Ketchikan Salmon Recipes

You came to Ketchikan, you fished with Chasin’ Tail and now you’re home and so is all of that beautiful salmon you caught. Need to know how to cook it? Look no further because I can help you out with that. Below are some favorite Ketchikan salmon recipes, including a few locals’ specialties.

Smoked Salmon Spread

(a Ketchikan favorite!)

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 6 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
  • 1/4 cup capers, or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onion (optional)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 drops hot pepper sauce
  • 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice

Process cream cheese in a food processor to soften completely; add salmon, capers, green onion, dill, cream, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, and lemon juice. Process the mixture again until creamy and smooth.

Recipe from AllRecipes

Roasted Salmon

(a basic recipe!)

  • Center-cut salmon fillets, preferably wild-caught Alaskan king or sockeye, 1-inch thick and of any size from 5 ounces to 2 1/2 pounds
  • Olive oil, for greasing
  • Flaky sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Snipped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and a second rack in the upper third. Heat the oven to between 225 and 275 degrees. Grease a thin sheet pan with olive oil.

Carefully place a frying pan of just-boiled water on the lower oven rack. Arrange the salmon on the prepared sheet pan, season generously with salt and pepper, and place on the upper oven rack. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 110 degrees for rare, 115 degrees for medium-rare, or 125 degrees for medium. This should take 10 to 12 minutes for 5-ounce fillets or 20 to 25 minutes for a 2 1/2-pound fillet. (The color of the salmon will not turn dull, and the texture will be very juicy.)

Transfer the salmon to a platter or one or more individual plates and season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Sprinkle with chives, if using, and serve.

Recipe from NYT Recipes

Salmon in Parchment

(an easy recipe)

  • parchment paper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil, or more if needed
  • 6 small potatoes
  • 10 spears asparagus
  • 2 (8 ounce) skinless, boneless, center-cut salmon fillets
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Take two pieces of parchment paper, fold in half, and cut a half-circle starting at each crease. They should look similar to a heart-shape when unfolded. Coat each piece of parchment with olive oil on both sides.

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add asparagus, and cook uncovered until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the asparagus is cold, drain well, and set aside.

Place 1 salmon fillet, half the asparagus, and half the potatoes in the middle of one side of a prepared parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Fold other half of circle over and seal parchment edge by making overlapping folds around the edge. At the end, fold the last crease in the opposite direction of the rest to ensure it seals. Repeat with the second piece of prepared parchment and remaining ingredients. Place pouches on a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before cutting open parchment. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

Recipe from AllRecipes

Salmon Chowder

  • 1/2 pound red potatoes
  • 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
  • 2 cups chopped scallions (from 2 bunches)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (3 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 (1 1/2-pound) piece salmon fillet (preferably wild), skin discarded and fish cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Garnish: chopped fresh chives

Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes, then cook in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Cook bacon in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot, then cook scallions, corn, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and red-pepper flakes in fat in pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until scallions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add milk and cream and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to moderately low, then add potatoes, salmon, bacon, salt, and pepper and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until salmon is just cooked through and begins to break up as you stir, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Recipe from Epicurious

Salmon Olympia

(a Ketchikan specialty!)

  • 1 lb. salmon fillets, skinless and boneless
  • 3 cups spinach (and/or onions)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
  • 3 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
  • 4 dashes of Tabasco
  • 1 tablespoon of dill, fresh, chopped
  • 3/4 cup parmesan, shredded
  • Salt
  • Lemon pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon parsley flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 8×8 casserole dish. Spread spinach in dish, dollop with 3 tablespoons of butter and season with salt and lemon pepper.

Arrange salmon fillets over spinach and season with salt, lemon pepper and some dill.

In a medium bowl, mix together mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, dill and 1/2 cup parmesan. Season to taste with salt, lemon pepper and garlic powder. Spread mixture over salmon.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a bowl, then stir in panko, parsley flakes and remaining parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over mayo topping.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden on top and sides are bubbling.

Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Spoon & Swallow

Ketchikan’s own LaDonna Rose Gundersen is a wealth of Ketchikan Salmon Recipes, visit her site for delicious ways to cook your catch!