Due to a small amount of peer pressure , last night I saved the collars and bellies from two Coho.

How should I prepare them for consumption? What various ways do you prepare them?

Smoked bellies are hard to beat,

Bellies grilled for less than 5 minutes are GREAT.

Both the bellies and the collars are very fatty. I sometimes remove them and smoke them. When I can salmon I add a piece of bellie to each pint of fish. If the fish has nice thick bellies I often leave them on the fillet. They are very tasty.

Since you only have the 2, JG has the right idea.

What would you do if you had more?

Are there any special recipies suited just for collars and bellies? ..or just the same smoking and cooking methods you would use on salmon steaks or fillets?

edit, thanks Stam, I'll have to jot that down.

I'd smoke em up.

Smoked bellies and collars have been a treat for ever.Smoke the same way ya do your other salmon.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

They are terrible, give them to me. I smoke them.

I have been giving away coho fillets lately and keeping the bellies. In the meat drawer right now is 2 bellies waiting for consumption.

Here is how I roll:

1-Cut off belly.

2-Get grill hot, like you would for steaks

3-Olive oil belly.

4-Place belly meat side down on the grill.

After 3 minutes or so the skin will curl and just the edges of the belly will be on the grill. You really will have a hard time over-cooking a belly, but you should pay attention anyway.

Take off grill and plate it up. Then remove the meat from the belly. There is a layer of some kind of film on the inside, and of course the skin on the outside.

I eat mine with a really simple homemade tartar: Mayo, pickles (chopped), red pepper flakes, pickle juice.

F*ckin' money!

Oh yeah, you should have already started: onions, carrots, celery, apples, corn, zucchini, squash and whatever else you have on the grill so you can eat it all at once.

Bellies are my favorite part of a fillet.

Another way, if your in a hurry, is to de-skin and simply pan fry in your favorite seasoning. Simple butter, lemon, salt and pepper. I even cook em' this way sometimes when I'm NOT in a hurry just because it's so damn good. As always, the key is to not overcook......makes all the difference.

I'm amazed. Why cut them off at all? My smoked fillets have the belly, complete with fin attached. Everybody fights over the belly/rib portions.

When I hand someone a slab of smoked salmon (especially springer) I always hold the belly portion offering them the thick piece with the pin bones in it. Selfish? Yes, but most people dont know that the bellies got the sweeeeeeeeet meeeeaaat and happily go for the thicker meateier portion closest to the back. Many sushi bars broil hamatchi (yellowtail) collars and salmon collars and serve them with ponzu sauce grated daikon and a sqeeze of lemon. Yummmmy!

Steamed collars Chinese style in black bean sauce.

Place collars in pie plate, apply salt, pepper, MSG.

Stain sparingly with Lee Kum Kee black bean/garlic paste.

Sprinkle with slivered ginger and garlic.

Top with thinly sliced sweet onions.

Place in steamer and cook 10 minutes per inch thickness (thickest part)

Garnish with chopped green onion and cilantro.

Serve with steamed white rice in your fanciest Ornamental Rice Bowl, drizzling a bit of the broth/gravy over the rice.

Prepare to be WOWED!

i've had hamachi and it was delicious!

anyone who wastes salmon bellies is a straight up lazy fool, no reason not cook the best part of the salmon...the collars are great smoked too, it's just a waste to throw tasty salmon meat away

I've eaten Doc's prepared salmon bellies before...and if you had, too, Ryley...well, suffice it say that you wouldn't have cut them off my fish when you were filleting them and tossed them in the carcass bucket.

Methinks Doc rescued them from the carcass bucket and he'll be eating on 'em for a bit

Fish on...

Todd

P.S. Cooked up fresh coho for a few folks last night...and sent each of them home with a vacuum packed fillet...scored a few points on both calls.

you must only catch humpies

or not know how to cook

LOL

Can you prove salmon fat is bad for you?

Why do you think a rib steak is better than a sirloin? Fattier meat, right?

Much like your steak, the fat itself is removed, and the meat remaining is better for it.

I just had 2 coho bellies tonight, following the simple recipe I gave with zuchs, onion, and squash beside it. Tasted pretty healthy to me.