smoked salmon

Lox: An Anglicization of the German and Scandinavian words for salmon. Lox was a technique of preserving salmon popular during the 19th Century and early 20th Century, where wild Pacific salmon was cured in brine very heavy in salt (there was really no smoking involved). The result was a very fishy flavor, which later went out of style and popularity. Today, “lox” is used to describe basically any type of smoked salmon, Nova, Nova Scotia smoked salmon, belly lox.

Nova: Nova is a term that usually refers to a wet-cured, lightly salty farmed smoked salmon. The fish could come from anywhere, and the flavor is very mild and not very salty. The name owes its origins to the wild Nova Scotia Atlantic salmon, a fish species that was over fished to extinction.

Balyk: This delicious prime cut of smoked salmon refers to the top portion (tenderloin) of the fish, carefully hand-cut and trimmed, lightly smoked and salted for the most perfectly crafted smoked salmon product. You’ll only find this at very sophisticated specialty stores, as it is pricey (but worth it).

Gravadlax: A specialty products, grvadlax is salmon that has undergone a traditional Scandinavian curing technique in which the salmon is marinated in a mixture of dill, sugar, and special herbs, then cleaned, filleted, and the mixture removed. The salmon is then lightly smoked for full flavor. The term ‘gravadlax’ is literally “salmon from the grave”, as the northern peoples would bury the salmon underneath the earth throughout the curing process.

Alaskan Smoked Salmon: A species of salmon found wild in the cold waters off Alaska. Widely available due the large numbers and sustainable populations, this salmon can also be classified as Pacific smoked salmon. Also known as the King salmon, and can be found wild or farmed. They are typically hot smoked, using traditional Native American techniques. Its texture varies, depending on the brining process, but most prefer to have it silky or firm.