Hot Smoked Salmon

Written by Jared Vincenti
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One of the most popular diet foods in recent years has been salmon. High in protein, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, the health benefits of salmon exceed those of most other meats. There are many healthy foods that don't enjoy salmon's popularity, though, perhaps because salmon is so easy to cook. There are many ways to prepare salmon, and a salmon-heavy diet doesn't have to get old.

Hot Smoking Salmon

One of the most flavorful ways to prepare salmon is to smoke it. Salmon can either be hot smoked or cold smoked, and the two methods yield very different results. Cold smoked salmon (also called lox) is uncooked, and is usually used as a spread. Hot smoked salmon is cooked, and is eaten just like cooked salmon.

The flavor of smoked salmon depends on the wood used for the fire. Any hard wood works, but alder, apple, maple, and hickory are popular for the flavors the wood gives to the meat. The other element that will significantly affect the flavor of hot smoked salmon is the brine. The fish is soaked in this mixture of salts, brown sugars, and spices before smoking, and every cook has his own recipe.

Between the wood and the brine, there is a surprising range of flavors for hot smoked salmon. For those unwilling to invest in a home smoker (or those who don't have the space), hot smoked salmon can be bought at most grocery stores. Real fans of hot smoked salmon will usually order their fish from specialty stores, most of which are online. These stores specialize in hot smoked salmon, and as such have the best flavors and best selection.

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