Doyles Aussie salmon

“Most Aussies turn their nose up at the thought of tucking into an Australian salmon when there is a plethora of other table fish to choose from. Any of those people that tried this dish today would have to eat their words” says Ryan Doyle.

On The Sauce is a series that hones in on the best practices to ensure a superior harvest. To respect any fish taken from the water for a feed. For a long time, I was under the influence that the best time to catch a fish was immediately after catching one. Often leading to neglecting the fish that I had just landed and planned on taking home. If your goal is to fish for food, then it is okay to take 5 minutes out of the prime bite time to do the job the right way. Ryan was able to dispatch his fish in under a minute with experience, you can too. 

This is a special episode because we look at changing Australian fisho’s cultural ideas around Australian salmon. One of the lowest-eating grade fish out of the ocean but also one of the most abundant and fun to catch. Imagine if we started eating Aussie salmon? The pressure on other species would be reduced. In places like Sydney Harbour a fresh caught feed would be a more accessible and realistic option because of how hard the fishing can be. 

So do yourself a favour, challenge yourself to try something new. Even if it isn’t with a salmon. This episode takes us on a journey to discover the best way to handle a fish from start to finish to ensure that the final product is of the highest calibre possible. Following these steps with any fish will result in a more satisfying meal. 

On The Sauce has introduced me to a variety of chefs who keep harping on about the need to look after our catch. Doyles is the perfect place to examine the entire process. The restaurant sits in an iconic position at Watson’s Bay, Sydney Harbour. Established in 1885 Doyles has been the longest- running seafood restaurant in Australia. They also have their own filleting station at the seafood markets. They go straight to the source of commercial boats to bring the best quality fish to the restaurant. Ryan Doyle is part of the youngest, 6th generation to manage the business. He spends his time filleting at the market, mixing cocktails in the new garden bar and stealing chips off the pass at the takeaway. The family bloodlines are built on a love for fishing “The Bay”, passing on the necessary secrets to ensure that the family values see the longevity of time. 

THE FISHING 

Chasing surface fish in Sydney Harbour is always  a fun proposition. Tailor, salmon, bonito and kingfish are some of the species that can often be found boiling up bait. The best way to find them is to spot the flocking seagulls. Unlike finding birds out at sea, the birds that are feeding in the harbour rarely need to dive from great heights to penetrate the water deep enough to reach the bait. The schools of fish move quite quickly so the seagulls stay low in the relatively shallow waters. Being able to distinguish between travelling and feeding birds is a skill set, but you don’t need to be an ornithologist to get the job done. 

Sydney Harbour surface fish are sporadic and easily spooked. Heavy boat traffic particularly from the ferries means that the window between spotting the birds and making an accurate cast can be limited. It is crucial to not drive up too heavily on the school. They will disperse immediately. An electric motor can be incorporated to creep up on the fish. Cutting the engine upwind of the fish will allow for a longer cast with minimal noise. Also finding schools outside of the major boat channels can accommodate more time to set your approach with caution. 

Using heavily weighted lures makes a big difference. We used BassDay Bungy Casts and Crystal Pencils in 120mm which are both bullet-like lures that operate best on a fast retrieve. The speed of the retrieve excites the Salmon and they end up fighting over it resulting in spectacular hookups. 

We found small schools around the islands east of the Harbour Bridge Fort Denison, Clark Island and Shark Island. The salmon were schooling up on the pressure edge of the current facing into the running-out tide. Scanning the horizon for the low-flying seagulls to chase had our GPS track looking like a game of naughts and crosses. The salmon put up a great fight and gave plenty of opportunities to find the right fish to take home. 

The steps below are how Ryan looks after a fish that he plans to bring home. His process has come through rigorous research, liaising with chefs and trial and error. If you aren’t doing some or all of the following give them a go. Even comparing fillets of a fish that have different levels of intervention can be an interesting experiment to see if you can pinpoint the differences in texture, flavour and how long the fish stays fresh. 

STEP 1: LANDING THE FISH 

Commercial fishing folk tend to not worry about prolonging the length of the fight. The longer the fish is on the line, the greater build-up of lactic acid which can eventually lead to inferior meat. Recreationally, lighter lines can often get the bite. Food for thought. 

Where possible land your fish with a net. This allows a greater control of the fish. A green fish can flap about on the deck causing bruising. When the fish is brought into the boat something soft for it to lay on with adds another layer of protection. A rolled-up towel, cushion or foam mat does the trick. Unwanted blood taints the flesh with any bruising. Blood increases the likelihood of bacteria spreading through the meat such as ammonia which makes for a funky fishy smell. 

STEP 2: IKE JIME 

As soon as a fish leaves the water it cannot breathe, which causes stress and the build-up of adrenaline. Just picture yourself having your head unknowingly dunked underwater. Time is of the essence. A wet towel over the fish can sometimes calm the fish down making it easier to get to work. 

Ike Jime is an ancient Japanese protocol that is the fastest way to dispatch a fish. We often refer to it as ‘spiking’. Each fish has its own sweet spot that hits the brain euthanising instantly. Practice makes perfect. A rule of thumb is to follow the lateral line of the fish and where it intersects the trajectory of the line inside the gill plate is usually close to the money shot. A fish that has been successfully brain spiked will usually have its mouth open or flared dorsal fin. It will stop any further lactic acid from being produced and the core temperature rising. 

STEP 3: BLEEDING 

Removing as much blood from the fish as possible is essential. Effectively bleeding the animal will delay the onset of decomposition and rotting. Slice both sides of the gills in the membrane that connects the head to the body and make a small incision in the knuckle of the tail cutting the lower artery. The heart will still be beating which will assist in moving the high-pressured arterial blood out through the cuts made, often squirting. 

STEP 3: SHINKEI JIME 

This is a step that is not as common practice but makes a big difference. A long flexible wire is fed up the Ike Jime spike or through the tail incision, there is a hole next to the spine. The wire runs down the hole along the spinal cord severing the central nervous system. This will ensure that the fish will not be able to have involuntary spasms that could lead to additional bruising. Ikejime and Shinkejime sets are available and are worth their weight in gold. 

STEP 4: ICE SLURRY 

An ice slurry is by far the best way to lower the core temperature of the fish to prevent it from cooking itself from the inside out. At this stage, a fish needs to be fully submerged. Too often anglers just leave bags of ice unopened and lay their fish on top, this is not an efficient method. The conduction of the saltwater in the slurry for ocean fish will allow the ice to work its magic much quicker. Be very generous with the amount of ice. Being prepared with an ice machine or freezer blocks can be a more environmentally conscious approach. 

STEP 5: DRY HANDLING/DRY AGE: 

Not everyone can afford a dry ager. If you do have access then this is a great option. The fish hangs and drains itself of any extra moisture in a regulated environment. Fish can remain fresh for over 2 weeks with improved flavour as the meat sets and contaminants are removed. For those who don’t have a dry ager and plan on refrigerating your fish. Ryan suggests raising the fish on a roasting rack before placing it on a tray in the fridge. This will prevent the flesh from being tainted. If you have ever left a fish in the fridge for a few days lying on a plate you will notice that it ends up sitting in a pool of water and blood that has slowly drained from the fish. Not exactly a hygienic environment. 

Doyles head chef Adam Bryce takes this another step further. Once a fish is out of the slurry he does his best to avoid any water touching the meat. He will not even touch the fish with wet hands. Moisture that makes contact with the flesh will 

absorb into the cells via osmosis. Breaking down the cell wall eventually creates a mushy texture and fishy smell with the build-up of ammonia. Frozen fish will always have added moisture. Cryovacing your catch before freezing will somewhat minimise harm, fresh is always best. 

STEP 6: REMOVAL OF SCALES

I had the pleasure of watching Adam remove the scales with a knife. Not by ripping them out like we are used to. He cut them off. He was able to position the knife between the scales and the skin and slice them off. He left the skin intact. Using a scaler is efficient and also okay if you do not plan on storing the fish for a period of time. Scaling opens up the rockets that the scales sit in which can also hold unwanted moisture. His knife work was impressive, to say the least. 

THE COOK UP 

Head chef Adam Bryce of Doyles Seafood is also a Kiwi. When we told him that we were bringing in an Australian Salmon he laughed. “Have you ever seen a salmon before, looks nothing like one of these. No wonder no one wants to eat them. We call them kahawai and they are a popular table fish back home. Usually getting smoked.” 

Kahawai is the traditional Maori name for what we call Australian salmon, which means something along the lines of a strong fighting river. Maybe Australians can come up with something a little more reflective of the Arripis Trutta. 

Adam was still eager to show off his knife skills. He reverse-butterflied the salmon. This entails removing the spine from the underbelly of the fish. Making a cut along each side of the spine. The top of the fish remains unbroken and becomes beautiful to present as a dish. He removed the rib cage with tweezers. Trying to cut them out can take away too much of the high fat content meat in between the bones.
He stuffed the inside of the fillets with his homemade Chimmichurri sauce, fennel and lemon. He then sent Ryan out the back to strip off some paper bark from a tree. The bark was soaked in water so that it wouldn’t burn too quickly and freely smoke. He chucked it on the grill for 15 minutes, I’d be using a barbie at home. 

The fish came out delectable. A flavour that I wouldn’t have thought possible for a species that I had beef with for so long. It was lightly smokey and had the freshness of the stuffing. He didn’t overcook the salmon which he said is key, they can dry out easily and this is partly the reason for their poor regard. 

The extra care taken in the handling process from ocean to kitchen assured that this meal was as good as it possibly could have been. Now it is time for us anglers to give it a go ourselves, or are we all going to stay stubborn?