Cured Salmon

This was a great year out in Puget Sound for fishing. It is an odd year so that means the return of Pink salmon into the into the rivers and sound. The Coho and Chinook are still coming in as we speak but the Pink run has pretty much ended. My good friend and I were able to hook into a bunch of salmon this summer. That allows you to experiment with the fish because you have so much of it. Most of the fish that I caught this year were out of my new fishing kayak.

We would usually fish near the mouth of the Puyallup river because that was where the fish were headed. If we were not out in the kayaks we were casting from the bank.

The Pink salmon is known to have so-so meat compared to the Chinook, Coho, and Sockeye. I think it tastes great but you have to bleed the fish right after you catch it and keep it on ice. This can be a little tricky in a kayak...Luckily mine has room for an ice chest!

Once we caught what we wanted - you are allowed up to four in a day - we headed home to clean them.



I cleaned the fish on my front porch but I could not wait to sample them...With wasabi, soy, and Sriracha!

I BBQ'd, baked, and broiled salmon. So I decided I was going to cure some fillets. Curing is very easy. You basically salt the fish, wrap it up and place a brick on it, and then wait for a couple of days. I added some fresh herbs, zest of lemon, lime, and orange, and some pepper.

After putting the salmon in foil with the salt, sugar, etc., you then need to weight the fish down.

Below is the finished cured salmon. You can see how clear it is...

I slice it super thin when it is still partially frozen so I can get smaller pieces of fish. The piece of fish, cream cheese, pickled onion, capers, and a bagel chip and you are good to go!!!

CURED SALMON

1) 1/2 Cup salt

2) 1/4 Cup sugar

3) Small hand full of dill, thyme, etc.

4) 1 T each of lemon and lime zest

5) 1 T fennel seed

6) 1 T black pepper

7) Sprinkle of gin

Clean the salmon fillet and dry it off. Place a sheet of foil in a baking dish. Mix all ingredients together except gin...Spread about half the salt mixture on the skin side of the fillet and the other half of the mixture on the fleshy side to coat the fillet. Place the fillet skin side down, sprinkle the gin on it and wrap the foil around it tightly. Place a brick on top to weight it down and place in the refer. After one day turn the salmon over and look at how much juice has come out. Let it sit for another day and then it is done. Put it in the freezer for about 1/2 an hour to firm it up and cut it into thin slices and serve. Excellent!