Arctic Char

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
Artic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) is in the salmon family - although some science indicates it is closer to a trout. similar situation as

the steelhead....

appearance is quite the same - the skin is slightly different. taste & aroma are near indistinguishable from the other salmons - however

the flesh is noticeable more tender. if salmon is even slightly overcooked the flesh gets firm...even the thin sections of these filets

stay very moist and tender. note this is a fall wild catch - which does have more fat&moisture than either farmed or wild harvested at

other times of the year.

I got the whole fish - fresh, never frozen. the fishmonger fileted it for me. whole it was about 3 pounds; filets came in at 1.75 pounds

(total) - I froze one filet as that's too much for us to finish in one meal.

wild caught have this silvery skin (fall only) and the farmed tend to be reddish.
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popped in a hot pan to crisp the skin
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on a rack for a 10 minute bake at 350'F
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plated:
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note how the meat does not flake apart quite the same degree other salmon types.
really delicious fish!
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QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Wow, lovely fish!

So, you pan-seared the skin side, then put it under the broiler to cook the top?

Lee
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
yup. that's my sop for trout, salmons, bronzini (which I do whole) basically anything I can get with the skin on...

I've found that method more reliable in getting the fish done "just right"
doing it from one side only - especially on a sheet (vs rack) - often the upper parts are overdone before the bottom is right.

and . . . I pat the skin dry (easier than patting the meat dry....) and wipe on some oil immediately as the fish goes into the pan. the lack of 'wet' lets the fish release cleanly from even a stainless pan without shredding the skin/meat etc.
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
I should post the picture of me with the dolly varden I caught in Canada 10 years ago (yikes time flies!) We caught a huge amount of them and never killed one to eat. Of course now I wish I did. They are in the same family as char and brookies.
I've eaten a lot of dollies in AK and North Island and like them a lot.
 
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Johnny West

Well-known member
We'd of needed a bigger boat if we kept any.
I was sorry we didn't keep a smaller one for
a fry up.

The chums are running on the North Island and
my bud has been fly fishing but losing all he's hooked.
Today it was storming so he stayed in.
 
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