Salmon - King Salmon

King Salmon Flavor Scale

Flavor
Oil
Texture

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Wild King (Chinook) Salmon

Fresh wild King Salmon has the highest omega-3 oil content and most velvety texture of wild Pacific salmons.  It is a delicious rich-flavored fish which lends itself to a wide variety of cooking applications.  Chefs-Resources' Chinook Salmon page shows when fresh salmon is available, what it’s flavor profile and taste is like, and the butchering yield % so you can determine your yield percentage for plate costing purposes.  You’ll also find an King Salmon nutrition table, the Flavor Scale, and links for further salmon research. 

King Salmon Alternate Names

Chinook Salmon, Blackmouth Salmon, Spring Salmon (a British Columbia name).  

Typical Wholesale Products

Whole Head/On, gutted, 12/18 lb; Whole Head/On, gutted, 18 up; Head/Off, gutted; Skn/On Filets; Skn/Off Filets; Steaks.  

King Salmon Availability

Fresh seafood availability chart: green areas show peak availability, light green show limited availability, gray indicates not available fresh.  Frozen available all year long.

 

King Salmon Yield Factors

Item	To Skn/On Fillets	To Skn/Off Fillets	Notes
Whole 4/7, 7/11 Head/On gutted	68% - 70%	64% - 65%
Whole 11/18, 18/up Head/On gutted	71% - 72%	67%
Whole U/10 Head/Off gutted	68% - 69%	71% - 72%
Whole 10/up, 18/up Head/Off gutted	69% - 73%	64% - 66%
Skin/On Fillets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

King Salmon Flavor Profile

King (Chinook) Salmon is a succulent full-flavored high fat content fish which has large, soft-textured flakes, and the flesh can range from almost white to pink to deep red.  The color of the flesh has no bearing upon its flavor. 

 

King Salmon Nutritional Information based upon a 6 oz (171 grams) raw edible serving.  * Calories/Calories from fat 309/154 * Protein grams 34 * Fat grams 17 * Saturated fat grams 8 * Sodium milligrams 47 * Cholesterol milligrams 113 * Omega-3 grams 2.7  more King Salmon nutrition info

 

Additional Resources:

National Marine Fisheries Service	Seafood Watch