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Description: Chinook has small round spots
on its back, dorsal fin and tail. Its flesh ranges in
colour from ivory to deep red. The largest of the
5 Pacific salmon species— weighing on average
approximately 9 kg (20 lbs)—chinook often weigh
in above 16 kg (35 lbs) and can even reach over
45.4 kg (100 lbs). Wild chinook has a high fat
content imparting a well defined, rich flavour to
its firm flesh.
Product Forms: Wild chinook is sold fresh or
frozen in the usual product forms: whole, dressed,
steaks and fillets. Due to its high fat content and
deep red flesh, chinook is the most popular choice
of smoked salmon producers.
Availability: There is a limited availability of
commercially caught chinook. However, if run sizes
permit, fresh wild chinook may be available from
small winter fisheries in the periods from
September through November and January through
May.
Buying Tips: When selecting a fresh salmon
make sure the eyes are bright and clear and its
skin shiny with tightly adhering scales. Fresh
salmon has only a faint, ocean-fresh aroma. Its
flesh should be firm to the touch and bounce
quickly back into shape when gently pressed.
When selecting fillets and steaks look for firm,
moist, translucent flesh.
Storing Tips: Keep it clean, keep it cold and
handle it with care. Fresh salmon should be kept
well-chilled at a temperature around 0°C (32°F).
While it’s best to purchase salmon on the day you
plan to serve it, you can refrigerate fresh salmon
up to 2 days. Simply rinse gently in cold water;
pat dry; then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. If
purchased frozen, keep salmon at a constant
temperature of –18°C (0°F) or colder. Do not refreeze
if it has been allowed to partially thaw.
Preparation/Usage: Chinook is prized by
many as the most flavourful and richest of all
salmon. It lends itself to any culinary treatment,
either moist or dry, with its firm flesh making it
especially suitable for grilling. To cook salmon
perfectly, follow the “Canadian Rule”: 10 minutes
of cooking per 2.5 cm (1 inch) of thickness. Measure
at its thickest point (its depth not its width),
including stuffing if used. It’s done when flesh is
opaque and separates into moist sections when
firmly prodded with a fork at its thickest part.
Area of Origin and Range of Availability:
Wild chinook range along the North American
coast from Alaska to central California and along
Asia’s north Pacific coast from Russia to northern
Japan.
Harvest Volume: Commercial harvest
volumes of chinook averaged under 1,000 tonnes
annually over the five-year period ending in the
year 2000. Chinook remains a perennial favourite
of British Columbia’s sport fishery sector.
Harvest Method:
The troll fleet harvests the
majority of the limited number of commercially
caught chinook. The trolling method of hooks and
lines uses different lures to specifically target
chinook. The fish is then individually removed from
the lines and handled with care to ensure top quality
and appearance.
Processing Method: By adhering to strict
grading and handling methods, both on-board and
at federally registered fish processing plants, British
Columbia’s commercial fishing industry can
guarantee delivery of top quality salmon. Some of
the troller fleet is equipped ...
cont top right
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to produce premium FAS (frozen-at-sea) chinook.
In this process, the salmon as possible after
being caught. It is then immediately glazed (a thin
coat of ice achieved by dipping the frozen fish several
times in fresh, cold water)—sealing air away from
the fish—and finally quick frozen. This process
captures the fresh-caught flavour while preserving
the fish’s colour and firm texture.
Markets: While in season, fresh chinook—whole,
dressed, steaks, and fillets—is available to local
markets. Most of the wild harvest is exported frozen.
Over average, over 65% of the annual frozen wild
chinook exports go to Japan where it is in perennial
demand.
Sustainability: The commercial salmon fishing
fleet is strictly controlled on where, when and how
they fish. It employs selective harvesting techniques
which, in conjunction with close monitoring of run
size and catches, allow for optimum escapement
levels, that is the number of salmon returning to
spawn. This conservation-based fisheries
management regime is protecting vulnerable chinook
stocks along British Columbia’s coast allowing them
to rebuild and recover. Until that time, commercial
fishing of chinook remains severely limited.
Historical and Anecdotal Information:
“Quinault” is the First Nations’ name for chinook
salmon. Even though wild chinooks can vary in colour
from pale ivory to deep red, the colour is not an
indicator of its flavour. Instead, it is said that the
bigger the chinook the better the taste. The colour
variations arise from the fish’s diet: consumption of
fish such as herring results in whiter flesh while a
diet rich in shrimp will produce redder flesh. Their
diet can vary greatly as they travel great distances,
sometimes as far as 1,900 km (1,180 miles), during
their 4 to 7 year life cycle.
Other species:
There are 5 species of commercially
harvested wild Pacific salmon: sockeye, chinook,
coho, chum and pink. These 5 species vary in size,
colour, texture, fat content, taste and price. Wild
salmon’s superb taste comes from the rich ocean
nutrients of the North Pacific.
As well, it’s a powerful protein package that’s low
in saturated fat and high in polyunsaturated omega-
3 fatty acids, which some medical research suggests
can reduce the risk of heart disease. Wild salmon
offers good taste, eye appeal and versatility making
it the perfect ingredient for the perfect meal.
| NUTRITIONAL
INFORMATION |
| Per
3.5 oz/100 grams of raw edible portion |
 |
| Calories |
180 |
| Total
fat |
10.44
g |
| Saturated
fat |
2.51
g |
| Protein |
20.0
g |
| Cholesterol |
66.0
mg |
| Sodium |
47.0
mg |
|
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Source: USDA |
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For Additional Information And A List
Of Current Product Suppliers, Contact:
| BC
Salmon Marketing Council
1100-1200 West 73rd Avenue,
Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada V6P 6G5
Phone: 604.267.3030
Fax: 604.266.3097
email: bcsmc@bcsalmon.ca
website: www.bcsalmon.ca |
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