Fresh-pressed apple cider, wild sockeye salmon, maple, mustard, and a little heat. This is fall dinner at its best.
Every fall, the Kurian family gathers to press apples into cider. It’s an old Pennsylvania tradition that has become part of our family’s rhythm: apples, a hand-cranked press, plenty of helping hands, and enough cider to carry us through the season.
And when you have that much good cider around, you find ways to cook with it.
This apple cider–glazed sockeye salmon is one of them.
The glaze hits all the right notes: sweet apple cider and maple, tangy Dijon, a little apple cider vinegar, and just enough chili to keep things interesting. It caramelizes around the salmon while the fish roasts, giving you a glossy, flavorful finish without covering up what we actually came here for: wild sockeye salmon.
It’s an easy weeknight dinner, but it feels special enough for a Saturday night around the table.
The best part? You can have it on the table in about 20 minutes.
Why We Like This Recipe
Sockeye doesn't need much.
It's naturally rich, flavorful, and firm, so we're not trying to bury it under a complicated sauce. The cider brings sweetness and acidity, the mustard gives the glaze some backbone, and a little chili brings the heat.
If you're using fresh-pressed Pennsylvania cider, even better.
If not, your favorite good-quality apple cider from the store works just fine.
Making Apple Cider
Like many regions around the country, making apple cider in Pennsylvania is a fall tradition akin to pumpkin patches and corn mazes. The Kurian family is no exception.
The Kurians are heading into their ninth year making their own apple cider. The tradition started with a neighbor and family friend who had purchased Steve's grandparents' former orchard. Back when Jenn was a teacher, the neighbor (Phil) would bring the apples from the orchard and press into the classroom and give a demonstration to the kids.
The excitement and joy the kids experienced was something Jenn wanted to bring to her friends and family. So, the Kurians began hosting a day each fall where they would gather apples from various local sources and press apples together with their community.
The apples are harvested and stored in the root cellar that Steve built adjacent to his house until the day of the event. They hand-press the apples using a crank press (similar to a grinder).
"I love that it's an old tradition that we can have the kids be a part of each year", Steve says.
"The kids look forward to it every year. It's one of the many things that signifies that it's fall!"Jenn adds.
Even in years like 2022 when the local apple production was less than ideal, the Kurian's sourced apples from Pennsylvania's Bedford County Orchards to ensure the event still happened!
The finished product is frozen to be enjoyed all year long. Jenn will often utilize some of the cider in an apple cider cake recipe!
[[ recipeID=recipe-9l8uftqeh, title=Apple Cider Glazed Sockeye Salmon ]]
