Smoked salmon and lox are two popular cured salmon products that are often confused with each other. Though they may look similar, smoked salmon and lox are prepared using different techniques, resulting in distinct textures and flavors. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into smoked salmon and lox, including how they’re made their key differences and how to enjoy them.
How Smoked Salmon is Made
Smoked salmon begins as a whole side of salmon that is cured or brined. The salmon soaks in a salt solution for anywhere from 18-24 hours. This draws moisture out of the fish while allowing the salt to penetrate the flesh. Sometimes sugar and spices are added to the brine as well, providing extra flavor. Once brined, the salmon is moved to a smoker where it is exposed to smoke created by burning wood chips or sawdust. There are two main smoking methods:
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Cold smoking – The salmon smokes at a temperature under 85°F for up to 30 hours. This preserves the raw salmon texture
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Hot smoking – The salmon smokes at 140-160°F for about 8 hours. This essentially cooks the salmon, giving it a flaky, drier texture like cooked fish.
Both methods infuse the salmon with a lovely smoky aroma and flavor. The wood type also impacts the flavor – common varieties include cherry, maple, alder, and hickory. Once smoked, the salmon is sliced thin on the bias. Cold smoked salmon has velvety slices while hot smoked salmon flakes into hearty pieces.
How Lox is Made
To make lox, a whole side of salmon is cured in a salt brine, similar to the initial step for smoked salmon. However, lox is never smoked after brining. The salmon cures for a much longer period of time too, usually 5-7 days and sometimes up to a month! This gives lox an intensely salty, savory flavor. In the traditional Jewish preparation, lox is made using just the fattier belly portion of salmon. Some spices like lemon zest or dill are often added to the brine as well. After curing, the lox is sliced thinly against the grain on the bias. Since it isn’t cooked at all, lox has a smooth, velvety texture and sheen.
The Key Differences between Smoked Salmon and Lox
While smoked salmon and lox are both cured salmon products and may look similar, they have several distinct differences:
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Smoked vs. Unsmoked – As the names imply, smoked salmon is cured and then smoked while lox is only cured.
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Curing Time – Lox cures for generally 5-7 days or longer, giving it a stronger salty flavor. Smoked salmon cures for about 18-24 hours.
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Texture – Smoked salmon is sliced thinner and is a bit firmer and flaky. Lox has a velvety smooth texture.
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Flavor – Lox is dominated by saltiness, while smoked salmon has a lovely balance of salty and smoky.
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Color – Smoked salmon has a deeper orange-red hue compared to the pale pink of lox.
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Fat Content – Lox is made with the fattier belly portion of salmon. Smoked salmon uses a whole side.
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Serving Styles – Lox is primarily enjoyed in thin slices on bagels with cream cheese. Smoked salmon is delicious on bagels but also works well in salads, scrambles, pasta, and more.
Buying and Storing Smoked Salmon and Lox
When purchasing lox or smoked salmon, check the ingredients – you want to see just salmon and salt, maybe some sugar and spices. Avoid products with excessive additives. Look for slices with bright color and visible fattiness. Smoked salmon and lox only last about 7-10 days refrigerated once opened. For longer storage, freeze up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
To enjoy smoked salmon and lox at their best, handle these cured fish delicately. Slice just before serving to prevent drying out. If the edges look dry, trim them off. Try not to shred the slices – fold them gently instead. Pair both with creamy, tangy flavors to balance the rich fattiness. Some classic accompaniments are cream cheese, sour cream, capers, red onion, bagels and lemon wedges. Smoked salmon and lox also enliven salads, toast, omelets, pasta and more.
Popular Variations
Beyond basic brined lox and smoked salmon, some other cured salmon products are:
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Gravlax – A Nordic-style lox cured with dill, peppercorns, sugar and aquavit.
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Nova lox – Lox that is slightly less salty since it’s cured in a mild salt and sugar brine. Nova lox is also cold smoked.
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Kippered salmon – Salmon that is brined and then hot smoked over aromatic wood chips.
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Pastrami salmon – Brined salmon that is coated with a pastrami-style dry spice rub before smoking.
How to Use Smoked Salmon and Lox
Smoked salmon and lox are extremely versatile ingredients. Here are some creative ways to enjoy them beyond bagels:
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Layer smoked salmon on avocado toast or whole grain crackers for an easy appetizer.
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Toss velvety lox slices into pasta, salads, or grain bowls.
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Make smoked salmon deviled eggs by folding chunks of smoked salmon into the filling.
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Serve a smoked salmon platter with lemon wedges, capers, and creamy dips like labneh, herbed cream cheese or sour cream.
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Use lox or smoked salmon in place of bacon or prosciutto to add savory flavor to sandwiches, wraps, and breakfast dishes.
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Whip up smoked salmon dip for chips by blending smoked salmon, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and fresh dill.
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Make an elegant smoked salmon carpaccio appetizer with thin slices of salmon dressed simply with olive oil and black pepper.
The Takeaway
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Lox is salmon cured in a salt brine. It has a velvety texture and intense salty flavor.
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Smoked salmon is first brined then smoked to add flavor. It has a silkier texture and smoky taste.
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Lox pairs perfectly with bagels and schmears. Smoked salmon is more versatile for salads, toast, pasta, and appetizers.
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Try incorporating lox and smoked salmon into more dishes beyond breakfast. Their concentrated umami flavor enhances many foods!
So next time you encounter lox or smoked salmon at a deli counter or grocery store, remember this guide. Understanding their differences will help you pick the variety that best suits your taste preferences and recipe needs!
Lox vs. Smoked salmon
Many people today use “lox” and “smoked salmon” interchangeably. But there are actually three modern foods getting mixed up here.
True lox isnt smoked at all, its only salt-cured. Its short for “belly lox,” referring to the salmon belly from which it was historically made. This kind of lox originated in the times before refrigeration. Thats when salt curing was the go-to way to preserve meats for storage and transport. You can still find true lox today, but likely not at a modern deli. Youll probably have better luck at one specifically focused on old-school products.
What most people refer to today as “lox” is actually “Nova lox,” referring to salmon thats been cured and then smoked in a tradition out of Nova Scotia. This fish was never technically “lox,” and language-sticklers would rather we called it “Nova” for short. (Sorry, sticklers, were sticking with “ !”). Nova lox is salt-cured and then lightly cold-smoked, that is, at temperatures around 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Youll find it thinly sliced and, yes, often atop your bagel.
The final delicacy is regular ol smoked salmon. Its been smoked at higher temperatures, and may or may not have been cured first. Smoked salmon has the same general texture and appearance as a normal cooked filet, which means it is thicker and flakier than its thin-sliced counterparts.
But it boasts a rich smoky flavor. Youll find this salmon rolled up with cream cheese at your local American sushi bar serving “Philly rolls.” Or chopped in your smoked salmon omelet and in other recipes that deliver hearty chunks of the smoky fish.
Of course, depending on whether youre in the U.S. or Europe, east coast or west, you might find that different terms mean different things to different people.
One things consistent: Its all delicious salmon!
All three of these oft-confused ready-to-eat salmon offerings contain all the . Especially when made from , they are packed with protein, vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and the antioxidant astaxanthin.
There are a number of benefits to boosting the amount of protein in your diet, from boosting brain health to curbing hunger (and aiding weight loss). Just one two-ounce serving of comes with 12 grams of healthy protein.
Wild salmon is also one of the best ways to get your , a critical nutrient for supporting bone and immune health and more. And salmons high levels of are perhaps its greatest nutritional gift. Our bodies use omega-3s to build cell membranes, and consumption of seafood rich in omega-3s has been linked to supporting the functions of brains, eyes, nervous systems, reproductive systems and more.
What is Nova?
FAQ
Is lox or smoked salmon healthier?
Smoked Salmon (per 3 oz)
✔ Low in Calories & High in Protein – Great for a healthy diet! ✔ Rich in Omega-3s – Supports heart and brain health. ✔ Sodium Content – Lox is saltier, so if you’re watching your sodium intake, smoked salmon may be a better choice.
Is lox just raw salmon?
Lox is never cooked; instead, it’s made by curing a salmon belly fillet in salty brine, traditionally for three months. This technique gives lox its signature salty flavor. Lox is part of the famous lox bagel breakfast sandwich, although many times, smoked salmon is used instead.
Why do Americans call smoked salmon lox?
Is LOX the same as smoked salmon?
Smooth, velvety, and buttery, lox tastes a lot like other types of salmon. However, it is saltier because of the brining process. “Lox” and “smoked salmon” are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. The difference between lox and smoked salmon is how they are prepared. Lox is brined, but never cooked or smoked.
What is the difference between smoked salmon and cured salmon?
Cured salmon has a similar texture, but without any smoke flavor. Hot-smoked salmon has a completely different texture — meaty and flaky, like cooked salmon.” Lox — or “ belly lox,” which is the actual name for it — is salmon that has been cured in salt. (Like gravlax, which is cured in sugar and salt, there’s no smoking involved.)
Is lox smoked or cured?
Originally derived from the Yiddish word for salmon (laks), lox is cured, but not smoked. It was developed to preserve salmon and other fish before refrigeration was widely available. Lox is never cooked; instead, it’s made by curing a salmon belly fillet in salty brine, traditionally for three months.
Is LOX cooked or smoked?
Lox is brined, but never cooked or smoked. Smoked salmon, meanwhile, is cured or brined and then smoked. It can be cold-smoked (slowly exposed to smoke for a few days, but is never fully cooked) or hot-smoked (cooked all the way through, like smoked meat). Because lox is never cooked, it remains smooth, silky, and translucent.
What is Nova lox smoked salmon?
Nova lox is a popular form of smoked salmon made from a wild type of salmon found in Nova Scotia, which is now then cured or brined and then smoked. Lox vs. Smoked Salmon: What Are the Differences?
What does LOX taste like?
Because lox is never cooked, it remains smooth, silky, and translucent. Smoked salmon, through the smoking process, becomes slightly tougher. It looks and tastes more similar to baked or grilled salmon. The word “lox” comes from the Yiddish word for salmon, “laks.”