How to cook salmon like an Alaskan

Salmon is a big deal here in Kodiak. The Salmon run sustains the community's economy and fills the freezers of the residents for the year. Everyone eats salmon....EVERYONE.

The salmon have just begun running here in July. When the ocean tide starts coming in the salmon start making their way up stream to spawn and die.  We had all the grandparents visiting and decided to try our luck. Three days in the rivers of Kodiak, hours spent casting and reeling. There were rumors of Red Salmon and King Salmon being caught, but no one we ever met had caught one. We had come away with a few Arctic Char, but none of the illusive Salmon.

On the last day that all four grandparents were going to be here on the island we broke down and bought some Salmon. We went to Pickled Willies down in town and bought some Sockeye Salmon. (I bet you did not know there were so many kinds of Salmon. I sure didn't until I lived here) The lady in the fish store told me how to cook the salmon, "Perfectly every time." We went home and tried it...PERFECT! It was great!

Guess what happened the next day?

Papa caught a King Salmon!

Just in case you don't know how cool this is...let me tell you. There are lots of kinds of salmon. Reds and Silvers are good, Sockeyes are yummy, no one in Kodiak will stomach a Pink, that gets sent to the lower 48. A King Salmon though is A-MAZ-ING. They are the most tasty fish ever. They have a very high Omega-3 content so they do not freeze well, and can not be shipped well. King Salmon are also less common than the other kinds. But they were running, and Papa got one.

And guess what we did with it?

We ate it! It was delicious!

Another note: This experience was confusing for my brain. I ate a bite of the King Salmon and my first thought was, "This is incredibly delicious!" My second thought was, "But wait, this does not taste like salmon!" Then third, "Wait! I think I have just been eating crappy farmed salmon my entire life."

Even if you can't get fresh caught salmon and eat it the same day, this recipe will help you cook it to perfection; pink on the inside, not dried out, just right.

So far we have used this recipe three times and it has worked expertly. Respect your fish, cook it well and eat like an Alaskan.

HOW TO COOK SALMON LIKE AN ALASKAN

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees

Prepare your Salmon fillet:
   -wash the fillet
   -pat it dry with paper towels
   -place it skin side down on a baking sheet
   -rub with olive oil &sprinkle with salt and pepper

Cook your salmon:
   -When the oven is heated put your fish in and immediately turn the oven down to 175 degrees.
   -Leave the salmon in the oven for 20 minutes for every inch (thick) of fish,
    example: the thickest part of the fillet is one inch = 20 minutes, one and a half inch = 30 min
    (DON'T OPEN THE DOOR AT ALL)
 
Eat your salmon:
   -After the prescribed time take your salmon out. It will be perfect. Enjoy!