King Salmon Information
Chinook salmon which are also known as king salmon are amongst the most desired salmon in the world. They get the name king salmon from their size and superior flavor. Prized by Native Americans for cultural and spiritual reasons, the first spring king salmon are celebrated each year with "1st salmon ceremonies".
King salmon are the largest of the pacific salmon varieties. The average adult is 33 - 36 inches in length and weighs 10 - 50 pounds. However, the heaviest chinook on record is 126 pounds and specimens over 100 pounds are common in parts of Alaska. King salmon are silver on the sides and bluish-green on the back and top of the head. Their undersides are white and they also have spots on their back and dorsal fin. In some areas they are called "black mouth" because their lower jaws are black.
Wild king salmon can be found along the pacific coast of North America from San Francisco to north of the Bering Straight. Chinooks can also be found naturally in Russia and Japan as well as several bodies of water around the world where they have been introduced and thrive. Recently king salmon farming has also been on the rise.
There are four "races" of chinook salmon that are determined by when adults enter fresh water to spawn. The most common are spring chinook, summer chinook and fall chinook. Most are caught between May and September however in Alaska they are also caught from October to April.
As far as flavor goes king salmon are considered the best tasting salmon in the world. King salmon meat has the highest fat content of all pacific salmon which gives it a very flavorful texture. Generally speaking, the brighter the skin color the better the flavor and meat color. The color of chinook meat depends on maturity. It ranges from pink to dark red. There are also much sought after rare varieties of white king salmon which produce white to pale-pink meat.
Chinook meat is prized for its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which are known to help prevent heart disease and other common ailments. Varieties caught in the Yukon and Copper rivers are especially rich in omega-3 because they have to store extra fat to make the long journeys.
The best king salmon varieties are caught one at a time by hook and immediately cleaned and flash frozen on the boat. King salmon is sold in several forms including fresh, frozen, smoked and canned. Smoked king salmon is especially popular. You can also buy salmon steaks and roasts as well as whole Alaskan king salmon.
The most flavorful varieties come from Alaska and are sold by several online fresh fish distributors. Beyond the superior flavor there are several other advantages to buying Alaskan salmon online, including freshness, selection and convenience. The fish prices online are generally lower as well because there is no distributor or retail markup.
When you purchase fish online you will be able to choose the delivery date and your frozen, fresh king salmon will arrive in a temperature controlled box to ensure freshness during transit. It will even come with a fish recipe guide.
For information on the other Alaskan varieties please refer to my article on salmon from Alaska. On this site you can also find articles about the other species of salmon as well as detailed information on the various forms salmon meat is available in.
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