout the season until all escapement #'s have been met
juggling harvest periods with different user groups.
M

In article <[email hidden]>,

Peter A said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Well, it's here- for 24.99 a pound! It is beautiful stuff, but I just
can't justify it (yet)! Thankfully, the price should drop in the next
few weeks. Have any of you tried it, and do you think it's worth the
price?

It's certainly great stuff, but with two caveats. First, the salmon sold
under that name are almost all sockeye salmon, and while sockeye is
certainly good it is not considered the best species of Pacific salmon
(that honor goes to the king or spring salmon). Second, the name "Copper
River" has gotten a lot of marketing and publicity so you pay extra for
that, you can get equally good salmon from elsewhere at less cost.

On the other hand, the people who are pushing the Copper River name have
a reason to provide only good products, otherwise the name brand would
lose its value.

One of the joys of living in Seattle is the ability to get good salmon
almost year-round. Copper River was the only "name" salmon we could get
when we lived in Greensboro, so we didn't have much to compare it to
then. (Except for farmed Atlantic salmon.) Last summer I think we had
some Yukon River salmon. We also can get wild caught Bruce Gore salmon.
Normally Central Market in Shoreline carries that variety frozen.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

In article <julianvREMOVE_THIS_PART-A13CD3.19153524052007@customer-201-
125-217-207.uninet.net.mx>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Peter A said:

I have never tried the cedar plank grilling - does it really impart a
good flavor? And, how does it work? I picture the fish on a cedar board,
which would then be between the fish and the heat of the grill, so how
does it work?

I've seen pictures of the technique that you describe, with the fish
lashed to a board and stood vertically alongside a camp fire. This
probably works best if you have a whole split fish or large thick pieces.

A 1 to 1.5 pound chunk of filet is usually enough for me, Cindy and the
cats. That's a smallish delicate piece. So we buy small precut cedar
planks - here in Seattle, they are sold at most grocery stores and
hardware stores.

The planks are 1/2" thick. We soak one for about an hour, and then it
goes on the grill to preheat, before the fish goes on. Grill is
covered. Eventually, tiny wisps of smoke start to come out of the wood.
This is what we want. We plop the salmon on the plank, put the cover
back on the grill.

Temperature is fairly critical, so we have to watch it and adjust as
needed. Too hot and the wood ignites. That gives a charred acrid
flavor to the fish. Too cool, and there's no smoke. On our gas-fired
Weber, I get best results around 350 F.

The cedar plank definitely makes a difference. It imparts a nice
piney-smoky flavor. We usually use a marinade or basting sauce: various
concoctions made from soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, ginger, etc. The
idea is not to make fish candy - just a light touch of sweetness to
balance the subtle bite of the smoke. With really good salmon, the
marinade might be unnecessary.

Thanks for the excellent info, I will have to try this soon.

--
Peter Aitken

Steve Wertz said:

Peter A said:

I have never tried the cedar plank grilling - does it really impart a
good flavor?

I think I'd rather chew on wooden popsicle sticks.

-sw (getting the goosebumps?)

LOL, that makes two of us!!! I've cooked and smoked a lot of salmon in
my time, if you catch it commercially you pretty much have to, grin.
If you want a good salmon, cook it over a peeled (no bark) apple wood
fire. Lay the salmon meat side down over chicken wire and place it
over the coals. As soon as you have done that cover the coals with wet
apple wood shavings, or even better yet hickory shavings. This will
send waves of smoke flavor into the meat and as the shavings dry and
start to burn this will seal all the juices from escaping the meat of
the fish. After about 15 to 20 minutes turn the salmon over on it's
back finish cooking over a low fire. Doing a salmon any other way is
not good.
To the OP, the reason wild salmon prices are high is because of the
discovered Chinese supplied tainted fish pellets going to the salmon
fish farms. Don't look for the prices to go down any time soon and $25
a pound is sure not worth it to me even with Copper River king, not
sockeye, being the best salmon you can eat!

Terry Bullard
--
Crayfishing Made Easy
http://www.terrybullard.com/CrawfishMain.html
Everyone is Doing It!
Are You?

That's planking, not plonking. Hopefully, this message will not end up
in everyone's killfile. ;-)

If you are cooking on a cedar plank (or any other wood), you want clean
untreated wood. The stuff sold as lumber for building decks and
furniture is often treated with bug or fungus repellants or other nasty
chemicals that you don't want in your food. The planks sold in a
grocery store, or in the BBQ department of a hardware store, are
probably OK.

This should be obvious, but who knows - maybe there are some people who
enjoy the taste of creosote.

--
Julian Vrieslander