Norwegian Smoked Salmon
This type of smoked salmon is one of the most popular varieties
in the market today. It can be farmed or wild (see below for
the difference between wild smoked salmon and farmed smoked
salmon), and it is caught/farmed in the cold waters of the
fjords of Norway.
Norwegian smoked salmon is distinguished
by its peachy-pink color, leaner – since it has less
fat, some attribute it less taste- and is has a more densely
smoky flavor than the Scottish variety, with a more intense
aroma. The texture is silky smooth, a little on the oily side,
with a flavor that is subtly salty. It can also broadly fall
into the category of Atlantic salmon, although Atlantic salmon
is also native to Nova Scotia, and can be farmed in the United
States. Norwegian smoked salmon undergoes dry-curing with
different types of wood, like Juniper.
Scottish Smoked Salmon
Arguably the most
highly-prized salmon variety (although Norwegian smoked
salmon fanatics will fight you to the death on that one),
Scotch smoked salmon has incredibly tender and buttery flesh,
with a color that is more orange-pink. This variety is farmed
or caught in the cool Scottish waters and lakes. Scottish
smoked salmon also falls into the broad category of Atlantic
salmon. Popularly,
Scottish smoked salmon is recognized
by a flavor that comes from the use of oak-barrels or chips
from old whisky barrels during the smoking process (Scottish
smoked salmon giant, Pinneys of Scotland, uses Sherry-casks
to flavor their salmon).It undergoes dry-curing, cold-smoking
process.
The Scotish and Norwegian traditions of smoking their salmon
have been in place for centuries, and each has something
to offer. If you like a smokier flavor, go for the Norwegian
smoked salmon. If what you want is the more buttery, subtly-flavored
smoked salmon, you’ll never go wrong with the Scottish
variety.