New Zealand King Salmon
Preparation, storage & handling
King Salmon’s delicate texture and characteristic rich flavour make
it delicious served raw, cooked or smoked.
Cold Smoked. After curing in a dry brine of salt and sugar, the salmon
fillets are smoked at a low temperature in a natural wood smoke. The
salmon resembles the texture of raw salmon, with a lightly smoked flavour.
Salmon Cuts
Wood Roasted (Hot Smoked). After curing in a dry brine of salt and
sugar, the salmon fillets are smoked at a high temperature in natural wood
smoke, presenting a delicate melt in your mouth texture with a smoky
flavour finish.
King Salmon is typically available in a number of different forms:
Whole. The salmon is cleaned inside
and presented with or without the
head.
Fillet. The sides of the salmon are
separated from the ribs and backbone,
producing two long portions of meat.
Fillets can also be purchased boneless.
Portions. A fillet is cut into a number of
smaller portions. Portions can also be
purchased boneless.
Steaks. The entire salmon (without
the head or tail) is cut width ways,
producing portions of around one inch
in thickness.
Cooking Methods
Salmon is ready to eat when the flesh turns opaque. It is quite safe to
serve salmon rare and it can also be eaten raw. Salmon cooks very quickly
and should flake easily when tested with a fork.
Oven Bake
Place the salmon in a baking dish that has been greased or lined with
tinfoil. Brush the fish with oil, lemon juice or a mixture of both. Bake at
180°C, allowing 8 to 10 minutes for 2cm thick fillets. A good rule of thumb
is to measure the whole fish at its thickest part and cook it for 10 minutes
per 2cm thickness (approximately 45 minutes for an average 2kg fish).
Grilling
Always preheat the grill and use a medium-high heat level. Grill the
salmon about 10cm from the heat source and allow 1 to 2 minutes on each
side for a fillet or 3 to 4 minutes on each side for a steak.
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Poaching
Avoid using thin fillets. Simmer in liquid flavoured with slices of lemon
and parsley for 4 to 6 minutes ensuring there is enough liquid to cover
the salmon. Poach whole salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per 200g. Poached
salmon’s flavour improves if it is served the next day and at room
temperature.
Steaming
Place the salmon in a steamer over boiling water. Allow about 4 minutes
for fillets or steaks, and allow about 5 minutes for each 200g portion of
whole salmon.
Microwaving
Arrange portions of salmon with the thickest part at the outside edge. Dot
with a little butter or sprinkle with a tablespoon of water, wine or milk.
Cover with cling film and pierce this a few times with a knife. Allow 4 to 6
minutes per 500g on 70 percent power. Allow to stand for 2 minutes.
BBQ
The cooking time will depend on the temperature of the barbecue. If the
temperature can be controlled, a medium-high heat should be used. Brush
the salmon with oil and the season. Allow 1 to 2 minutes on each side for
a fillet or 3 to 4 minutes on each side for a steak or kebabs.
Storing Salmon
Fridge
Salmon will keep in a fridge (at 1 - 3°C, 34 - 36°F) for 3 to 4 days perfectly
well.
Keep whole salmon lightly covered with foil or cling film to prevent it from
drying out.
Place steaks and fillets in a sealable plastic bag, put in a bowl and cover
with ice.
Freezer
Put whole salmon in a sealable freezer bag, making sure as much air as
possible is removed, and freeze.
Place steaks or fillets individually in sealable freezer bags. To ensure that
the salmon freezes quickly, lay the freezer bags flat on the shelf, rather
than in piles on top of each other.
If frozen in a sealed freezer bag, salmon will last up to six months in the
freezer. Defrost slowly at room temperature.
Whole Salmon
Season the fish and brush with oil or lemon juice. Place slices of lemon
and parsley in cavity and wrap in foil. Measure the whole fish at its
thickest part and cook, following the instructions above for either oven
baking or BBQing, allowing 10 minutes of cooking time per 2cm of salmon
thickness.
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