Smoked salmon
Encyclopedia
Smoked salmon is a preparation of salmon
, typically a fillet
that has been cured
and then hot or cold smoked. Due to its moderately high price, smoked salmon is considered a delicacy.
s, often combined with cream cheese and lemon juice, or 'bulked out' with other fish.
In North America, smoked salmon is often sliced very thinly and is often served on bread with cream cheese
, or with sliced red onion, lemon and capers. In British Columbia smoked salmon may also be fillets or nuggets, including hickory-smoked varieties, and candied salmon (smoked and honey-glazed, also known as "Indian candy").
In Europe, smoked salmon may be found thinly sliced or in thicker fillets (such as tsar fillet), or sold as chopped 'scraps' for use in cooking. It is often used in pâté
s, quiche
s and pasta
sauces. Scrambled eggs
with smoked salmon mixed in is another popular dish. Smoked salmon salad is a strong-flavored salad, with ingredients such as iceberg lettuce, boiled eggs
, tomato
, olive
s, caper
s and leek
s, with flavored yogurt as a condiment.
Slices of smoked salmon are a popular appetizer in Europe, usually served with some kind of bread. In the UK it is typically eaten with brown bread and a squeeze of lemon; in Germany it is eaten on toast or black bread
.
Smoked salmon is sometimes used in sushi
, though not widely in Japan, and is more likely to be encountered in North American sushi bars, for example in a "Philadelphia Roll".
, much of it farmed in Norway
, Ireland and the East coast of Canada
(particularly in the Bay of Fundy
].
In the Pacific, a variety of salmon
species may be used. Because fish farming is prohibited as a matter of state law, all of Alaska's salmon species are wild Pacific species. Pacific species of salmon include chinook
("King"), sockeye
("red"), coho
("silver"), chum
("keta"), and pink
("humpback").
Originally, prepared fish were hung in lines on racks, or tenters, within the kiln. Workers would climb up and straddle the racks while hanging the individual lines in ascending order. Small circular wood chip fires would be lit at floor level and allowed to smoke slowly throughout the night. The wood fire was damped with sawdust to create smoke; this was constantly tended as naked flames would cook the fish rather than smoke it. The required duration of smoking has always been gauged by a skilled or 'master smoker' who manually checks for optimum smoking conditions.
The smoking process has changed over the years and many contemporary smokehouses have left the traditional methods using brick kilns behind in favour of commercial methods. In fact, only a handful of traditional smokehouses remain such as Stornoway Fish Smokers and John Ross Jr, whose kilns date back to 1857 and have been listed by Historic Scotland.
Smoked salmon was introduced into the UK from Eastern Europe. Jewish immigrants from Russia and Poland brought the technique of salmon smoking to London's east End, where they settled, in the late 19th century. They smoked salmon as way to preserve it as refrigeration was very basic. In the early years, they were not aware that there was a salmon native to the UK so they imported Baltic salmon in barrels of salt water. However, having discovered the magnificent wild Scottish salmon coming down to the fish market at Billingsgate each summer, they started smoking these fish instead. The resulting product took off as a gourmet food and was introduced into the fine dining and delicatessen trade and indeed became one of the most popular gourmet foods across the western world through the 20th century.
The art of smoking which developed was how to enhance the salmon and this was done by curing in a small amount of salt, to preserve the fish and a hint of smoke. This method is known today as the 'London Cure' and practised by the UK's oldest salmon smokers, H.Forman & Son, still based in London's East End.
Irish and Scottish smoked salmon is considered a delicacy, even with increased availability since the advent of fish farming from the 1970s. Smoked wild salmon is still available, but in Europe is very rare and very expensive and usually only available from specialist dealers, like Forman's and John Ross Jr in Aberdeen. In North America, Alaskan wild salmon is commonly smoked, and many Alaskans have their own smoker or even a small smoke house. It is prized for its 'meaty' flavour and 'naturalness' compared to the 'flabby' texture of farmed salmon.
The Northwest Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives have a cold smoking style that is wholly unique, resulting in a dried, "jerky-style" smoked salmon. In the Pacific Northwest this style of salmon has been used for centuries as a primary source of food for numerous Indian tribes. Traditionally smoked salmon has been a staple of north-western American tribes. To preserve indefinitely in modern times, the fish is typically pressure cooked.
and salmon, hot smoking 'cooks' the salmon making it less moist, and firmer, with a less delicate taste. It may be eaten like cold smoked salmon, or mixed with salads or pasta. It is essential to brine the salmon sufficiently and dry the skin enough to form a pellicle
prior to smoking. Without a sufficient pellicle, fat will ooze out of the fish as it cooks, resulting in an unsightly presentation.
1. Wet Brining: Brining in a solution containing water, salt, sugar, spices, and (or without) sodium nitrite for a number of days.
2. Dry Curing: This method is a traditional method typically used in Europe, in which salmon fillets are covered with a mix of salt and sugar. Dry curing produces a drier, silkier product and typically is faster than wet brining.
3. Injection: This is the least typical method as it damages the delicate flesh of salmon. This is the fastest method of all as it injects the curing solution - hence allowing a faster cure throughout the flesh.
The proteins in the fish are modified (denatured) by the salt, which enables the flesh of the salmon to hold moisture better than it would if not brined. In the United States, the addition of salt is regulated by the FDA as it is a major processing aid to ensure the safety of the product. The sugar is hydrophilic, and also adds to the moistness of the smoked salmon. Salt and sugar are also preservatives, extending the storage life and freshness of the salmon.
n dish gravlax
(or grave salmon), is not smoked but cured. It can be used to flavour cream cheese and other spreads.
Indian hard smoked salmon (once known by the term "squaw candy") is first kippered
with salt, sugar and spices and then smoked until hard and jerky-like. See cured salmon
.
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, typically a fillet
Fillet (cut)
A fillet is a cut or slice of boneless meat or fish.- Meat :In the case of beef, in the USA, the term most often refers to beef tenderloin, especially filet mignon.- Chicken :...
that has been cured
Curing (food preservation)
Curing refers to various food preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish, by the addition of a combination of salt, nitrates, nitrite or sugar. Many curing processes also involve smoking, the process of flavoring, or cooking...
and then hot or cold smoked. Due to its moderately high price, smoked salmon is considered a delicacy.
Presentation
Smoked salmon is a popular ingredient in canapéCanapé
A canapé is a small, prepared and usually decorative food, held in the fingers and often eaten in one bite.- Details :...
s, often combined with cream cheese and lemon juice, or 'bulked out' with other fish.
In North America, smoked salmon is often sliced very thinly and is often served on bread with cream cheese
Cream cheese
Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting, white cheese with a high fat content. Traditionally, it is made from unskimmed milk enriched with additional cream....
, or with sliced red onion, lemon and capers. In British Columbia smoked salmon may also be fillets or nuggets, including hickory-smoked varieties, and candied salmon (smoked and honey-glazed, also known as "Indian candy").
In Europe, smoked salmon may be found thinly sliced or in thicker fillets (such as tsar fillet), or sold as chopped 'scraps' for use in cooking. It is often used in pâté
Pâté
Pâté is a mixture of ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste. Common additions include vegetables, herbs, spices, and either wine or cognac, armagnac or brandy...
s, quiche
Quiche
Quiche is a savory, open-faced pie of vegetables, cheese, or meat in custard, baked in a pastry crust.The quiche is sometimes regarded as the savoury equivalent ofegg custard tart.- Etymology:...
s and pasta
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
sauces. Scrambled eggs
Scrambled eggs
Scrambled eggs is a dish made from beaten whites and yolks of eggs . Beaten eggs are put into a hot pot or pan and stirred frequently, forming curds as they coagulate.-Sample preparation:...
with smoked salmon mixed in is another popular dish. Smoked salmon salad is a strong-flavored salad, with ingredients such as iceberg lettuce, boiled eggs
Boiled eggs
Boiled eggs are eggs cooked by immersion in boiling water with their shells unbroken. Hard-boiled eggs are either boiled long enough for the egg white and then the egg yolk to...
, tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
, olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
s, caper
Caper
Capparis spinosa, the caper bush, is a perennial winter-deciduous species that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and large white to pinkish-white flowers. A caper is also the pickled bud of this plant...
s and leek
Leek
The leek, Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum , also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs, along with the onion and garlic, to family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Allioideae...
s, with flavored yogurt as a condiment.
Slices of smoked salmon are a popular appetizer in Europe, usually served with some kind of bread. In the UK it is typically eaten with brown bread and a squeeze of lemon; in Germany it is eaten on toast or black bread
Black Bread
Black Bread is a 2010 Catalan-language Catalan drama film written and directed by Agustí Villaronga. The screenplay is based on the homonymous novel by Emili Teixidor, with elements of two other works by him, Retrat d'un assassí d'ocells and Sic transit Gloria Swanson.The film won nine Goya...
.
Smoked salmon is sometimes used in sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, though not widely in Japan, and is more likely to be encountered in North American sushi bars, for example in a "Philadelphia Roll".
Production
In the Atlantic basin all smoked salmon comes from the Atlantic salmonAtlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
, much of it farmed in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Ireland and the East coast of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(particularly in the Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
].
In the Pacific, a variety of salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
species may be used. Because fish farming is prohibited as a matter of state law, all of Alaska's salmon species are wild Pacific species. Pacific species of salmon include chinook
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
("King"), sockeye
Sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon , also called red salmon or blueback salmon in the USA, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it...
("red"), coho
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
("silver"), chum
Chum salmon
The chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is a Pacific salmon, and may also be known as dog salmon or Keta salmon, and is often marketed under the name Silverbrite salmon...
("keta"), and pink
Pink salmon
Pink salmon or humpback salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon.- Appearance :...
("humpback").
Cold smoking
Most smoked salmon is cold smoked, typically at 37 °C (99 °F). The cold smoking does not cook the fish, resulting in a delicate texture. Although some smoke houses go for a deliberately 'oaky' style with prolonged exposure to smoke from oak chips, industrial production favours less exposure to smoke and a blander style, using cheaper woods.Originally, prepared fish were hung in lines on racks, or tenters, within the kiln. Workers would climb up and straddle the racks while hanging the individual lines in ascending order. Small circular wood chip fires would be lit at floor level and allowed to smoke slowly throughout the night. The wood fire was damped with sawdust to create smoke; this was constantly tended as naked flames would cook the fish rather than smoke it. The required duration of smoking has always been gauged by a skilled or 'master smoker' who manually checks for optimum smoking conditions.
The smoking process has changed over the years and many contemporary smokehouses have left the traditional methods using brick kilns behind in favour of commercial methods. In fact, only a handful of traditional smokehouses remain such as Stornoway Fish Smokers and John Ross Jr, whose kilns date back to 1857 and have been listed by Historic Scotland.
Smoked salmon was introduced into the UK from Eastern Europe. Jewish immigrants from Russia and Poland brought the technique of salmon smoking to London's east End, where they settled, in the late 19th century. They smoked salmon as way to preserve it as refrigeration was very basic. In the early years, they were not aware that there was a salmon native to the UK so they imported Baltic salmon in barrels of salt water. However, having discovered the magnificent wild Scottish salmon coming down to the fish market at Billingsgate each summer, they started smoking these fish instead. The resulting product took off as a gourmet food and was introduced into the fine dining and delicatessen trade and indeed became one of the most popular gourmet foods across the western world through the 20th century.
The art of smoking which developed was how to enhance the salmon and this was done by curing in a small amount of salt, to preserve the fish and a hint of smoke. This method is known today as the 'London Cure' and practised by the UK's oldest salmon smokers, H.Forman & Son, still based in London's East End.
Irish and Scottish smoked salmon is considered a delicacy, even with increased availability since the advent of fish farming from the 1970s. Smoked wild salmon is still available, but in Europe is very rare and very expensive and usually only available from specialist dealers, like Forman's and John Ross Jr in Aberdeen. In North America, Alaskan wild salmon is commonly smoked, and many Alaskans have their own smoker or even a small smoke house. It is prized for its 'meaty' flavour and 'naturalness' compared to the 'flabby' texture of farmed salmon.
The Northwest Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives have a cold smoking style that is wholly unique, resulting in a dried, "jerky-style" smoked salmon. In the Pacific Northwest this style of salmon has been used for centuries as a primary source of food for numerous Indian tribes. Traditionally smoked salmon has been a staple of north-western American tribes. To preserve indefinitely in modern times, the fish is typically pressure cooked.
Hot smoking
Commonly used for both troutTrout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and salmon, hot smoking 'cooks' the salmon making it less moist, and firmer, with a less delicate taste. It may be eaten like cold smoked salmon, or mixed with salads or pasta. It is essential to brine the salmon sufficiently and dry the skin enough to form a pellicle
Pellicle
Pellicle may refer to:*Pellicle , a thin layer supporting the cell membrane in various protozoa*Pellicle mirror, a thin plastic membrane which may be used as a beam splitter or protective cover in optical systems...
prior to smoking. Without a sufficient pellicle, fat will ooze out of the fish as it cooks, resulting in an unsightly presentation.
Brining salmon
There are three main curing methods that are typically used to cure salmon prior to smoking.1. Wet Brining: Brining in a solution containing water, salt, sugar, spices, and (or without) sodium nitrite for a number of days.
2. Dry Curing: This method is a traditional method typically used in Europe, in which salmon fillets are covered with a mix of salt and sugar. Dry curing produces a drier, silkier product and typically is faster than wet brining.
3. Injection: This is the least typical method as it damages the delicate flesh of salmon. This is the fastest method of all as it injects the curing solution - hence allowing a faster cure throughout the flesh.
The proteins in the fish are modified (denatured) by the salt, which enables the flesh of the salmon to hold moisture better than it would if not brined. In the United States, the addition of salt is regulated by the FDA as it is a major processing aid to ensure the safety of the product. The sugar is hydrophilic, and also adds to the moistness of the smoked salmon. Salt and sugar are also preservatives, extending the storage life and freshness of the salmon.
Curing
Although superficially similar to smoked salmon, and often served alongside it or as an alternative, the ScandinaviaScandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n dish gravlax
Gravlax
Gravlax or gravad lax , gravet laks , gravlaks , graavilohi , graavilõhe , graflax is a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon, cured in salt, sugar, and dill...
(or grave salmon), is not smoked but cured. It can be used to flavour cream cheese and other spreads.
Indian hard smoked salmon (once known by the term "squaw candy") is first kippered
Kippering
Kippering means to preserve meat by rubbing with salt and/or spices, followed by drying in smoke or warm air...
with salt, sugar and spices and then smoked until hard and jerky-like. See cured salmon
Cured salmon
Cured salmon and other fish recipes have been found in many cultures stretching from the people of early to modern Scandinavia to the Native Americans....
.