How to buy the best smoked salmon

What to look for

• Avoid wild smoked salmon, as stocks are depleted and it is currently red-listed by the Marine Conservation Society.
• A good choice is long sliced, farmed Scottish salmon and the best to my mind should have a good depth of smoke, a dryish texture with minimal unpleasant oiliness. It’s cut closer to the skin, so the fat is more obvious.
• For something special choose wild Pacific sockeye salmon, it’s dense and dry and ‘D-cut’ in short slices. For me though, it has to be smoked salmon from traditional Kosher smoker Goldstein.

Serving tip

• If buying vac-packed smoked salmon open 15 mins before serving to allow the salmon to breathe.

Learn how to carve smoked salmon

• The Seafood school at Billingsgate are run salmon carving classes, have a look on their website to find out more.
• Take a look at our how to skin and pin bone salmon guide for more info.