Tanned Salmon (Slightly Salted)

Tanned Salmon: Cured a Full Day, Then Smoked

Thirty hours before it reaches the smoker. Six under a fan, twenty-four in cure — and that patience is what you taste: dense, silky slices that hold together on the knife instead of falling apart, with alder and applewood sitting behind the salmon rather than on top of it. Boneless throughout. This is the one we put out when we want to show what the smokehouse can do.

How We Make It

• Boned by hand. Every bone out before curing, so nothing interrupts a slice.
• Air-dried six hours. Lightly salted, then dried under a fan. This step forms the surface that lets smoke adhere evenly — skip it and the smoke sits unevenly.
• Cured twenty-four hours. A full day. Shorter cures are faster and cheaper; they also give you fish that weeps moisture and slices ragged.
• Smoked over alder and applewood. Real wood, never liquid smoke — here is why that matters.
• Nothing added. No preservatives, no dyes, no gluten.

How to Eat It

Twenty minutes out of the fridge before slicing. Cold fat is stiff and mutes everything — with salmon this is the difference between good and very good.

• On a baguette with cream cheese. The classic, and still hard to improve on.
• Sliced thin, on its own. Cut across the grain, laid flat, black pepper and lemon. Nothing else needed.
• Through pasta. Stirred in off the heat at the very end — it is already cured, and heat only toughens it.
• On rye with butter. Dark bread, cold butter, no cream cheese. Lets the smoke through.
• To drink. Crisp white wine or cold vodka.

Keeping It

Sealed and refrigerated at 32–39°F it holds up to three weeks. Once opened, eat within three to five days and press the air out before resealing — the buttery edge fades with air exposure days before the fish goes bad. It freezes at 0°F for up to two months; thaw overnight in the fridge, never on the counter.

Fuller guidance is in our storage guide.

Common Questions

Is it cooked? Cold-smoked and cured, not heat-cooked. It slices like smoked salmon should and is ready to eat from the pack.

How is it different from your salmon bellies? This is the fillet — leaner, firmer, made for slicing. The bellies are the fattiest cut, softer and richer. Fillet for a plate, bellies for eating with your fingers.

Are there bones? No. All removed before curing.

How salty is it? Mild. The long cure builds flavour through time rather than through salt.

Can I serve this to guests who do not eat much fish? This is the safest thing we make. Salmon is familiar, the smoke is gentle, and it looks the part on a plate.