Wild Alaskan Company Wild Salmon Box Review
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I am not sure there is anything better than wild, fresh fish. Unfortunately, high quality fish can be hard to come by. Especially if you live more than 2,000 miles from the nearest ocean. For a long time, that has been my reality. A few weeks ago, however, I had the opportunity to have the Wild Alaskan Company ship a box of salmon for me to try.
The Wild Alaskan Company was founded by Aaron Kallenberg. Aaron grew up on the deck of his father’s commercial fishing boat in Alaska. Spending so much time on the water meant Aaron ate a lot of fresh fish growing up. After moving to the lower 48, it quickly became clear how difficult it was to find truly fresh seafood. Issues such as fish farming, fraud, and sustainability continue to plague the seafood industry. In response, Aaron set out to provide customers with responsibly sourced seafood through the Wild Alaskan Company.
For me, this meant that in January, when quality fish is often hard to find, I was able to receive a box of wild salmon straight from Alaska. Over the past few weeks I have enjoyed some outstanding salmon meals. Even though I am as far from the ocean as possible.
About the Wild Salmon Box from the Wild Alaskan Company
Issues in the Seafood Industry
Today’s seafood industry is complicated, especially for consumers trying to make sustainable choices. Farmed fish, seafood fraud, and the industrial food system all make purchasing seafood more challenging than it should be.
Farmed salmon makes up the majority of the salmon consumed today. While not all fish farms operate the same way, farmed salmon has a history of ecological concerns. Escaped fish can disrupt local ecosystems. Crowded conditions can spread disease. Waste can be released into surrounding waters. Feeding farmed fish often raises sustainability questions. For consumers, it is often nearly impossible to know the full story behind the fish they are buying.
Another major issue tied to sustainability is seafood fraud. Unfortunately, fish are frequently mislabeled in the marketplace. Mislabeled seafood now makes up a significant portion of what reaches consumers. High quality fish can easily be replaced with lower quality or non sustainable alternatives, often without the buyer ever realizing it.
Beyond farming and fraud, the industrial food system further complicates seafood choices. Much of the seafood sold today comes from overseas. Even a quick look at labels in the grocery store reveal fish sourced from countries all over the world, with relatively little coming from the United States. Nations such as China, Ecuador, Chile, and the Philippines appear frequently. This long and complex supply chain raises serious concerns about sustainability and transparency.
Where Wild Alaskan Company Shines
Ordering fish from the Wild Alaskan Company helps avoid many of these issues. Their seafood can be traced back to the waters of Alaska where it was caught, and in many cases to the specific boat. The fish they provide is wild caught, meaning it feeds naturally in the ocean and develops the flavor and nutritional benefits that come with that diet. The fish is harvested fresh, frozen quickly, and shipped directly to the consumer’s door. By shortening the supply chain, the Wild Alaskan Company reduces the distance seafood travels and removes much of the industrial food system from the equation.
About My Experience with the Wild Alaskan Company Wild Salmon Box
I am about as picky as it gets when it comes to seafood and fresh fish has always been a big part of my life. With excitement, I jumped at the opportunity to try a Wild Salmon Box from the Wild Alakan Company. The box I ordered included a combination of sockeye and coho salmon, two of my personal favorites.
The order arrived quickly in a well designed box that featured the fishing grounds of Alaska. I appreciated the attention to detail, and it even sparked some great conversations with my kids about where our food comes from. Inside, the fish was well packaged and still topped with a large block of dry ice. Each six ounce portion was vacuum sealed securely, and after inspecting every piece, I found that all of the packaging was intact and the fish looked perfect. From there, the fillets went straight into the freezer and it was time to start looking up recipes.
Arrived In Perfect Condition
The Wild Alaskan Company website has an entire section dedicated to recipes. What stood out to me was how creative and well thought out they were, while still relying on fresh, real ingredients. The hardest part was deciding which recipe to try first.
Beautiful Fillets from Wild Alaskan Company
Wild Alaskan recommends slowly defrosting the fish in the refrigerator, and the timing worked perfectly by placing the salmon in the fridge the night before cooking. Unlike much of the fish found at the grocery store, the salmon had no fishy smell at all. It was hard to tell the difference between the smell of this salmon and fish that comes straight from the ocean.
The color of the salmon was excellent. Each fillet had a rich red or orange hue, with the sockeye showing the deepest red. Unlike the artificial orange often seen in farm raised salmon, these fillets had a natural, vibrant color. That color comes from astaxanthin, a protein found in wild salmon. This protein originates from algae and crustaceans in the cold waters of Alaska.
Coho and Sockeye
Cooking the Wild Alaskan Company Wild Salmon
Like most high quality fish, the Wild Alaskan salmon benefited from slight under cooking. This helps keep the natural fats in the meat and preserves the flavor. I chose to lightly sear the salmon with a bit of salt to develop a browned exterior, then finished it in the oven with a fresh dill and lemon cream sauce. The fish cooked perfectly, flaked easily, and was not overdone.
Quick Sear of the Salmon
The taste was outstanding. A common complaint about salmon is that it can taste fishy, but this fish had none of that. The freshness was especially noticeable in how distinct the two species tasted. The sockeye, with its darker flesh, had a bolder flavor, while the coho was slightly fattier and more juicy. Both were excellent on their own and paired well together.
Lemon Basil Sauce
With the remaining fillets, I am excited to try more of the recipes from the Wild Alaskan Company website. While I chose the Wild Salmon Box, I do not think you could go wrong with any of their other options.
Details and Options from Wild Alaskan Company
- Wild caught Alaskan seafood
• Flash frozen and individually vacuum sealed
• Shipped with dry ice in insulated packaging
• Free shipping on all orders - Box Sizes
• 12 pack or 24 pack portions - Delivery Options
• Monthly, every six weeks, or every two months
• Skip or cancel anytime - Box Choices
• Wild Salmon Box with sockeye and coho
• Wild White Fish Box with a rotating selection of cod, halibut, rockfish, pollock, and more
• Wild Combo Box with both salmon and white fish
• Custom box option available for full flexibility
Perfect Meal
Final Thoughts on the Wild Alaskan Company Wild Salmon Box
The Wild Alaskan Company Wild Salmon Box delivers exactly what it promises with high quality wild caught fish. From the traceability and sustainable practices to the careful packaging and excellent flavor, the entire experience feels well thought out from start to finish.
For those who live far from the coast or struggle to find trustworthy seafood at the grocery store, this service removes much of the guesswork. The salmon arrives fresh, clean tasting, and ready to be cooked in a wide range of recipes. Being able to clearly taste the differences between species like sockeye and coho speaks volumes about the quality of the fish.
While there are plenty of seafood subscription services available, Wild Alaskan Company stands out for its transparency, consistency, and commitment to wild fisheries. Whether you are an experienced home cook or simply looking for better seafood options, the Wild Salmon Box is an easy recommendation. For more info or to try out a box for yourself, visit wildalaskancompany.com.
