Frequently asked questions: is smoked salmon cooked?
- Smoked salmon is cooked if it has been hot smoked, but uncooked if it has been cold smoked. Most smoked salmon is cold smoked, and thus ever so slightly raw
- Cold-smoked salmon is safe to eat for most people, experts say, but they advise some people to avoid it. Handle smoked salmon properly to avoid health risks
Is smoked salmon cooked? Yes, if it is hot-smoked. No, if it is cold-smoked.
One is a fully cooked delicacy, the other is, ever so slightly, raw.
Both preparation methods typically involve wet or dry brining, where raw salmon undergoes curing to infuse it with its famously smoky flavour, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) explains. The real magic happens in special ovens where wood chips are burned to smoke the fish.
According to Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS), hot-smoked salmon is smoked at a temperature of between 70 and 80 degrees Celsius (158 to 176 degrees Fahrenheit). On the other hand, cold-smoked salmon, which takes three to four days to process, is smoked at a temperature no higher than 33 Celsius (91 Fahrenheit).
In other words, cold-smoked salmon is most definitely uncooked – which accounts for its translucent appearance and silky texture. Hot smoking produces cooked flesh that offers a flakier look and a smokier taste.
Despite most processors opting for the cold-smoking method, uncooked salmon can contain a pathogen called Listeria monocytogenes that will survive refrigeration, the USDA says.
