Is Smoked Salmon Considered Raw? (Surprising Facts)

Salmon has become a popular dish due to its flavor and health benefits.

With salmon’s growing popularity, there appears to be more and more debate over how to eat salmon and whether or not salmon is considered raw.

In fact, there is even some debate as to whether salmon skin can be eaten with the scales still attached.

So you can imagine why a common question I hear is whether or not smoked salmon is considered raw?

Smoked salmon is not considered raw. Hot smoked salmon is cooked all the way through whereas cold smoked salmon is not cooked but preserved by the smoke. When smoked properly, both hot-smoked and cold smoked salmon are safe to consume.

Let’s cover what hot smoking vs cold smoking is to understand why hot smoked salmon is considered cooked while cold-smoked salmon can be considered “raw.”

In both cases, the smoked salmon will be safe to eat as long as the salmon is smoked correctly.

Hot Smoking Salmon

Hot smoking is the most common and well-known method of smoking meat.

Whenever you think of smoked brisket or ribs… you’re thinking of hot smoked meat.

Generally in hot smoking, also known as barbecue, the meat is exposed to both smoke and heat in the 180ºF to 300ºF range in order to cook the meat.

Hot smoking is generally what folks think of when it comes to smoking or barbecue since hot smoking can refer to:

1. BBQ Pits (as seen in photo)
2. Charcoal, Wood, and Propane Smokers
3. Pellet Grills

Hot smoking salmon is where the salmon is cooked using both smoke and heat.

Generally, the heat will be in the 120ºF -225ºF temperature range which is hot enough to thoroughly cook the salmon.

Cold Smoking Salmon

Cold smoking is mainly used for preservation and adding flavor. The food is exposed to low-temperature smoke ranging from 60ºF to 120ºF with the heat being far away from the food.

Cold smoking is also used for cheeses in order to create a smoky flavor on the cheese such as smoked gouda.

Once again the theme with cold smoking is using just the smoke to create flavor and not the heat to cook the food.

Cold smoked salmon is smoked with cooking temperatures of 60ºF to 120ºF, which is not hot enough to cook the salmon. However, the warm smoke is hot enough to dehydrate and preserve the salmon turning the salmon into a “salmon jerky.”

Is Smoked Salmon Cooked or Raw?

Now when someone asks if smoked salmon is cooked or raw, the answer depends on how the smoked salmon was smoked.

• Hot smoked salmon is considered cooked since both heat and smoke are used to smoke the salmon.
• Cold smoked salmon is considered preserved since the salmon has been dehydrated and cured using smoke.

So the smoked salmon may be considered cooked or preserved depending on whether the salmon was smoked with heat or with only smoke.

Either way, both hot and cold smoked salmon are considered safe to eat when smoked correctly.

Is Smoked Salmon Safe To Eat?

Smoked salmon that is smoked correctly and stored properly will be safe to eat.

Hot smoked salmon is similar to cooked salmon so this salmon is safe to eat once the smoking is done.

Cold-smoked salmon is similar to preserving food like beef jerky so the cold-smoked salmon will be shelf-stable and safe to consume for a long period of time.

Is Smoked Salmon Safe To Eat Without Cooking?

Both cold-smoked and hot-smoked salmon are safe to eat without cooking or heating the salmon.

Cold-smoked salmon is similar to “salmon jerky” so this salmon will be shelf-stable and safe to consume for a long time after the salmon is smoked.

Hot-smoked salmon is similar to cooking salmon so the salmon should be eaten within a few days of cooking it. Although hot smoked salmon may last longer than regular cooked salmon, the hot smoked salmon will still be too moist to be considered shelf-stable like cold-smoked salmon.

So make sure to store hot-smoked salmon in the fridge when you have leftovers and eat the hot-smoked salmon within a few days of smoking it.

What Is The Point To Smoking Salmon?

The 3 main reasons why we smoke meat is to add flavor, texture, and to tenderize the meat.

For smoking salmon, the flavor, texture, and preservation are why people smoke salmon.

Generally, cuts of meat that are best for smoking are tough cuts. For example, brisket is a very tough cut of meat that needs to be slowly cooked in order to break down the tough tendons.

Since salmon is so fatty, smoking salmon helps remove the excess moisture and helps preserve salmon so it stays edible longer.

Now let’s dive into the 3 main reasons why we smoke salmon.

1. Smoky Flavor

The main reason why people smoke salmon is to add that delicious smoky flavor to the salmon.

Depending on which wood type you use, you can add a sweeter or heavier smoke flavor to the salmon. For example, if you smoke salmon with cherry or applewood then you will get a sweeter smoke flavor whereas alder or mesquite may create a heavier smoke flavor.

See this guide for the best wood flavors to use when smoking different cuts of meat.

2. Texture

Another common reason why people like to smoke salmon is to add a different texture to the salmon.

Generally, when you smoke food you can create a bark or crunchy exterior to smoked meats while the inside remains nice and juicy.

For salmon, the exterior might get a little more leathery or crispy depending on the cooking temperature. By smoking the salmon, the salmon’s texture will change which can make the salmon tastier if you’re bored of the same flaky salmon flesh.

3. Extended Shelf-Life

Regardless if you hot smoke or cold smoke salmon, the salmon will last longer than a regularly cooked salmon.

Smoking will help dehydrate the salmon which helps preserve the salmon longer. In fact, cold-smoking salmon will turn the salmon into a salmon jerky by dehydrating and preserving the salmon.

So the third benefit of smoking salmon is that the shelf-life of the salmon will be extended so you have more time to enjoy your salmon.

Final Thoughts

Smoked salmon is a delicious and great way to enjoy salmon.

Although salmon can be hot smoked or cold smoked, both methods of smoking salmon will create a safe to eat salmon.

Smoked salmon is not considered raw since hot smoked salmon is cooked thoroughly by heat and smoke while cold-smoked salmon is preserved and dehydrated by the smoke. Regardless of the smoking method, smoked salmon that is smoked correctly will be safe to consume.

So the next time you see smoked salmon, give it a shot.

You might be surprised how much you enjoy the added smoky flavor to the salmon.