Cold-Smoked Salmon
This quick-cured salmon delivers the silky texture and clean, savory flavor associated with cold-smoked fish, with bright dill, lemon, and cracked pepper throughout. Finished with capers and fresh dill, it is elegant, simple, and ideal for a light paleo meal.
Ingredients
Cure and salmon
- 400 gskin-on salmon fillet, pin bones removed
- 40 gfine sea salt
- 20 gcaster sugar
- 4 gfreshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsplemon zest
- 15 gfresh dill, finely chopped
To serve
- 20 gcapers, drained
- 1 smalllemon, cut into wedges
- 5 gfresh dill sprigs
Instructions
- 1
Check the salmon carefully and remove any remaining pin bones with tweezers. Pat it very dry with kitchen paper; a dry surface helps the cure adhere evenly. In a shallow non-reactive dish or tray, mix the salt, sugar, black pepper, lemon zest, and chopped dill.
- 2
Spread half of the cure mixture in the dish, lay the salmon on top skin-side down, then pack the remaining cure over the flesh in an even layer. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 45 minutes. For a beginner-friendly quick cure, keep the fillet fairly thin; the fish should feel slightly firmer at the edges when ready.
- 3
Remove the salmon from the cure and rinse it briefly under very cold running water to wash off the excess salt. Pat completely dry, then return it uncovered to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to dry the surface slightly; this gives a cleaner texture when sliced.
- 4
Using a very sharp knife, slice the salmon thinly on a slight angle, separating the flesh from the skin as you go if desired. Arrange on a chilled plate and scatter over the capers. Add dill sprigs and lemon wedges for serving.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •This is a quick home-cured salmon inspired by Pacific Northwest flavours; it is not true commercial cold smoking, which requires specialist equipment and careful temperature control.
- •For the best texture within the time limit, use the thickest part of a tail fillet or a thinner centre-cut piece no more than about 3 cm thick.
- •Serve with cucumber slices, radishes, or avocado to keep the meal paleo.
- •Keep leftovers refrigerated and eat within 24 hours.
Background
Smoked salmon has long been associated with the Pacific Northwest, where abundant salmon runs and preservation traditions shaped regional cooking. Indigenous smoking and curing methods influenced later local foodways, and modern Northwest preparations often pair salmon with dill, lemon, and briny garnishes such as capers.
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