Salmon · Breed
Ora King Salmon
King salmon, farmed in New Zealand, and the fattiest fillet we sell.
Ora King is a brand of king salmon (Chinook) raised in sea pens in New Zealand's Marlborough Sounds. It carries more fat than any other salmon we sell, which makes it silky raw and forgiving in a pan, and it costs the most. Wild king is the same species, caught in Alaska from late spring into summer.
In one line
The same species as wild king, farmed for fat and sold year-round.
Buy it if
You will serve it raw or plain, where the fat is the point.
Same fish as wild king, raised differently. The fish hatch in spring-fed hatcheries in New Zealand and move to sea pens in the Marlborough Sounds. Fat runs through the flesh in white lines, which is where the "wagyu of seafood" line comes from. Wild king is the same species; the Copper River king we sell runs for a few weeks each summer, and its fat varies with the run.
Where the price comes from. King is slower and harder to farm than Atlantic, and few places farm it at all. You pay for that scarcity as well as the fat.
How to cook it. For raw, keep it cold and slice it thin against the lines of fat. To pan-sear, pat the skin dry, start it skin-side down in a hot pan, cook it there most of the way, and pull it at 125°F in the center, or lower if you like it rare. The fat gives you more slack than sockeye or coho, but every degree past done costs you some of what you paid for.
Myths
What people get wrong
Ora King is its own species of salmon.
Ora King is a brand. The fish is king salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, the same species as wild Chinook.
Fish this fatty should be cooked to 145°F to be safe.
145°F is the USDA's safe minimum for fish. Many chefs pull Ora King at 125°F or serve it raw, because by 145°F it is firm and drier.
Compare
Ora King Salmon vs Wild King Salmon
Same species. Ora King is farmed and the same year-round; Copper River king runs for a few weeks each summer and changes with the run.
| Ora King Salmon | Wild King Salmon | |
|---|---|---|
| Species | King (Chinook) | King (Chinook) |
| Raised | Sea pens in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand | Wild, Copper River, Alaska |
| Fat | The most of any salmon we sell | High, and varies by run |
| Season | Year-round | Late spring into summer |
| Best for | Raw, pan-sear, roast | Grill, roast |
| Price | Highest | High, and only in season |
How Crowd Cow sources it
Ours comes from New Zealand's Marlborough Sounds, processed by hand and frozen before it ships.
Questions
Common questions
Can I eat Ora King raw?
Yes. It is a favorite of sushi chefs. Keep it frozen until the day before, thaw it in the fridge and serve it cold.
How is Ora King different from Atlantic salmon?
Both are farmed, but they are different species. Ora King is king salmon and carries more fat; Atlantic is milder and costs about 60% less per pound.
