One of the best things about visiting British Columbia fishing lodges is coming home with some frozen salmon souvenirs! After each day on the water, the staff at Sointula Lodge will take your freshly caught fish and prep it. After cleaning and packaging it, they’ll place it in the freezer until the end of your trip. At that time, your fish will be packed into wax boxes.
These wax boxes full of fish fly home as checked luggage, even if you traveled to Sointula by seaplane! If you’ll be driving home from Vancouver Island, you’ll want to plan to bring a cooler or two with you to put your fish in for your journey home. Once you get home, place your salmon in your own freezer until you’re ready to cook it.
Wondering how to make the most of your salmon souvenirs from BC fishing lodges? Keep reading to learn some tips for cooking frozen salmon, as well as a couple of our favorite recipes.
Defrost Your Salmon the Right Way
After getting home from your visit to one of the best British Columbia fishing lodges, place your salmon in your freezer until you’re ready to cook it. When that time comes, remove your salmon from the packaging our staff placed it in, and submerge your filets in a bowl of cool water.
Every 15 minutes or so, refresh the bowl with fresh cool water. How long this process takes depends on how thick your filet is. Once it has thawed, use a paper towel or tea towel to pat your salmon filets dry.
If possible, always thaw your salmon before cooking it. This will help keep the perfect the texture, no matter how you choose to cook it!
Avoid Overcooking
If you’re new to cooking salmon at home, it can be easy to overcook your filets. But freshly caught salmon — or any salmon — is best when it isn’t overcooked. Salmon should be cooked until flaky and the flesh is opaque white on the sides. If you’re worried that your salmon isn’t cooked enough, you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your salmon.
One way to avoid overcooking your filet is to avoid setting your stove too high. Cook your salmon slowly, at medium low heat, to avoid cooking it too quickly.
Great Recipes for Frozen Salmon
Looking for a tasty recipe for your frozen salmon brought home from your stay at one of the best British Columbia fishing lodges? The best recipes are those that let the flavor of your salmon shine through! Check out these recipes for your frozen souvenirs.
Easy Seared Salmon
The totals in this recipe are for 4 6-ounce filets of salmon, thawed.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp of garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp of dried basil
- ½ tsp of salt
- 2 Tbsp of butter
- Lemon wedges
Mix the garlic powder, salt, and basil, and rub the mix on each salmon filet. Next, add the butter to a skillet, and melt over medium heat. Add your salmon filets, and cook until lightly browned and flaky. Depending on the thickness of each filet, this will take around 5-minutes on each side. Serve your salmon with lemon wedges.
Simple Baked Salmon
The totals in this recipe are for 6 filets between 5 and 6 ounces.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tsp of salt
- ½ Tsp of ground pepper
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
- 1 ½ Tsp of honey
- 1 ½ Tsp of fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp of fresh herbs, like basil, parsley, or chives
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. After thawing your salmon, pat each filet dry, and season each side with salt and pepper. Melt and cool your butter, and combine with garlic, honey, and lemon juice. Fold the edges of your foil up, bringing them together at the top to create a closed tent around your filets.
Bake your salmon, checking on it after 10 minutes. When your salmon is done, it should be opaque, and flake easily when poked with a fork. Once done, remove from the oven, and open the foil, folding it away from your filets.
Set your oven to “broil,” on high. Broil for between 2 and 3 minutes, until the tops of the filet are slightly golden, with a few charred spots. Let the salmon rest, then garnish with chopped herbs, and serve.
Planning Your Next Visit to British Columbia Fishing Lodges
When you start running low on your stock of salmon, you’ll know that it’s time to start planning your next visit to the best British Columbia fishing lodges. There’s still time to book a trip to Sointula Lodge this summer! While some dates are already sold out, there is availability on a number of our August trips. Book your package today to secure your spot and enjoy the trip of a lifetime — and get some more salmon to enjoy through the winter months!