Salmon Sausage

It is once again freezer-cleaning out season, as I make room for this year's harvest.

I had some friends over last night to chat about living in community, and fixed some salmon sausage chowder. 

I was feeling a little bad because I fixed it the last time some of these friend's came over, but it turned out they were really hoping I would make it again because it had been so good the first time! 

The secret to the chowder is the salmon sausage! 

Salmon sausage transforms the texture and flavor of salmon. It works wonders on end-of-season salmon that you need to clear out of your freezer in the spring!

It's also great for people who don't like the texture of regular salmon. Rylan doesn’t care for salmon filets, but he will gobble up salmon sausage.

It takes a little time to make, but is well worth the effort. You will need a meat grinder and a kitchen scale. The salt and wine are essential but the rest of the seasonings are flexible. Use what you have! 

It can be made into paddies and fried up in some lard or butter, or used in any dish you would normally use sausage for. 

Salmon Sausage

• 1 large or 2 small salmon
• Salt: 1.5% of the weight of the fish
• Dry white wine:10% the weight of the fish
• 2-3 teaspoons fennel, ground
• 4-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons pepper, ground
• 1 bay leaf, ground
• 3/4 cup packed fresh herbs (chives, thyme, parsley, oregano, tarragon, sage, etc) or 3 Tablespoons dried herbs

Filet and skin fish, scraping any flesh off the bones. Small bones in the fish are ok. Cut into strips that will fit into your grinder. Grind fish, including any eggs, using the coarse setting. Weigh fish. Add salt, wine, and seasonings. Mix together well. Send it back through the grinder, still on the coarse setting. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before cooking. 

Spring Salmon Sausage Chowder

• 3 Tablespoons tallow, lard, bacon grease, or butter
• 2 onions, diced
• 2-3 parsnips or carrots, diced
• 3-4 potatoes, diced
• A handful of lovage or 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons white flour (optional)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh or frozen parsley
• 3 Tablespoons fresh chives
• 2-3 cups cooked salmon sausage

Directions: Heat the fat in large, heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced veggies, thyme, and bay leaf and sauté until the onions are soft. Add the flour, if using, and stir to combine. Add the wine and let it cook down one minute. Add the stock and salt and let simmer about 20 minutes. Add the milk, cream, parsley, chives, and salmon sausage and bring just to a simmer. Do not boil! 

Freezing Whole Salmon

I froze all my fish whole this past summer and they are holding up beautifully still 10 months later. It's a little more work when I want to fix salmon, but SUPER wonderful when I don't have to spend hours gutting, filleting, and vacuum sealing the fish in July after a long day of fishing. It also uses less plastic!

Here is what I did:

1. Bled my fish well in the stream right after I caught them. Do not gut them or cut off their heads.
2. Laid cardboard in my freezer and put the whole fish on the cardboard in a single layer. 
3. A few days later I dipped them in a buck of water and then they went back on the cardboard for an extra layer of protection from the air. 
4. A few days later I put them into a large, contractor style trash bag in the bottom of my freezer.