Supply Disruption and a Surprise Product
Thanks to some disruption in the supply chain, I was unable to buy any of Just Cured’s usual organic, sustainable Scottish salmon this week. I also may not be able to get any next week as well. This is just one of the minor inconveniences associated with using a specialty agricultural product — things like this will happen from time to time. I am still trying to get to the full explanation.
As a result, supplies of our basic product may be spotty for the next week or two. If you are in the habit of visiting, or a mood to visit, Luken’s for a Just Cured fix, drop me an email to see what is available, and I will be happy to put whatever we have aside for you.
Also thanks to that disruption, I decided to experiment a bit with a wild salmon. I obtained a quantity of wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon. If you are not familiar with sockeye salmon, it is a much smaller fish than Atlantic or Pacific King salmon and has a distinctive bright red color. The texture of the fish is a bit softer as well. It may very well be my favorite type of salmon; I wish it were available year round.
I cured these small fish very quickly today and will give them an equally quick smoke tomorrow. I have a supply of cherry sawdust and am seriously considering using that lighter smoke on these fish — but I also don’t want to introduce too many variables and will probably opt to use my traditional oak.
Starting on Thursday afternoon, Luken’s will have available Just Cured’s first production of smoked wild salmon. The whole sides averaged right at 1 pound per side. As a result, we will be selling the the sockeye by the whole side with skin on and unsliced. The price for the smoked wild sockeye will be $30 per pound.
I encourage you not to fret about buying an unsliced side. The sides will skin very easily, and I think this fish will be fantastic cut into thicker than normal slices and served with simple garnishes.
If you want to reserve a side or two, just drop me an email.
To whet your appetite, here is a not-very-good (my iPhone was all I had with me today)
picture of three sides of sockeye after their cure:
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Even from an iPhone it looks good!
Comment by valereee — June 30, 2008 @ 9:22 pm
Starving after reading the description! I, too, really like sockeye.
Comment by G — July 1, 2008 @ 7:53 am
Had some for dinner tonight. This by far may be my absolute favorite! Anytime you want to smoke the sockeye – I’m there! Skinning turned out to be a little more difficult than I thought – easy is a relative term. Maybe I need a lesson.
Comment by Ruth — July 1, 2008 @ 8:34 pm
the sockeye was absolutely amazing! everyone raved!
Comment by k — July 2, 2008 @ 8:42 am
Ruth and k, Thank you! I think I am going to be curing and smoking some more this week.
Ruth, I will be happy to give you a little lesson on fish skinning.
Val, are you going to find out today if looks deceive?
G, you are always starving.
Michael
Comment by Michael — July 2, 2008 @ 9:00 am
Michael, we had some of the sockeye yesterday — yum! But I have to agree with Ruth — I just MASSACRED the stuff getting it skinned. I tried pulling at it (simply split the skin into layers, one still attached to the meat), I tried slicing it apart (left way too much salmon on the skin), I finally scraped the salmon from the skin, which left us with salmon paste instead of sliced salmon. I’d sent my good ceramic knives off to be resharpened before I left town and they’re not back yet, so maybe it’s just that what I still have in my drawers isn’t sharp enough.
Comment by valereee — July 5, 2008 @ 11:22 am
Val and Ruth — I will not ignore the concerns of my customers — and cannot ignore those of two of my most loyal.
Henceforth, I will skin any whole sides or other large pieces of salmon that I offer at retail.
Comment by Michael — July 7, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
Well, now, let’s not be hasty.
I can stand to learn something new. It’s just not something I’ve done before.
I watched a contestant on The Next Food Network Star (my guilty pleasure: I TiVo reality cooking shows to watch while I’m making dinner) try to clean squid, something she’d never done before. I’ve cleaned squid many times. It’s more tedious than difficult, but there’s definitely a trick to it. That’s how I felt standing there with the salmon — I knew there must be a trick to it, but I didn’t know what that trick was.
I did discover just how dull my backup knives have become when I chopped some cukes for a salad yesterday. They were slightly past their prime, and the knife did not slice through the rind easily. I want my Kyocera back! How does it require FIVE WEEKS to sharpen three knives? I’m starting to get cranky here.
Comment by valereee — July 11, 2008 @ 8:04 am