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Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee

How to Cook Kokanee

By Hank Shaw on August 20, 2018, Updated June 16, 2020 - 9 Comments

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Hank Shaw holding a kokanee.
Photo by Monte Smith

In the kitchen, kokanee sit somewhere between the salmon that they are and the trout they live among, so what follows is a guide on how to cook kokanee to get the best out of these pretty little fish.

Kokanee, which is an Okanagan word, are small, land-locked sockeye salmon. There is some debate as to whether they are their own species, or are in the midst of breaking away from their anadromous sockeye brethren.

One thing is certain, and that’s that kokanee occur naturally. It’s not just that some dude tossed a bunch of sockeye fry into some lake at some point. That said, kokes are stocked in a great many places beyond their native range, which is the Pacific Northwest down into California. And they’ve naturalized in the Great Lakes.

One other thing is also true: Anglers go bonkers for kokanee, to the point of obsession rivaling that of steelheaders or Northeastern striped bass anglers. Koke heads we call them.

I suspect I know why: First, they are, objectively, a beautiful fish. Chrome, clean lines, dainty mouths. Second, they are the inland angler’s best chance to experience the vivid orange flesh that salmon anglers swoon over. After all, kokanee are salmon, and, as you may well know, sockeye flesh is the reddest of them all.

kokanee fillets, arranged on a board
Photo by Hank Shaw

And that flesh is richer than most trout, a bit soft like salmon is, and hates being overcooked — although you cannot safely eat kokanee raw unless it has been frozen first for at least a week.

But how to cook kokanee?

Decisions start on the fillet table. Kokes need not be scaled, although if you’re persnickety you might want to, because handing kokanee makes it look like you’ve been covered in glitter. I kinda like that, so I leave the scales on.

Fresh kokanee, ready to be smoked or filleted
Photo by Hank Shaw

Second, do you fillet, just gut-and-gill, or butterfly your fish? It’s all a personal decision, but for me, I do the following:

  • If you’re going to grill or pan-fry your kokanee, just gill and gut. Remove the head if it’s bothering you, or if it will make the fish fit into your pan better.
  • If they’re large, as in longer than about 14 inches, you can get a decent fillet off them. They’re cute little orange slabs. Leave the skin on, as kokanee flesh is soft. Skinless fillets have a habit of falling apart. You can either eat the skin or leave it on the plate. Broil, pan sear, bake or poach them.
  • No matter what size they are, I prefer to butterfly my kokanee if I am going to smoke them. Why? It opens a large surface area up to smoke, allows me to add seasonings or to paint the meat with maple syrup or somesuch, and the kite shape you get from butterflying is easy to handle, comes on and off the smoker grates easier than a tiny fillet, and, well, looks cool.

Those are generally the best ways to cook kokanee. Here are some kokanee recipes to get you started.

Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee
Finished smoked trout recipe

Smoked Trout or Kokanee

This is my method for smoking whole kokanee, when I don’t feel like butterflying them.

Read More about Smoked Trout or Kokanee

Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee
smoked lake trout recipe

Smoked Butterflied Kokanee

Use this recipe, designed for larger lake trout, with butterflied kokanee. They’ll only need 2 hours, though.

Read More about Smoked Lake Trout

Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee
Grilled trout on a platter

Grilled Trout or Kokanee

My favorite summertime way to cook small, whole kokes. Serve with whatever’s in your garden at the time.

Read More about Grilled Trout or Kokanee

Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee
Broiled trout with Nordic flavors

Broiled Kokanee

Use this technique when you have kokanee fillets that are longer than your frying pan.

Read More about Broiled Trout

Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee
trout cakes recipe

Kokanee Cakes

A simple trout or kokanee cake recipe for either leftover fish or chopped fresh kokanee.

Read More about Trout Cakes

Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee
Salmon dip on a cracker topped with caviar.

Kokanee Dip

I originally designed this recipe for king salmon, but it works great with kokanee.

Read More about Salmon Dip

Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee
A plate of pan fried trout with peas

Pan Fried Trout with Peas

This is a wonderful springtime dish, great with a butterflied kokanee or fillets.

Read More about Pan Fried Trout with Peas

Home » Fish » Salmon and Trout » How to Cook Kokanee
trout with morels on a platter, ready to eat

Kokanee with Morels

Mostly I do this with trout in the Sierra, but no reason not to use a kokanee!

Read More about Trout with Morels

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Filed Under: Featured, Fish, Recipe, Salmon and Trout

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for Minnie HallmanMinnie Hallman says

    April 30, 2019 at 5:27 pm

    Kokanee is better smoked over mesquite.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      April 30, 2019 at 5:46 pm

      Minne: To each his own. I don’t much like salmon or trout smoked over mesquite, but if you do, go for it.

      Reply
  2. Avatar for TroyTroy says

    September 30, 2018 at 7:40 pm

    Awesome to see some Kokanee recipes. They are a winter staple in our house. A Hmong friend of mine, simply salts them and pan fries them whole in oil. Amazingly delicious!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for GeoGeo says

    August 22, 2018 at 8:34 pm

    “I kinda like that, so I leave the scales on.”

    LMAO…

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Cadie McCarthyCadie McCarthy says

    August 20, 2018 at 10:46 am

    My mouth is watering!!

    Reply
  5. Avatar for GeoGeo says

    August 20, 2018 at 8:12 am

    “I kinda like that, so I leave the scales on.”

    ??

    Reply
  6. Avatar for CarlCarl says

    August 20, 2018 at 7:43 am

    About August they start turning to spawn. How red is too red when the males start turning and still be good table fare?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      August 24, 2018 at 9:47 am

      Carl: I like them chrome, but a little color is fine. If they get actually red, you’re too late. Maybe mount one for the wall and then catch and release after that.

      Reply
  7. Avatar for Ted FitzgeraldTed Fitzgerald says

    August 20, 2018 at 6:24 am

    Thanks for the tips about Kokanee. Had no idea.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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