A few weeks ago nearly sixty McCormacks gathered for a long-awaited family reunion here in Sitka. We welcomed family all the way from New York to Oregon for a week of connection, adventure and of course amazing Alaskan food.
During that same week our friends from the Outdoor Chef Life, Taku and camerawoman Jocelyn, were also visiting Sitka from San Francisco. With a little planning, they agreed to crash our outdoor family reunion dinner. Taku is a chef who has been sharing his passion for foraging, harvesting and seafood on YouTube since 2018. Of course Lucas and I were excited to share our love of cooking with him at the grill. In true Outdoor Chef Life style, Taku had something fun planned. So it was dinner and a show for the whole family, such a great ending to reunion week!
Prior to our dinner, Taku and Jocelyn had been salmon fishing, so he was curious to see if how each would hold up during a blind taste test. We grilled Chum, Pink and King and filmed the responses of the taste testers - family from near and far. Suffice to say, there is a taste preference between locals and visitors. You can watch the responses with the video link below.
It was a lot of fun! Thank you to our family members who traveled here and thank you to our honorary family members Taku and Jocelyn. Come cook for us anytime!
Chum Salmon aka dog salmon
Chum salmon are lighter in color and oil content than other salmon species. They are nicknamed dog salmon because of their dog-like teeth. But Alaskan's also use dog salmon as dog food because it is abundant and cost the least per pound.
Pink Salmon aka humpies
Pink salmon are the smallest of the salmon species. They are light pink in color and have a mild flavor.
King Salmon aka Chinook
King salmon are some of the biggest salmon, full of fat and omega-3 fatty acids. They are known for their full flavor profile, often described as rich and buttery.
No matter what type of salmon you have, you will love our tried and true Simply Delicious Grilled Salmon recipe.