Copper River Wild Salmon for $8.99 a Pound! (Really!)

If you’re a fan of wild Copper River salmon–but not a fan of $30-plus per-pound prices–head to Costco.

The lead buyer for Costco’s fresh fish program told me we should start seeing fresh Copper River salmon in Dallas area Costco stores by Saturday, May 22 or early the following week, though quantities may be limited at first.

“But you’ll definitely be able to buy it around Memorial Day weekend,” said Bill Mardon, a seafood buyer for Costco in Kirkland, Washington.

Mardon says that prices may start out high, but any Costco shopper knows nothing at Costco is ever really high.

While other stores price Copper River sockeye salmon around $30 a pound, Mardon says Costco will probably sell the same fish for much less.

(Though exact pricing hasn’t been determined, Mardon thinks a price of $14.99 a pound at Costco would be “outrageous.”)

At Costco stores around Dallas, look for Copper River king salmon (the best) and sockeyes (nearly as good) to be priced around $13 a pound “for the first couple of weeks,” then level off around $8.99 a pound for the rest of the wild salmon season, which ends in September. (Copper River salmon, while excellent, isn’t the only wild Alaskan salmon; it’s fame comes from a vigorous marketing campaign and because it is the first big run of the season.)

By June 7, Mardon says local Costco stores should have wild salmon in stock every day–Copper River as well as other wild Alaskan salmon as the supply of Copper River runs low.

Want to buy a 25-pound case of Copper River salmon? “Ask the store manager to shoot me an email when you’re there. I’ll usually drop the price for a full case.”

What’s Bill Mardon’s favorite way to cook  wild salmon?

He marinates the salmon overnight in equal parts olive oil, brown sugar, and soy sauce, then gills it.

Or bakes it.

Or broils it.

Or cook it on a cedar plank.

“Any way you cook it, It’s dynamite.”