Its Not What Your Think!
You have it all wrong!
It has become evident to us that we definitely need to clear some things up, here at Kodiak Island Smokehouse. Have you ever asked yourself, what's the difference between wild caught and farm raised, genetically modified salmon? Or, do you wonder if will you be receiving raw lox when you order our authentic smoked salmon? I mean, what can you expect from us? We are going to dive into the nitty-gritty misnomers, taboos and, out write, WRONG impressions that people have about Kodiak Island Smokehouse's smoked fish and set the record straight.
We are not all created equal.
Despite what you may have previously learned, you need to know that not every smoked fish is the same, and not every smoked fish company does it the way we do.
If you have never tried our smoked fish then there are some things you need to know.
#1 Our smoked fish is ALWAYS wild caught
"What does "wild caught" mean and why is it important?"
I am glad you asked!
Wild-caught means the fish were caught in the wild. Ours, specifically, comes from the beautiful pristine waters of Alaska. These fish enjoy longer, happier lives than farm-raised fish and they also have a more diverse diet, allowing the fish to be believed as healthier and higher in nutrients.
We choose to not use farm raised fish due to many different factors that raise our suspicions.
This Article by Wellness mama explains things so eloquently-
"This density of fish creates problems like disease and pollution. The biggest source of pollution is the accumulation of fish waste and uneaten food beneath the sea pens which can degrade the quality of the surrounding water.
Like commercial farming operations on land, the density of fish in these pens necessitates certain chemicals to keep animals from getting sick and to keep things clean. The chemicals used in marine aquaculture operations such as medicines like antibiotics and vaccines, disinfectants, and substances used to prevent corrosion of equipment (cages, etc.) can also change the composition of the surrounding aquatic ecosystem.
The amount of pollution from fish farms also depends on how the fish are contained. Open-net, or pen systems, allow for a direct exchange of water, where as “closed contentment” methods have a barrier which filters the water.Because farmed fish are raised on unnatural diets and in small enclosures they often breed disease, which can pass to wild populations. This is becoming an increasingly big problem, as are the solutions often used for these diseases.
Some aquaculture productions rely on prophylactic antibiotics to prevent infections. The use of antibiotics can cause drug resistant bacteria to develop which can spread to wild populations."
Not only do farm-raised fish raise these types of concerns, we are also aware of the fact that most farmed raised salmon are now genetically modified. EEEEEEP! What does that mean!?
According to GMOAnsweres.com, "This fast-growing salmon is a genetically engineered salmon that grows to market size in half the time as conventional Atlantic salmon. This salmon grows to market weight in about 16 to 18 months vs. 32 to 36 months for conventional salmon.
This salmon contains a growth hormone gene from the fast-growing Pacific Chinook salmon and a promoter sequence (a fragment of DNA) from the ocean pout. Combined, the gene and promoter sequence, which acts like an "on" switch, enable the salmon to grow year-round instead of seasonally like wild or farmed salmon."
Apparently, the salmon was genetically modified to grow faster in order to keep up with industry demands. Unfortunately, this salmon does not have to be labeled and if you choose to not purchase wild caught, you might be making the choice to consume genetically modified fish. This leads me to my next point.
#2 We are all natural, gluten free, paleo and COMPLETELY NonGMO
Because we have adopted the vision of staying completely NonGMO, even down to the garlic we use, we will always use wild caught fish. We have gone through redundancies to ensure that our customers are getting the highest quality premium fish that the industry has to offer. At the smokehouse we smoke fish using our "secret" non-GMO, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly recipe, smoking with a blend of hardwoods and apple wood chips for the very best flavor. We use a time-tested brine that is all natural, with no nitrates, no artificial flavoring, or color and then slow smoke your fish to perfection.
This means that people with allergies and food sensitivities are safe consuming our product.
#3 Retort Packaging Vs Vacuum sealed
"What is retort packaging and why doesn't Kodiak Island Smokehouse use it like most fish smoking companies?"
Again, I am so glad you asked!
A retort pouch or retortable pouch is a type of food packaging made from a laminate of flexible plastic and metal foils. It allows the sterile packaging of a wide variety of food and drink handled by aseptic processing, and is used as an alternative to traditional industrial canning methods.
Here at the smokehouse, we choose to opt out of this method of packaging due to the practice changing the taste and integrity of our product. Instead, we choose to vacuum seal our product which allows us to retain the amazing textures and flavors that you will experience when trying our product.
#4 Our Smoked Salmon Vs other Smoked Salmon & Lox
When people think of smoked salmon, naturally they think of bagels and lox but, lox is nothing like what Kodiak Island Smokehouse has to offer. The difference between our product and lox is pretty evident once you actually see and taste the product itself. As you can see in the picture of our smoked salmon above, we don't even look the same.
Lox is, essentially just cured fish. Lox came about in the pre-refrigeration days as a way to preserve fish during transport. Originally, it was made from the fatty belly of salmon and salt-cured for about three months. The salmon is salt-cured or brined but never cooked or smoked, so it has a very silky, rich texture and has a translucency about it. There is also such a thing as Nova Lox. This lox, which comes from Nova Scotia, is actually cold-smoked after the curing or brining process.
The next step is where smoked salmon is different from lox. The salmon can be covered in spices or a dry rub after curing, then smoked in one of two ways:
Cold-Smoked Salmon: The salmon is slowly exposed to smoke in about an 80°F environment for a few days. The salmon doesn't get cooked, so the flesh of cold-smoked salmon stays very moist and silky and has a translucent pink color. Cold-smoked salmon has a similar texture to lox, but has an additional layer of smoky flavor.
Hot-Smoked Salmon: The salmon is smoked with heat in the same way meat gets smoked. The fish gets cooked all the way through and ends up with a firm, flaky, and drier texture, but it also has a distinct smoky flavor. It looks very similar to a piece of cooked or grilled salmon.
Here at Kodiak Island Smokehouse
we smoke fish using our "secret" non-GMO, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly, all natural brine, hot smoking our salmon with a blend of hardwoods and apple wood chips, giving our smoked salmon its distinct, robust flavor.
The texture of our smoked salmon tends to be buttery and somewhat flaky. Filled with omega 3 fatty acids, our mouthwatering wild caught fish is nothing like anything you have ever experienced before.
All good now?
Now, after all, that has been said, we really hope that we have cleared up some of the misnomers and misrepresentations of the industry. Our product is truly a work of love and is completely set apart from the rest. Don't believe us? Try it for yourself. You can order your premium cod, halibut or salmon by clicking here. You wont be disappointed.
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