Seared Salmon and "Sort Of" Hollandaise: Spilled Milk #298

Everyone should know the technique for this glorious butter sauce.

Are you watching my outdoor cooking show Wild Game Kitchen? New episodes air on Mondays at 7 PM ET/6 PM CT on Tastemade. Tune in next week to see me cook pigeon! Find recipes from the show here.

Spring is almost here, and with that come the salmon runs that always seem to be a great “date” on my culinary calendar. Wild fisheries that harvest the first of my favorite species speed these salmon around the country and onto our plates.

I always attempt to be timely with my tips, and while I am clearly jumping the gun on the wild/fresh season, it feels like it will be springtime soon. What better time to practice our skill sets than right now? I wanted to show you an easy, elegant dish, worthy of a weekend dinner party or a fast weeknight meal. So, a seared piece of sockeye with hollandaise-inspired sauce and some veg seemed right to me. The sauce technique here, which is a cross between a tarragon beurre blanc and a reverse hollandaise (where the eggs are cooked first, and the butter is beaten in cold) is so, so, so PHENOMENAL, you have to watch how easy it is to make.

And the price is right. Sockeye stocks, frozen from last year, are priced to move everywhere I look these days as retailers are getting better prices from wholesalers who are making room in the freezers for the upcoming salmon season. I hear from a lot of folks that price is a barrier when it comes to eating fresh seafood, and I get it. That’s why I am always looking for what’s discounted in the marketplace for our family’s table.

I feel strongly that everyone needs to eat more seafood. Just one more blue foods meal a week, and we will radically help ourselves from a health and wellness perspective while improving our food systems, economy and the health of our waters. Check out my videos that I made for the Seafood Nutrition Partnership here.

To end any confusion, here is some info on salmon species to help you find what’s right for you when you shop. Salmon is one of the most popular and nutritious fish worldwide, prized for its rich flavor, high omega-3 content and versatility in cooking, but there is a lot of confusion about species, each with its own characteristics and optimal season for harvest. Thanks to modern science, frozen fish is a great option, too.

1. King Salmon (Chinook)

The largest and most prized of all salmon species, king salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is known for its high fat content and buttery texture. It is primarily found in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The peak season for fresh wild-caught Chinook runs from May through September, though it can be available earlier in some regions. Due to its rich fat content, it remains delicious year-round when frozen properly.

2. Sockeye Salmon (Red Salmon)

Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) is famous for its deep red flesh and firm texture, making it ideal for grilling and smoking. Sockeye has a strong, bold flavor and is mostly harvested in Alaskan waters. The best time to enjoy fresh sockeye is mid-June through early August, with the largest runs occurring in Bristol Bay, Alaska.

3. Coho Salmon (Silver Salmon)

Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) has a milder flavor than King or Sockeye, with a slightly firmer texture. It is commonly found along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Oregon. The best season for fresh coho is July through October, making it a great option in late summer and early fall when other species start to decline in availability.

4. Pink Salmon (Humpy Salmon)

Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) is the smallest and most abundant salmon species, with soft, pale flesh and a delicate flavor. It is commonly used for canned salmon but is also available fresh. Pink salmon has a short two-year life cycle, with peak runs occurring in July and August in odd-numbered years (2023, 2025, etc.).

5. Chum Salmon (Dog Salmon)

Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) has a lower fat content than other species, making it less popular for fresh consumption but excellent for smoking. It is most commonly found in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, with peak availability from July through September.

6. Atlantic Salmon (Farmed)

Unlike Pacific salmon species, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is mostly farmed due to its overfished wild populations. It is available year-round, but the highest quality is found in colder months, from fall to early spring.

Recipe: Seared Salmon and “Sort Of” Hollandaise