Walk into any seafood shop—or scroll long enough online—and you’ll see words like lox, gravlax, cold-smoked, and smoked salmon used almost interchangeably. Sometimes they mean very different things. Sometimes they don’t. If it’s ever felt confusing, you’re not alone. This guide is here to slow that down and explain what these terms actually describe—so you can choose with confidence, without needing a dictionary or a deep dive.

Slices of salmon lox, gravlax, and a bagel with salmon and onions, and a lemon wedge on a stone surface.

Cured Salmon (Not Smoked)

Despite how often they’re grouped together, lox and gravlax aren’t smoked at all. They’re preserved through curing—using salt, sugar, and time—rather than heat or smoke. The result is a silky texture and clean, delicate flavor that’s very different from smoked salmon, even though they’re often served in similar ways.

Lox:
Traditional lox is salmon that’s been cured in salt. It isn’t smoked, and it isn’t cooked. The texture stays soft and silky, and the flavor is clean and briny. This is the classic salmon you’ll often see thinly sliced and served cold.

Nova Lox:
Nova lox sits in a bit of a middle space. Like lox, it’s cured rather than cooked—but it’s also lightly cold-smoked. That touch of smoke adds flavor without changing the soft texture people associate with lox. Because of how it’s sliced and served, it’s usually grouped with lox rather than smoked salmon, even though smoke is part of the process.

Gravlax:
Gravlax is cured salmon made with salt, sugar, and aromatics like dill, pepper, or citrus. It isn’t smoked and isn’t cooked. The flavor tends to be slightly sweeter and more herbal than traditional lox, with the same smooth, delicate texture.

Looking for cured salmon rather than smoked salmon? Explore our Wild Alaska Salmon Gravlax for a silky, ready-to-serve option with clean flavor and delicate texture.

Cold-Smoked Salmon (Lightly Smoked, Not Cooked)

Cold-smoked salmon is where smoke first enters the process. The fish is exposed to smoke at low temperatures, adding flavor without cooking it. Because there’s no heat involved, the texture stays soft and silky—very similar to cured salmon.

This is often what people picture when they think of “smoked salmon,” even though it’s quite different from hot-smoked fish. Like cured salmon, cold-smoked products are typically served cold and still require refrigeration or freezing.

Where Nova Lox Fits:
Nova lox sits right in this crossover space. It’s cured like lox, but also lightly cold-smoked, giving it a subtle smoky aroma without changing the delicate texture people expect. Because it’s sliced and served like lox, it’s usually grouped with cured salmon rather than smoked salmon—even though smoke is part of the process.

Hanging salmon fillets in a smokehouse with smoke rising.

Traditional Indigenous Cold-Smoked Salmon

This is a very different process from modern cold-smoking.

Traditional Indigenous cold-smoked salmon is preserved through long-term exposure to cool smoke, often over the course of two to three weeks. The goal isn’t just flavor—it’s preservation. Over time, smoke, airflow, and dehydration work together to transform the fish in a way that’s deeply tied to place, climate, and generational knowledge.

Because of the length of the process and the conditions required, this style of cold-smoked salmon develops a firmer texture and a much more concentrated flavor than lightly cold-smoked products. It’s not meant to be delicate or silky. It’s meant to last.

Why you won't usually see this for sale

This style of cold-smoked salmon isn’t something you’ll typically find available for purchase—and that’s intentional.

The process takes weeks of continuous attention, relies on specific environmental conditions, and doesn’t translate easily into modern commercial production. More importantly, it’s a preservation method rooted in Indigenous foodways and cultural practice, not a product designed for scale or convenience.

How to think about it

Rather than something to seek out on a shelf, this is best understood as a traditional preservation technique—one that reflects how people have cared for and stored food for generations.

If you ever have the opportunity to experience traditional Indigenous cold-smoked salmon through community, sharing, or cultural exchange, it’s something to approach with respect and appreciation for the knowledge behind it.

Smoked wild Alaskan king salmon fillets and pieces on a wooden board.

Hot-Smoked Salmon (Fully Cooked)

Hot-smoked salmon is what most people are thinking of when they picture “smoked salmon.” The fish is smoked at higher temperatures, which fully cooks it in the process. Instead of a silky or delicate texture, hot-smoked salmon becomes flaky, firm, and opaque—much closer to roasted or baked fish.

Prefer the rich, flaky style most people think of as smoked salmon? Browse our smoked salmon options for sockeye, coho, king, keta, and seasonal favorites.

Because it’s cooked, hot-smoked salmon can be served warm or cold and is often eaten on its own, flaked into dishes, or paired with simple sides. The smoke flavor is more pronounced than cured or cold-smoked salmon, and the texture is distinctly different.

This style of smoking prioritizes flavor and immediate enjoyment rather than long-term preservation.

Kippered Salmon:
Kippered salmon is a traditional style of hot-smoked salmon that’s typically brined more heavily before smoking. The result is a firmer texture and a saltier, more concentrated flavor. Historically, kippering was used as a practical way to extend the life of the fish, especially before modern refrigeration.

Today, kippered salmon is appreciated for its boldness and nostalgia rather than subtlety—it’s hearty, savory, and meant to be satisfying.

A Note on Storage & Shelf Stability

While smoking is often associated with preservation, most smoked salmon—whether cured, cold-smoked, or hot-smoked—still requires refrigeration or freezing.

Smoking alone doesn’t automatically make a product shelf-stable. Shelf-stable salmon products will always be clearly labeled as such, like canned or jarred fish. When in doubt, the safest guide is the product itself, not the smoking method.

Want to keep learning? Explore more guides in Cooking with Confidence.