What’s the Difference Between Salmon and Gravlax?

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Anyone who has been to a bagel shop in New York City (called the “bagel capital of the world”) knows that even ordering a simple bagel can make you sweat. Where’s the menu? Scrawled on a chalkboard behind the counter. Is there a line? More like a semiorganized mosh pit. My advice? Don’t overcomplicate it. Order the classic: a bagel (yes, you want it toasted) with lox and a schmear.

But even that standard order isn’t so straightforward. A lot of the time, the shop’s cold case is full of different kinds of cream cheese and a bunch of cold, spreadable “salads.” No changes were made to the fish. “We sell 10 different kinds of smoked fish,” says Niki Russ Federman, co-owner of Russ for the fourth generation. “It’s like choosing a wine. ”.

Though lox and smoked salmon are often used interchangeably, they refer to two different products. Do not worry; I will tell you the difference between lox, smoked salmon, and all of their cured pink cousins. Let’s start with the basics:

Though bagels and lox are famous in New York City, especially among Jews, the story begins on the other side of the ocean. NPR says that early Scandinavian fishermen came up with a way to keep salmon fresh in a saltwater brine. This salt cure is very important. Merriam-Webster says that lox is “salmon that has been cured in brine and sometimes smoked,” but real lox is made with only the fatty belly of a piece of salmon and is only salt-cured. Smoked salmon? She’s something else entirely (more on her in a minute).

At the start of the 20th century, most of America’s salmon came from the Pacific Ocean, near the coasts of Canada and Alaska. “Salmon from the Pacific was hauled across the country in bins packed with salt,” says Federman. This kept the fish fresh on the way to New York. Lox, which was cheap, kept well, and was kosher, became a favorite among the city’s Jewish immigrants. Its name is said to come from the Yiddish word laks, which means “salmon.” ”.

This is the type of lox Federman’s great-grandfather, Joel Russ, carried when he opened his shop in 1914. It’s so salty that bagel shops that still make belly lox, as it’s sometimes called, often put a warning on the bag. While Russ’s salt-cured belly lox So, what is the difference between lox and smoked salmon?.

Primarily? Smoke. Preserving fish via smoke is a longtime practice of many Indigenous American tribes. Somewhere along the way, these salt-curing and smoke-curing methods merged, creating another type of preserved salmon.

To make smoked salmon, most people start with a whole side of fish and lightly salt it with a rub or brine. It’s then smoked, preserving it further. Most lox recipes call for at least three days of curing time, and some go up to months. This makes the flavor of the pure oceanic fish stronger. Smoked salmon typically spends just 18–24 hours in its salt solution before hitting the smoker. This means that the second one is less salty but has a strong smell of the wood that was used to cure it longer.

Different producers use different types of wood, smoke at different temperatures, and expose salmon to smoke for different amounts of time. Federman says that these factors affect the taste and texture of smoked salmon. But there are two general methods: Cold-smoking and hot-smoking.

Cold-smoking happens at a lower temperature—typically 75° or below—over a longer time frame, anywhere from 8–20 hours. This method makes fish with a very delicate texture. Federman says that cold-smoked salmon can be cut into slices that are so thin that “you can read the Times through them.” This type of smoked salmon tastes right at home on a bagel or toast with a proper schmear.

Hot-smoking requires less time (about 8 hours) and a higher temperature, usually around 150°. Hot-smoked salmon, also known as kippered salmon, has the flaky texture of cooked fish. A lot of the time, it comes in thick pieces instead of thin slices. For a quick weeknight dinner, it can be used instead of seared salmon fillet. You can use this Smoked Salmon 7-Layer Dip anywhere you’d use cooked salmon. It’s a great party appetizer made with hot-smoked salmon.

These smoking methods can be used for other types of fish too. In delis, whitefish is often sold whole after being hot-smoked, but you can also ask for it to be deboned or flaked. Smoked whitefish salad is another common bagel shop offering. What about gravlax and Nova lox?.

Gravlax is a Scandinavian specialty. Though salt-cured, gravlax isn’t usually smoked like lox. Instead, recipes usually call for a whole salmon fillet, not just the belly. Gravlax is cured with sugar, dill, and often aquavit, which is a neutral spirit flavored with caraway (some use gin or juniper berries instead). This makes the flavor more aromatic and less salty.

When the term “Nova lox” was first used, it only meant salmon from Nova Scotia. Now, it refers to a specific dish made by curing fish in a salt and sugar mixture and then smoking it cold. It’s not quite as salty as belly lox, and its smoke flavor is quite subtle. Much of the smoked salmon you’ll find today is categorized as Nova lox, or Nova for short.

A lot of bagel shops and delis get creative with their cures by adding herbs or spices to the salt mix to make it taste better. Zabar’s, a famous grocery store in New York, sells peppered Nova salmon, which is cured salmon that has been packed with garlic and coarsely ground black pepper. Meanwhile, Russ & Daughters rubs their pastrami-cured salmon with a blend of 14 herbs and spices.

How should I store lox and smoked salmon?

Katz’s Delicatessen, an NYC mainstay, and Russ & Daughters both advise eating lox within 7–10 days. Store any cured fish in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Katz’s also notes that cured salmon lasts up to 3 months in the freezer.

What should I look for when buying cured salmon?

When shopping for smoked salmon, the first place to look is your local bagel shop or deli, especially if they’re curing in-house. The flavor can vary widely based on their process, aromatics used, whether it’s smoked or not, and even the type of salmon (fun fact: Atlantic and Pacific salmon are two entirely different species). Try a few varieties to find out what you like.

Generally, farmed Atlantic salmon will be fattier and more delicate than wild-caught Pacific salmon, which has a leaner texture and a fishier, more robust flavor. Wild salmon will also be vibrantly coral or pink, while farmed varieties tend to have a muted hue. The most popular option at Russ & Daughters is the Gaspe Nova cold-smoked Atlantic salmon, which has a “melt-in-your-mouth butteriness,” according to Federman. By contrast, the bagel shop’s Western Nova smoked salmon (made with wild king salmon from the Pacific) has a “tighter texture and more assertive flavor.”

When you go to the store to buy cured fish, look for the date that says “freshness.” This date can be anywhere from a few weeks to two months from now. The further out, the better. The best products will only list a few ingredients, like the type of fish and the different spices. There should also be information on the label about where the salmon comes from and whether it was farmed or caught in the wild. For a quick and easy brunch, just grab a bag of bagels, some cream cheese, and your favorite toppings, like tomatoes, red onions, capers, and fresh dill. If you need to feed a lot of people, Russ should be sufficient to feed 6–8 people).

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FAQ

How does gravlax differ from lox?

Can you use supermarket salmon for gravlax?

What does gravlax taste like?

What is the difference between gravlax and traditional?

What’s the difference between gravlax and smoked salmon?

So what’s the difference between these look-alikes? The primary difference between gravlax and smoked salmon is how they are prepared. Gravlax is made by curing the fish, whereas smoked salmon is, of course, smoked, resulting in subtle variations in flavor between the two.

Is farmed salmon as nutritious as wild salmon?

Scientific evidence suggests that farmed salmon may be larger than wild salmon and have a higher omega-3 content. However, it may also be more likely to contain contaminants.

What is salmon gravlax?

Salmon gravlax is the Scandinavian preparation of lox. Literally translated, gravlax is “salmon from the grave,” which comes from the preparation method from the Middle Ages of salting the fish then burying it in the sand while it cured.

How do you cut smoked salmon with gravlax?

Slice gravlax thinly at a slight angle to achieve elegant, delicate slices. Use a sharp knife and cut against the grain for the best results. Though commercial smoked salmon is cut very thin, we also like a more homey cut and go for slightly thicker pieces often. Your choice. What accompaniments pair well with this recipe?