Another Fantastic Chum Salmon Recipe!

This recipe was sent in by reader Aden Stewart. It's definitely worth trying out this fall!

I tried keeping a river run chum for the first time in 1998 after an old English gentleman persuaded me that they could be good eating. The trick he said, was knowing which fish to keep. According to him, since many chum colour up before even leaving the chuck, you need to pay attention to sheen, not colour. If a chum’s scales still have sparkle to them then it’s a keeper. If the fish has lost its sheen and taken on dull coloured look then it should be released. I’ve followed his advice and have not yet had a bad fish.

The recipe that I want to recommend is one that I was introduced to when I married a Saskatchewan girl. In the prairie provinces, a popular recipe is called “poor man’s lobster.” This is pretty much the only way that they can be persuaded to eat a fresh water ling and it works great with chum. Firstly, get fresh fish! The fresher the fish the better this works. Fillet, bone and skin a decent sized chum salmon out. Knock the boneless fillets into 1” cubes. In a large stock pot add water, lots of salt and a couple heaping table spoons of sugar. Bring the water to a rolling boil and dump the salmon in. You must use a large pot otherwise the salmon will cool the water down and you run the risk of mushy waterlogged fish. Keep the heat on full and let the salmon boil for 2 minutes. Scoop the salmon out with a slotted spoon and serve with garlic butter. The fast cooking at high heat should have turned the fish very firm, similar in texture to lobster and the sugar in the water gives that sweetness that you find with crab or lobster.

If you have any comments regarding this editorial, or need further information on volunteering, please contact us.