Vital Choice Wild Salmon Trio + Grill Fixin’s Pack

Bonnie: There’s nothing as delicious as fresh wild salmon straight from the icy waters off Alaska. But if you’re not lucky enough to be fishing in Alaska or have a friend who is, this salmon from Vital Choice is pretty close. Their salmon is flash-frozen immediately after harvest to ensure a fresh taste, premium quality and freshness.

For the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, we’re suggesting their grilling pack to you to share with some friends. Some good friends that is. The grill pack contains two portions each of sockeye (red), king (chinook), and silver (coho) salmon. The sockeye is leaner and firmer than king but fattier than silver. King is the richest, making it exceptionally moist and even more abundant in healthful omega-3 fatty acids than the other varieties — although all three are rich sources.

Yes, this salmon grilling pack is a bit pricey, but it’s good to have a little extravagance occasionally. Seriously. In fact, I recently learned that despite our recessionary economy, 16 percent of shoppers are splurging on premium products on a regular basis — at least according to Information Resources Inc’s “Times & Trends Reports.” We feel this grill pack is worth the splurge.

The salmon grill pack comes with some herbs (although you can easily mix your own), but it also contains three single-use wood planks of alder that add a wonderfully smoky flavor to the fish. To use, you place the soaked-for-a-couple-hours plank on a hot grill for 5 minutes to char (until it begins to darken), then flip it and top with the salmon. Eight to 12 minutes later you can serve this smoky delicious fish right from the plank! Just don’t overcook.

We worked with the folks at Vital Choice to get a special deal for you to try their seafood. From now through Labor Day (September 8, to be specific), you’ll get 15 percent off your one order from them by using code BESTWILD at checkout!

Wild salmon is listed as one of the Best Choices on the Seafood Watch handy guide published by the Monterey Bay Aquarium — an oceanographic research center in California that holds Cooking for Solutions, an annual event bringing scientists together to discuss sustainable seafood. Best Choices are abundant, well-managed and caught in environmentally friendly ways. That Seafood Watch guide is now available as an app for your iPhone.

Bryan: It’s time for a dinner party! Yes, it is officially summer, and that means it’s time to gather family and friends around the table for some great food and fun. It’s backyard barbecue season and Bite of the Best is all about bringing a little variety to your next group meal. Though there is no official rulebook to grilling, it does seem that many of us fall into the same routine when lighting up the ‘ole BBQ — chicken breasts, steaks, hamburgers, hotdogs, blah, blah, blah. Give me something new this year! Well, how about some fish?

Fish, you say? How am I supposed to cook fish on my BBQ? Cooking fish over an open flame is not always the easiest of tasks. Unlike red meat, fish is usually quite delicate, not doing well on loose grates or skewers, especially over intense flames. Many grill experts will only use fish if it’s still whole and tossed right on the fire; though a delicious endeavor, this method is accompanied by the substantial challenge of preparing and serving a whole fish. Ugh, too much work for me! Well, today we introduce you to an all-in-one pack that offers everything you need to mix with fish for your next grilling session.

Vital Choice’s Wild Salmon Sampler & Grill Fixins’— variety in a box! Vital Choice is a wild and organic seafood company that specializes in mail-order gourmet foods. This particular mail-order kit has your next backyard party in a box, including: two sockeye salmon portions, two king salmon portions, two silver salmon portions, (6 oz each); one organic salmon marinade (2 oz) and three alder grilling planks. This is an eight-to-10 person dinner party in the making, and when you consider that, it’s a pretty good deal. Salmon is a fish that is truly perfect for the grill, and Vital Choice now has brought one of the most popular methods of preparation directly to your home: the wood plank.

A little about plank cooking… This method allows you to cook delicate meats (and/or vegetables – yes it works for that too!) directly on a grill surface. The wood acts as a stable surface to protect the meat from the flames and grate while additionally imparting a distinct, woody, smoked flavor to foods. The combo is absolutely perfect with salmon.

There are two basic methods of wood-plank grilling (direct and indirect). Both methods require that you soak your planks beforehand, usually for about 2 to 3 hours in salted water. Do not try to cook with dry planks: They will catch fire! For a slower cooking process, set your grill to “indirect grilling” and heat to medium-high. Some grills will have a function that channels heat away from the center of the grill to the outside, but if your grill does not have this, it is best to use a top rack instead. Place the cedar or alder plank in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook until cooked through, around 20 to 30 minutes. Salmon’s internal temperature should read 135 degrees F when done. You can then transfer your salmon and plank directly to a platter and serve right off the plank.

The direct method of grilling salmon may also be used. Set up your grill for direct grilling on medium-high. When ready to cook, place the plank on the hot grate and leave it until there is a smell of smoke, generally about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the plank over and place the fish on top of the smoldering wood. Cover the grill and cook until the fish is cooked through (about 8 to 10 minutes), checking the plank occasionally. If the edges of your wood start to catch fire, use a bit of water from a spray bottle, or move the plank to a cooler part of the grill.

Now that you’ve got the basics down, get out there and play. Try Vital Choice for your next dinner party and see how fish turns your next BBQ into a true dinner party. Try a different rub or marinade on each of the types of salmon. Mix up some greens for a salad and skewer some veggies for the grill. It’s the time of year to have fun with friends and food!

Eric: Salmon is one of my favorite fish, but like many consumers, and even food aficionados, I never really took the opportunity to sample a variety of types. And for that matter, I never really took into consideration that there was a variety to taste (sockeye, king and silver).

As I’ve grown up, I’ve come to realize that a food “adventure” is just as important as any other – challenging your palette and sampling foods you had never thought of eating. And regardless of the price (albeit at $70+ the salmon is expensive), every once in a while, the adventure is well worth it.