Now when it comes to purchasing salmon, the first thing I look at is the source; is it wild-caught or farm-raised? Wild-caught salmon tends to be leaner and have more muscle fibers because of its constant pursuit of food and staying away from predators. This gives wild-caught salmon less fat content than farm-raised, making it easier to overcook. While your farm-raised salmon has been given a buffet of food, their fat content is much higher due to the sedentary lifestyle these fish live. This gives the salmon more fat and a more appealing texture to consumers. Another thing to look for is any brown spots on your salmon, which come from oxidation. This is just a fancy way of saying your filet has been exposed to air for too long, avoid selecting salmon that have these spots on them. Make sure you try eating both kinds of salmon to see which one you enjoy more; you will taste the difference!
Halibut on the other hand, is more straightforward. Wild-caught Halibut is what you should be buying. You’re looking for a halibut that’s moist, and has a translucent and glossy appearance. The texture of the fish should be firm and spring back when you touch it. Since these fish are bottom feeders, farm-raised halibut eat ANYTHING that falls to the bottom of their tank which can change the flavor of the fish and could leave you with a bad experience when you go to eat it.
Halibut Sandwich
- Searing Halibut
- Start off by seasoning your halibut with your Heath Riles Apple Rub.
- This seasoning acts similar to blackening seasoning, giving a little heat and color to your filet but has a nice, sweet, apple finish to it!
- Get your pan hot and your oil to the pan. You want to make sure your oil has a nice glimmer before adding your halibut. Add your halibut to the pan, searing your fish skin side up, and let it cook about ¾ way through the filet to get a nice sear on your halibut. Flip over and baste your halibut with a couple tabs of butter to finish the filets and give your fish a great crust!
- If you don't want to use butter, simply baste with oil to finish your fish!
- Malt Vin Aioli Recipe
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 1 ½ cup mayo
- 4 TBSP malt vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp - 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 garlic clove, grated through a zester; You can finely chop your garlic too.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together
- House made pickles
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 3 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 cups of water
- 4 garlic cloves; peeled and smashed
- 2 tbsp pickling spice
- 12 sprigs of fresh dill
- 2 cucumbers
- Start off by slicing your cucumbers and putting them Set aside.
- Combine your vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and pickling spice in a pot and bring to a boil.
- While your pickling liquid is heating up, add your smashed garlic, sprigs of dill, and sliced cucumber to your mason jar.
- When your pickling liquid comes to a boil, pour it directly into your mason jar and seal the lid. Place in your refrigerator overnight.
Seared Salmon with Tomato Vinaigrette
- Tomato Vinaigrette
- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
- 5 oz cold butter butter
- 2 oz apple cider vinegar
- 1 oz minced garlic
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 tsp oil
- 2 pinches dry dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Add your oil to your pan and add your cherry tomatoes on medium heat. Once your tomatoes start to blister, add your garlic, sugar, apple cider vinegar and start to reduce your sauce until it's reduced about ¾ way down. Once your sauce has reduced, turn off your heat and add your cold butter. Keep stirring your butter until it's all melted in. Your sauce should tighten up after your butter is incorporated.
Grilled Salmon with Dill Caper butter
- When you are grilling salmon, you'll want to have your grill set to medium heat to give a nice char/ grill mark on your salmon. Start by patting your salmon with a paper towel, then go ahead and season your filet. Place your salmon, skin side up, and let your salmon cook until it comes off your grates with ease. (This part is important to be patient with, if you force the salmon filet off the grill, the meat will stick to your grill and result in an ugly filet. Your salmon will naturally release off the grill grates when it's time to flip!)
- Once you've established your grill marks on the flesh side, about 3 minutes, flip your salmon and close the lid for another 3-4 minutes. CookUse an instant read thermometer to reach 120 for a perfect medium rare!
- Dill and Caper Butter
- 4 tbsp butter; softened room
- 1 tbsp capers, drained and chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and wrap in a cylinder shape in saran wrap. Store in your freezer and pull out and slice as needed.
Sweet and Smoky Salmon Bites
- Ingredients for cure
- 1 ½ lbs Salmon
- 1 Cup gin
- 1/2 Cup dark brown sugar, plus more for smoking
- ½ Cup kosher salt
- ½ Cup maple syrup
- ½ Cup Kosmos Q Pineapple Heat Glaze
- 1 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- Duck Fat Spray
- Mix all ingredients for your cure and place in a bowl or tupperware container. Cut your salmon into 2-3 ounce cubes, and drop them into your cure and refrigerate 8-12 hours.
- Remove your salmon from the cure, make sure you save your cure, we’re going to be using it as a glaze during our cook!!! Place on a cooling rack in front of the fan on low for 2 hours at room temperature. This will form a pellicle on top of the salmon, giving great texture and flavor when it's done.
- Set your smoker to 185.
- Spray some foil with duck fat spray and place your salmon onto the foil. Dust over your salmon with a little extra brown sugar and let your salmon smoke for 40 minutes. After your first 40 minutes, brush your salmon with your cure, a little will go a long way here. Repeat this process every 20-30 minutes and be sure to flip your salmon and glaze all sides! After 2 hours, use your instant read thermometer to check your salmon for an internal temperature of 140-150. You can also save these bites in a tupperware container and enjoy them another day!
Smoked Salmon Dip
- 8 oz cream cheese; softened
- ½ cup of Mayo
- 1.5 oz Pickled Red onion, Chopped
- 1.5 oz Pickled Jalapeno, Chopped
- 1 oz Capers, Drained and chopped
- 3 tsp Everything seasoning
- 2 -3 lemons; zested and juiced
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 16 oz smoked salmon; Seasoned with Meat Church’s Deez Nuts Pecan Rub.
- 1 tbsp chives; more for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
- Set your smoker to 225 and pat your salmon dry with a paper towel and then season your salmon. Let your salmon sit for 20 minutes, this lets the seasonings get in there for a great flavor! Set out some tin foil and spray with your duck fat spray. Next, place your salmon on your foil and put it in your smoker for 30 - 45 minutes. Check your salmon using an instant read thermometer at the 30 minute mark, You’re looking for a temperature of 140F. Once your salmon reaches temp, pull it off and enjoy!
- Pickled Red onion
- 2 Cups water
- 2 Cups vinegar
- 3 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 3 garlic cloves; peeled and smashed
- 2 tbsp pickling spice
- 2 small red onions; cut thinly
- Pickled jalapenos
- 1 Cup water
- 1 Cup Vinegar
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp salt
- 2 garlic cloves; peeled and smashed.
- 10 jalapenos; cut thinly
Smoked White Fish Dip
- 4 cups of smoked halibut
- Seasoned with Boars Night Out, White Lighting!
- 1 ½ cups mayo
- 1 red onion; finely chopped
- 1 cucumber; finely chopped
- 3 stalks of celery; finely chopped
- 4 sprigs of fresh dill; finely chopped
- 2 lemons; juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped pickled red onions to taste
- This dip can be served with crackers, crustonis, or even as an open faced sandwich!!