You can make this salmon salad with flaked meat from any part of the salmon, including leftovers. You can also make it from any species of salmon or trout; this is an especially good recipe for lesser fish such as chum salmon. I use king salmon, however, because that's what we catch in California. Once you make this recipe, it will keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. To get 1 pound of picked salmon meat, you will need the bones from 1 big king salmon of about 15 to 20 pounds, or an equivalent in smaller salmon. You can also bulk it up by adding the bellies and the collars to the mix, which is what I did with this little jack chinook in the pictures.
If you are not using leftover salmon, start by grilling the bits you intend to use. Get your grill hot and make sure the grates are clean. Coat the bones and bellies in a little vegetable oil and salt them well. Once the grill is hot, grill the salmon for about 5 to 10 minutes per side. You want a little charring going on. Set the salmon on a baking sheet to cool.
Once the meat is cool enough to handle, strip all the meat off the bones. One tip to remember when doing this is that the bones all point in the same direction, so you can often get big boneless pieces off in one swipe. Set the meat into a large bowl. When you are done, pick through it and check for any stray bones or globs of fat.
Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Adjust salt and hot sauce to taste and serve either at room temperature or chilled.