Salmon collar
Salmo salar · Fish
Top 10 pairings
The salmon collar — Japanese kama, and sake kama for salmon — is the skin-on wedge of rich, oily meat behind the gills, wrapping the base of the pectoral fin and the collarbone. Two come from each fish. It is among the fattiest cuts on an already oily fish, and salt-grilling or broiling renders that fat and melts its collagen so the flesh turns silky and gelatinous, pulling away from the bone in juicy, glistening flakes eaten hot off the grill.
Picking a good onedrag
Just in: glossy, springy, clean and mildOff: dull, mushy, sour or ammonia smell
Counter freshEveryday bestCook to 63 C/145 F. Pregnant, older, kids or low immunity? Cook even smoked (Listeria).
The cut fleshMoist, less glossy, edges clean
The pressSprings back, just a beat slower
Eyes and gills, whole fishEyes clear, flattening; gills red
Smell at the fleshMild, neutral, fresh note fading
These cues are Salmon's, and hold across its cuts; where this one differs, its own page says so.