Frequently Asked Questions About Our Wild Alaska Salmon

February 21, 2017 5 Comments

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Wild Alaska Salmon

We hope you find all the answers to your questions about our wild Alaska salmon with this handy guide. From portion sizes to recipes, we've got you covered. Have a question that's not answered here? Contact us here. 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN SIZE BETWEEN FILLETS AND PORTIONS?

Our individually vacuum packed portions are 6-8 oz each and feed 1. Our full fillets are 1-2 lbs. each. They feed 3-4 people each and are perfect for families, grilling, or for those who like leftovers. Check out the photo above for a side by side comparison. 

HOW MUCH SALMON SHOULD I ORDER?

Though a serving of seafood is technically 3.5 oz, the average adult eats 6-8 oz. of salmon per meal. Mike and I sometimes even eat a little more than that. If you want to eat salmon once a week, you'll need about 26 lbs. per year. A couple eating salmon once a week needs about 52 lbs. per year, and a family of 4 may go through over 100 lbs. per year (depending on how much the children eat!) We like to eat salmon twice a week, so we go through over 100 lbs. per year. We've never had anyone complain they ordered too much salmon, but have had customers run out and have to wait until next fishing season to restock. 

DO YOU SELL HALIBUT AND OTHER WILD ALASKA SEAFOOD?

We do offer locally caught wild Alaska cod and halibut when it's available to us. We may also offer other wild Alaska seafood (like King Crab!) by request. Please be sure to join our newsletter and you'll be the first to know when we have special seafood in stock. 

I'M INTERESTED IN BUYING LARGER QUANTITIES OF WILD ALASKA SALMON THAN YOU OFFER IN YOUR BOXES. DO YOU TAKE LARGER ORDERS?

Definitely. We love to work with co-ops, buying clubs, health food stores.  Please email us at info@smartsourceseafood.com or call (907) 299- 4056 for pricing or visit our Buying Club page.

DO YOU SHIP TO CANADA? 

We do not currently ship to Canada, but we've had many inquiries about it lately and we're working on it. If you'd like our wild seafood shipped to Canada, please Contact Us and we'll make sure to let you know if/when we're able to ship there. 

HOW MUCH FREEZER SPACE DO I NEED FOR MY SALMON?

20 pounds of seafood takes up less than 1 cubic foot of freezer space. The shape of our fillets makes them easy to fit into freezer space that would otherwise be wasted. In Alaska, we all have huge freezers that hold hundreds of pounds of wild fish, meat, and berries. If you'd like to order a "fill your freezer" box, but don't want your standard freezer completely full, a large chest or upright freezer is a great investment. Plus, you'll save buying in bulk! 

THIS IS THE BEST SALMON I'VE EVER HAD! WHY DOES YOUR SALMON TASTE SO GOOD?

During the winter months in Alaska, there's not a whole lot to enjoy fresh. Our vegetable and fruit selection is sparse and by the time it makes it up here, it's not in great shape. To make up for it, Alaskans are exceptionally good at caring for salmon after it's caught to lock in the fresh taste as long as possible. When your share is caught, it is immediately chilled on ice or in a refrigerated sea water (RSW) system. It is then transferred to shore, where it's professionally filleted and vacuum sealed. Then, it is flash frozen at -30 degrees. This process ensures that your wild Alaska salmon will taste fresh after many months in your freezer.

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE FRESH FROZEN SALMON OVER FRESH SALMON?

When it comes to most food, fresh is better. Sure, there's nothing quite like fresh salmon, straight from the fishing boat. However, if you're anywhere beyond the immediate coast, the truth is that your salmon is at least 5 days old before it shows up at your supermarket and even older once it makes its way to your plate. Would you really keep a fresh fish fillet in your refrigerator for five days before you ate it? We didn't think so...

No doubt, frozen fish also gets a bad rap. That's because the most frozen fish on the US market is twice frozen. It's frozen the first time when it comes to shore whole. Then it's exported to a processor (likely in China) where it's defrosted, processed into fillets, and refrozen. These repeated heating and cooling cycles greatly compromise the quality and texture of the fish.

At Smart Source Seafood, you salmon is processed and flash frozen within hours of being caught. You can't beat that! 

HOW LONG WILL MY SALMON LAST IN THE FREEZER?

Because of the care we take in packaging your wild Alaska salmon, it has a surprisingly long freezer life- up to a year in prime condition. We ask that you handle your portions carefully, to make sure the seal on your vacuum sealed portions doesn't break. 

WILL MY SALMON HAVE BONES?

Our salmon are pin boned during processing, so your share should be 99% free of bones. Sometimes, the occasionally sneaky bone stays put, but we strive to feed you salmon free of bones.

IS YOUR SALMON SUSTAINABLE?

Yes. Alaska is the only state with a mandate for sustainable seafood written into it's constitution. All our fisheries are highly regulated and well managed. 

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO THAW MY SALMON?

Ideally, you should let your salmon thaw in the refrigerator 8-10 hours before preparing it. For quicker thawing, you can place salmon in cool water for 20-30 minutes to thaw right before cooking. Also, check out www.wildalaskaseafood.com for delicious recipes and tips for how to cook your salmon frozen. Never allow seafood to thaw at room temperature, or place seafood in warm water to thaw. You'll loose the quality and texture of the fish. 

HOW DO I COOK SALMON?

You can grill it, poach, it, roast it, steam it, saute it, broil it, or deep fry it! Check out tons of recipes here.

HOW DO YOU SHIP AND WILL I RECEIVE TRACKING INFORMATION?

We ship all over the U.S. using Fed-Ex overnight shipping. We will always confirm the shipping date with you before we ship your order. Once your box ships, you will receive tracking information via FedEx.

WHAT DO YOU SHIP THE SALMON IN?

We ship in insulated boxes with frozen gel packs to ensure your fish arrives in excellent condition, ready for your freezer.

I WORK AWAY FROM HOME DURING THE DAY AND AM UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE DELIVERY. CAN YOU SHIP TO MY OFFICE?

Certainly. We can either shop your salmon to your office, or we can send it to a neighbor or family member who is able to store the salmon immediately upon delivery. We are also able to schedule a Saturday delivery for a small additional fee.

WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?

We accept any credit cards and PayPal. 

DO I HAVE TO PAY THE ENTIRE BALANCE UP FRONT?

For preorders, we require a 50% deposit to hold your other. For all other orders, we require full payment before the salmon is shipped. If you choose a Monthly Salmon Share, you'll set up monthly monthly or bi-monthly auto-pay for your salmon at checkout. 




5 Responses

Jean F.
Jean F.

November 23, 2019

How do I break off a small piece of frozen salmon for cooking? My sharpest knife doesn’t cut it.

LuAnn Bramel
LuAnn Bramel

June 05, 2017

Just ordered my first box. Can’t wait till September now! We have heard the Kilchers talk about you guys and have always wanted to try truly good/safe salmon. The recipes all look so good. My husband and I decided to give each other an early anniversary present and try a box.

Maddie O'Laire
Maddie O'Laire

May 03, 2017

Karen- shipping to the Continental U.S. in included in all orders! Kathleen- we haven’t sold coho salmon (aka silver salmon) in the past, but be sure to join our newsletter and you’ll be the first to know if we do. We sometimes offer king salmon too!

Kathleen Brandt
Kathleen Brandt

May 03, 2017

I’m not a fan of sock eye, do you sell silver brite?

Karen
Karen

May 02, 2017

How expensive is the shipping?

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