This is flying related. Honest. It's the only way to get the stuff.

When does the half smoked silver salmon become available? I imagine it's a bit to late now to get a couple of pounds for canning.

For those out of the AK food loop, Silvers (Chinook) are considered dog food by many Alaskan Natives. So they strip and smoke the harvest in the fall to feed sled dogs over the winter. When it's half way through the process, many folks cut the strips into shorter 2" chunks and can it in the smallest mason jar. There is NOTHING better on a cracker.

Actually, Silvers are Coho. Chinook are Kings. Dog salmon are Chums. Sled dog food.

Emory Bored wrote:This is flying related. Honest. It's the only way to get the stuff.

When does the half smoked silver salmon become available? I imagine it's a bit to late now to get a couple of pounds for canning.

For those out of the AK food loop, Silvers (Chinook) are considered dog food by many Alaskan Natives. So they strip and smoke the harvest in the fall to feed sled dogs over the winter. When it's half way through the process, many folks cut the strips into shorter 2" chunks and can it in the smallest mason jar. There is NOTHING better on a cracker.

To expand the list:

Kings = Chinook
Reds = Sockeye
Silvers = Coho
Pinks = Humpies
Chums = Keta = Dog salmon => used for dog food up north (think spawned out salmon) - they are excellent when ocean bright.

Actually all salmon are excellent when bright - quality degrades as they darken and use up their stored fats.
Couple of local places you can mail order hot smoked or lox:
http://jerrysmeats.com/
http://takustore.com/
Both have excellent smoked and lox.

marker60 wrote:Actually, Silvers are Coho. Chinook are Kings. Dog salmon are Chums. Sled dog food.

Thanks for the correction. I know that we got something out of the villages along the Bearing at half smoke for very cheap. A fellow from Frontier used to bring it in.

Thought you were talking about pilots being smoked not fish

AKclimber wrote:Actually all salmon are excellent when bright - quality degrades as they darken and use up their stored fats.
Couple of local places you can mail order hot smoked or lox:
http://jerrysmeats.com/
http://takustore.com/
Both have excellent smoked and lox.

I've bookmarked those. Thanks!

Emory Bored wrote:Silvers (Chinook) are considered dog food by many Alaskan Natives.

Well, a lot of people consider it dog food compared to Kings or Reds. I on the other hand, prefer Silvers for eating over everything else, especially ocean-caught. On the other hand Sockeye is great for smoking and ain't half bad on the grill.

This is a Silver Salmon, they are too good for dog food. I actually prefer them to Kings

I think the Copper River Reds are a bit over rated. Depends; how fresh, how handled etc.

My favorite, (my palate etc.) Cook Inlet Kings, Fresh. Like, today fresh. Wonderful, extremely complex flavor. Like a very fine wine.

<edit> BTW, I think Halibut prefer silvers too. The Halibut fishery always drops off when the Silvers are running.

They all taste good battered and fried.

Potpourri of chinook and steelhead in perfectly sized chunks, with chips. This is what the turkey fryer does in the off-season.


A well timed visited to one of the coastal rivers or even tribs of the Columbia can yield wonderful, fresh, strong, fattened up salmon. I'm gonna chase them after my wedding duties are fulfilled.

Oh man...... this thread is making me hungry.......

Scout- you had me right up until the Easy Cheese!

Zane wrote:They all taste good battered and fried.

Potpourri of chinook and steelhead in perfectly sized chunks, with chips. This is what the turkey fryer does in the off-season.


A well timed visited to one of the coastal rivers or even tribs of the Columbia can yield wonderful, fresh, strong, fattened up salmon. I'm gonna chase them after my wedding duties are fulfilled.

Did you say wedding duties are fulfilled that'll be a long time

Silvers are great fish and I would never use them for dog food -- humpies and chums yes, but not silvers, reds, or kings. Here are three silvers that I caught last week at the Tsiu River on the coast. The next picture is of two of those silvers -- notice the large bear print in the sand next to the tail of the silver to the left.



Silvers in the sand (with large bear print):

Silvers are my favorite, then Kings and last reds. Humpy's and dogs make good crab bait, I like my canine friends too much to feed them crappy fish

Nothing up here is funner than silvers on a 5 weight fly rod!

akavidflyer wrote:Silvers are my favorite, then Kings and last reds. Humpy's and dogs make good crab bait, I like my canine friends too much to feed them crappy fish

Nothing up here is funner than silvers on a 5 weight fly rod!

I'm hearing a lot of Silver love here. I always thought they were just fine. The river has something to do with it too I think. All of my Silver meals have come out of Valdez area. I've never had any from the Northern rivers. May make a difference. My wife's family is about half Inupiaq, and half european. If it ain't got enough fat in it, they pour seal oil on it. That can be quite an experience. I don't like it unless it's REALLY fresh. They like it fermented they call it. I have other ways of describing it.

Beluga muktuk is outstanding too. Kinda like coconut with a lard aftertaste. Anyway, when's dinner? I'm staaaaarvin"

I've lived in Alaska for 22 years on and off and maybe I am just way off base.

Never caught a King, and I personally think it is a sin to buy one, whether in a store or restaurant, so I have never had any meat from one.

Other than that, in my opinion, reds are best followed by silvers. Pinks are absolutely excellent when cooked up within 8 hours at max from catching in salt water. They do not freeze well, and they can moderately well at best.

Best smoking recipe in the world in my opinion - 2 cans pineapple juice, 2 bags dark brown sugar, 2 cups kosher salt in a large tupperware tub. Fill with salmon until it won't fit anymore. Let soak over night. Smoke until the fat comes out. Enjoy.

I would be happy to send or bring some locals samples of this recipe or mail some to the core members if you want. Salmon is one of the things I am super passionate about in my life, so it would be a pleasure to do that for you. Zane, PM me your mailing address and I will get some sent.

All I can say is there is nothing like BBQd salmon and a bottle of wine.