Place

ALL our salmon comes from Bristol Bay

In the first several years of our marriage, my wife Eliza and I taught school and began building our family in the Bristol Bay watershed — near the villages of Port Alsworth and New Stuyahok. It didn’t take long for us to understand what makes this place different.

Bristol Bay is home to the largest wild sockeye salmon run in the world. Every summer, millions of salmon return from the North Pacific to the same rivers where they were born. It’s one of the last truly intact wild fisheries on the planet.

This isn’t a marketing story for us — it’s where we’ve lived, worked, and fished.

Child holding a fish on a boat with another child in the background

Sustainability

We Only Harvest the Surplus

Alaska’s constitution requires fisheries to be managed for sustained yield. That means harvest levels are set daily by biologists based on real-time data. Only the surplus fish are harvested, and enough salmon are allowed upstream to ensure future generations return.

For us, it's personal. We need a thriving fishery to pass onto our kids. This isn't a one and done.

When we say all our salmon comes from Bristol Bay, we mean it.

No feedlots.

No imported fish.

No anonymous supply chains.

Just wild salmon from a place we know personally — harvested carefully, handled with respect, and delivered directly to your family’s table.

Flavor and Cooking

King Salmon (Chinook)

  • Flavor: Rich, buttery, and deeply savory — the most luxurious of the Pacific salmon
  • Texture: Silky, tender, and succulent with large, delicate flakes
  • Fat Content: High (the highest of all wild salmon species)
  • Best For: Grilling, roasting, cedar planking, broiling, and pan-searing

KEY TIP: Because king salmon has a higher natural oil content, it’s more forgiving than leaner species. Cook to medium (120–125°F internal temperature) and let rest. The natural richness does the rest.

If you’re looking for the most decadent, melt-in-your-mouth wild salmon Alaska produces, king is in a class of its own.

Fun Fact: King salmon are also known as “Chinook” — the largest of the Pacific salmon species, with some fish reaching over 50 pounds in the wild.

Nutritional Benefits

Food is Medicine

Wild king salmon is:

  • High in Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Rich in protein
  • Loaded with Vitamin D
  • Naturally non-GMO
  • Free from added hormones

Its natural antioxidant content (astaxanthin) also supports heart and cellular health.

How to Cook King Salmon

Grilling

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Brush fillets with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Grill skin-side down for 4-6 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the flesh flakes easily. Careful not to overcook.

Pan-Searing

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with a touch of butter or oil. Place fillets skin-side up and sear for 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy. The result is a beautiful crust with a tender, moist interior.

Baking

Place fillets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season generously. Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes until the flesh flakes easily. This gentle method is perfect for preserving the delicate flavor.

Smoking

Sockeye's bold flavor stands up beautifully to smoking. Cure fillets with salt and sugar for 4-6 hours, rinse, and smoke at 225°F for 2-3 hours using alder or cherry wood. The result is restaurant-quality smoked salmon.

More Recipes

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