Hot Smoking

• Hot smoked salmon is smoked for a relatively short period over high temperatures. A typical hot smoking temperature is around 175 degrees Fahrenheit, with the smoking process lasting from six to 12 hours. This level of heat fully cooks the fish. Hot-smoked salmon has a light pink color and is typically very flaky. Hot smoking is common for some kinds of fish, but less common for salmon than cold smoking.

Cold Smoking

• Cold smoking is the more common process for commercially available smoked salmon. In cold smoking, the fish is first prepared by either salting or soaking in brine. It is then smoked for a long period over a low temperature. The smoking period lasts over a day and can be as long as several weeks. Cold-smoked salmon has a brighter reddish-pink color than its hot-smoked counterpart. The texture is smooth and doesn't break up into flakes.

Uncooked Doesn't Mean Unsafe

• Although cold-smoked salmon is not cooked, it should be safe to eat as long as it comes from a reputable source and has been properly refrigerated. Nonetheless, cold smoking temperatures are not high enough to kill a number of harmful bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium botulinum. Pregnant women, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems should avoid cold-smoked salmon, and Washington State University recommends cooking for home smoked salmon.

Cooking With Smoked Salmon

• Smoked salmon doesn't have to be cooked, but it certainly can be. Smoked salmon, cooked or uncooked, is a versatile addition to a range of dishes. BBC Good Food recommends cooking smoked salmon in potatoes dauphinoise, adding it to soups or using it as an ingredient in quiche. Smoked salmon can also be quickly cooked to add to pastas or risottos.