Salmon nourish our bodies and our souls, connecting us to the land and the ocean and our community. Sometimes it seems as though we are made of salmon – for it is the food that is most often shared around our table, the fish we spend our summer season following, the resources that defines our state’s wild abundance, and the seasonal tradition that we celebrate in Alaska.

We’ve spent every summer since we were born in Alaska, following the lifecycle of salmon. As kids, we spent our days catching wild salmon in our mom’s beach set net, hauling them up them up to the fish cleaning table in the tall beach grass, and filleting, stripping and brining them for our family’s smokehouse. Our salmon hung to dry in the Aleutian wind, slowly seasoned with cottonwood smoke from driftwood logs washed up in front of our homestead and salt from the sea. Our smoked salmon was our family’s gold – what we brought to friends when we took our skiff to town, what we sent in the mail to relatives in the Lower 48, what we served when special guests sat around our dinner table, and what our parents sent us in care packages when we were away at college. Giving salmon has always been our family’s most sincere form of love – a gift precious with wild nutrients, to make our minds, bodies, and community vibrant and strong; A gift that has taken a recipe of weather, tides, time and energy to harvest, prepare and share.  

We have carried our family’s tradition of giving fish into our business and we’re proud that at Salmon Sisters we are able to give back to our community in the most sincere way we know how: to share delicious, healthy wild Alaska salmon with the people who need it most. Our Give Fish Project gives one can of salmon to the Food Bank of Alaska for every product that is purchased through our webshop and in our stores. The salmon we share is caught by our community of hardworking fishermen, who have dedicated their lives to braving the seas to catch fish that feed the world nutrient-rich, sustainably-caught protein. This summer we are celebrating the 100,000th can of salmon that we have shared with villages, towns and cities around Alaska. 

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It is Wild Salmon Day in Alaska today, as decreed by our state Governor Bill Walker: “Nearly all Alaskans are impacted by salmon in some way – whether through subsistence, recreational, or commercial fishing, or just sheer appreciation for Alaska’s abundant wildlife – Wild Alaska Salmon Day is intended to celebrate these uniquely Alaskan ways of life, and share our appreciation for wild Alaskan salmon with the rest of the world.” 

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Find events and get involved in your community on the Alaska Salmon Day webpage and celebrate salmon in your own way!

We would like to share our appreciation for wild Alaska salmon today by giving our community a recipe for your own delicious Salmon Jerky, a protein packed snack by our friend Maya at Alaska from Scratch. 

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1 1/4 pound side of salmon, skin and pin bones removed
1/2c soy sauce
1T molasses
1T freshly squeezed lemon juice
2t freshly ground black pepper
1t liquid smoke
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Place salmon filets in freezer for 30 minutes (this makes them easier to slice).
Meanwhile, mix soy, molasses, lemon, pepper, and liquid smoke together in a small bowl. Set aside. Remove salmon from the freezer and slice the salmon in 1/4 inch thick slices length-wise. Then, slice the lengths in 3-4 inch long pieces, depending on the size of your filet. Place the salmon in a one-gallon zipper bag and pour marinade over salmon. Seal bag and refrigerate 3-4 hours.
Strain salmon well in colander. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Lay salmon slices on dehydrator trays in rows, making sure pieces are not touching.
Place trays in dehydrator at 145 degrees for 3-4 hours (time will vary depending on your dehydrator; see manufacturers instructions). Salmon jerky is done when salmon is dry and chewy, but not crunchy.

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For more salmon recipes, see Alaska From Scratch Salmon Recipe Roundup