WELCOME [ Log In · Register ]        SITE [ Search · Page Index · Recent Changes ]    RSS

King (Chinook) Salmon

King Salmon Flavor Scale
 Flavor              
transparent1px.gif
 Oil              
transparent1px.gif
 Texture              

Back to Salmon Varieties

Wild King (Chinook) Salmon

Fresh wild King Salmon is the largest of all the wild Pacific salmons, having the highest omega-3 oil content and most velvety texture.  It is a delicious, rich-flavored fish which lends itself to a wide variety of cooking applications.

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.
note: wild salmon for sushi should be frozen for 24 hours at -4° F (-20° C) to kill any potential parasitic larvae.

Typical Cooking Methods

  • Bake
  • Broil
  • Deep-Fry
  • Grill
  • Poach
  • Saute
  • Smoke
  • Steam
  • Sushi

Alternate Names

Chinook Salmon, Blackmouth Salmon, Spring Salmon (a British Columbia name), Smilie, Tyee, Jack Spring (immature Chinook).

Chinook (King) Salmon Description (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Chinook Salmon are the largest of the wild Salmon species.  Average commercial weight is 11 - 20 lbs but they can reach over 50 lbs.  Fish in the sea are dark greenish to blue black on top of head and back, silvery to white on the lower sides and belly; numerous small, dark spots along back and upper sides and on both lobes of caudal; gum line of lower jaw black.

In fresh water, with the approach of the breeding condition, the fish change to olive brown, red or purplish, the color change being more marked in males than in females.  Follow the link for a video on how to identify species of salmon.

Chinook Salmon
Image courtesy BCSalmon.ca

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.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
                                                                                               

 

King Salmon Butchering Yield Percentage and Recovery

ItemTo Skin/On FilletsTo Skin/Off FilletsNotes
Whole Head/On gutted 4/7, 7/11
68% - 70% 64%  
Whole Head/On gutted 11/18, 18-Up
71% 67%  
Whole Head/Off gutted U-10
68% 71%  
Whole Head/Off gutted 10-Up, 18-Up
69% - 73% 64% - 66%  
Skin/On Fillets -- 85% If you have additional yield info on this fish please leave a comment below.
Yield % varies according to a number of factors including: size of fish, season, sex, and the skill of your fishmonger.

 

Range and Habitat

Chinook Salmon are found from the Pacific Arctic southward to southern California in the Eastern Pacific and to southern Japan waters in the Western Pacific.  They stay at sea for up to 5 years before returning to their spawning grounds.  Other Salmon return to their spawning grounds after 1 to 3 years.

King Salmon are farmed in in the waters off Chile and New Zealand.

King Salmon Range & Location
AquaMaps     Data sources: GBIF OBIS

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 Sustainability Info

This window is a link to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program info on Salmon.

 

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
 

 

 
 

David Buchanan on Google +
Did you find the information about King (Chinook) Salmon useful? Or did you notice something which is missing on this page?
If so, please leave a comment.


Comments    [ Add a Comment ]

MAGICOFSPICE    [ Jul 15, 2010 ]

This is great information, and probably my favorite food source in the world:) I was actually not aware that it had the highest omega-3 content. I do adore the texture of this guy and is a household favorite.