What's The Difference Between Lox And Smoked Salmon?

Despite both pairing fantastically with a bagel, lox and smoked salmon have a few key distinctions worth noting. The main difference between lox and smoked salmon lies in the smoking and salting process, but to truly decipher the nuances between the two a little history lesson is in order. While lox was popularized by Jewish immigrants in New York City, it was initially developed by Scandinavian fishermen who preserved salmon in a saltwater brine to make the very similar gravlax. This salty method of preservation carried on into Jewish tradition, as salmon arriving from the Pacific Ocean needed to be both kosher and shelf-stable.

Meanwhile, smoked salmon refers to both the method of preparing the fish and the preservation. As the fish smokes, it cures and dehydrates, destroying bacteria in the process. This method has been used by diverse cultures around the world from Indigenous Alaskans to medieval Europeans. Smoking practices vary, as fish can be both hot and cold-smoked. To hot smoke, brined filets are hung near burning wood. This process can take anywhere from three to 12 hours at a temperature of about 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold-smoked salmon is traditionally smoked for longer (a minimum of 12 hours) and calls for curing before smoking at approximately 90 degrees. Cold-smoked salmon is softer and tastes more "raw," similar to lox. 

While lox can be smoked, its main characteristic is being brined in salt for a minimum of three days to imbue a salty, oceanic flavor. It's also typically made of salmon belly meat. Smoked salmon is usually brined for a shorter period of 20 or so hours. Both are best served cold, straight from the fridge.

Smoking salmon and curing lox does not necessarily require a smokehouse and a trip to the Pacific. The best fresh fillings for a bagel are more accessible than you think. To smoke salmon from home without a smoker, opt for a fridge smoke. Do this by using sushi-grade salmon, then generously cover the fish in sugar, salt, and liquid smoke before wrapping it in cling film tightly. Let it sit for 24 hours before taste-testing.

To prepare lox, you can skip the liquid smoke and instead cover the lox in salt and sugar before wrapping in plastic. Weigh the filet down and let it sit in the fridge for at least 48 hours. After removing it from the fridge, dunk it in water to rinse, then place the filet in iced water for 20 to 40 minutes. Both of these are best consumed within five days after the brining process is completed.

Once your fish is prepped, slap some lox or salmon, capers, cucumber, red onion, dill, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh cream cheese on a bagel to find yourself in food heaven. And if you'd rather let the pros handle the curing and smoking, just visit your local bagel shop. If you're lucky, you might even find that you're not too far from one of the best bagel shops in the United States.