How To Cook Your King and Sockeye Salmon

Posted on in our Seafood Blog

So you’ve just received your order of Wild Alaskan Salmon & Seafood! Congratulations, you’re already off to a GREAT start! After receiving your fillets of King, Sockeye, or Coho Salmon from Wild Alaska Salmon & Seafood, you’ll want to be sure to cook it perfectly to get the most out of your fish. Two of our personal favorite ways include pan searing or cooking in the oven. Follow these tips & tricks to make your salmon delicious every single time!

King salmon with green olive salsa

Notes Before You Get Started

There are some best practices when it comes to keeping or thawing your frozen fish. Perishable products should be kept frozen upon arrival or refrigerated if you plan on cooking them immediately. It is not recommended to re-freeze fully thawed raw products. Once you begin to thaw the frozen fish, you are essentially starting a timer until it is no longer safe to eat. After opening raw salmon, it is best to consume within 3 days of thawing. Smoked salmon packages can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. DO NOT Keep sealed vacuum-packed raw salmon in your refrigerator for more than 2 days.

Pan searing salmon with herbs and tomatoes

Pan Searing Salmon

There are different schools of thought on how best to prepare King & Sockeye Salmon in the skillet. Our favorite method is to always start with the skin side UP! This helps to cook the salmon more thoroughly and ensures a delicious flavor when you’re ready to eat. Heat up your skillet at medium-high heat and add a little of your favorite oil. We like to use EVOO or Coconut Oil. You can also use butter if that’s your style. For any oil though, make sure you don’t allow the oil to burn or smoke, so add it to the pan just before beginning to cook the fish. Season the King or Sockeye as you would like with your favorite combination of seasonings or use Capt. Tony’s Wild Alaska Rub! If you want to keep it simple, you can never go wrong with salt and pepper! Once the pan is heated up and your salmon is seasoned how you like, place the salmon in the pan. Remember, place the salmon skin side up and sear the meat side of the fillet for about 1 minute. Then, flip the fillet over and continue to cook on the skin side for another 2 to 3 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Remember, our King and Sockeye Salmon is sashimi-grade and can be eaten raw so it is ALWAYS better to undercook than to overcook! Remove from the heat completely and let the fillet sit for a couple of minutes to rest. This allows the good oils and juices to permeate the entire fillet. You are now ready to serve!

Oven Cooked Salmon

A good rule of thumb when using the oven to cook any fish is to cook at 400° so start by preheating your oven to this temperature. Again, when it comes to salmon, there are many ways you can season it to your liking. Check out our page of recipes for some fun ideas or stick to your favorite flavors! Again, keeping it simple with a little salt and pepper is a perfect way to start! Spray your pan with cooking oil or line your baking pan with foil so your salmon doesn’t stick and once your oven has been preheated, place your salmon in for 5 – 7 minutes! It’s always a good idea to check the salmon at 5 minutes for doneness. All ovens vary so again, just make sure you don’t overcook. If you have a cooking thermometer, the inside of the fish should read 145° but if you don’t, you can check with a fork. The center of each fillet should be opaque and flaky. Again, remove from the heat and transfer to a plate to allow the fillet to rest for the optimal quality in terms of flavor and texture. Bon appetit!