Well, no. We are trying to get our customers on board with an annual order, so stock up your freezers with as much as you need to get you through the year! Why? It is not caught more recently if you buy it monthly. We catch all of our fish in the summer, so if you are hoping to get a few fillets every month because you want it to be fresh from the ocean, it doesn't work like that. There are a couple of small salmon runs in Washington in the winter (check out your local tribes), but for the most part all of the salmon you eat year round is probably from the summer season. If it is raw in the grocery display case it has most certainly been previously frozen and defrosted. This is why buying high quality, blast frozen salmon that stays fresh in your freezer is one of the best options for eating high quality salmon year round. If we were doing weekly or monthly deliveries we would have to increase our prices to make it worth it and we are trying to offer a high quality product that doesn't break the bank. Also, after a long summer season of working around the clock, and a busy fall of distributing salmon, we are ready to take a break and pursue other work and life goals. And take naps.

It is safe to eat raw: Our salmon is blast frozen at very low temperatures (-30 C) and then kept frozen up until you receive it. Freezing it at low temperatures and keeping it frozen is what kills any parasites that you might worry about when eating raw fish. It is high quality: We also call it sashimi grade because it is high quality. We pressure bleed it upon catching it meaning all of the blood is immediately flushed from it's system. This ensures a fresh, non 'fishy' flavor. Our salmon is handled minimally and with care and maintains a firm, bruise-free texture. It is not pumped through a machine, shipped far to be processed or processed at a giant facility like a lot of other fish. We guarantee that our fish has only been frozen once. Some fish gets frozen whole and then defrosted to be filleted and portioned and then re-frozen again. This is not bad, but it could decrease the quality of the product and the freezer shelf life. Often times when you buy 'fresh' fish at the grocery store, it has actually been previously frozen and defrosted for the display case. Our fish is frozen fresh and stays that way until you are ready to defrost it and eat it!

We pressure bleed our salmon right after bringing it on board. To pressure bleed our fish we cut a slit in the small artery behind the gills and insert a small pipet hose that pumps fresh seawater through the fish for at least one minute. This flushes out all of the blood while preserving the firm texture of the flesh. Flushing the blood takes away the fishy taste that you may have noticed in other salmon and helps it stay fresh in your freezer much longer.

The box itself is 15" x 10" x 6". A standard, over the fridge freezer could fit 4 boxes. If you take the salmon out of the box and keep it in the bag, you could fit around 6 boxes. Our suggestion is to buy a chest freezer and then you won't have to worry about it. Plus, chest freezers tend to keep everything frozen at a lower temperature which increases freezer longevity and freshness.

Health: Sockeye and coho are both delicious, low fat sources of clean protein that contain the heart and brain healthy omega-3 fatty acids that we want to incorporate in our diet. Coho has the highest content of EPA and DHA of all of the wild Alaskan salmon, the main omega-3 fatty acids that we are looking to consume. Sockeye is the most photographed fish because it has that gorgeous, bold red flavor. This is because it consumes more zooplankton and contains more astaxanthin, a very potent antioxidant that many people take in supplement form. Flavor: Sockeye has a slightly richer flavor than coho due to it's slightly higher oil content. It also has a firmer texture which is ideal for sushi. Coho has a milder flavor and a slightly softer texture. For someone who has sensitive tastebuds or is new to eating salmon, coho might be an easier place to start. Cooking: Both sockeye and coho are delicious grilled, baked, pan seared, or eaten raw. Sockeye is easier to overcook than coho and will dry out more, so make sure to take it off the heat before it's done cooking and let it finish cooking on the counter. If you are making sushi or poke, sockeye is the ideal choice because of the color and the texture, but coho is great too. Because sockeye has a bolder flavor, I tend to dress it up less, while coho can be really great with a glaze or marinade.

In the fridge: If you are one of those people who plans meals a day or two ahead, take your salmon out of the freezer the day before and let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight. In a warm water bath: Or, if you are like us and figure out what you are having for dinner thirty minutes before you start cooking, that is no problem. Take your salmon and toss it in a warm water bath and it should defrost in 20 - 30 minutes. You might have to change the water out a few times as it cools down. Make sure that the water is not too hot or it will start cooking the fish!