Smoked salmon: supermarket specials for Christmas 2022 and how to choose

Looking for some smoked salmon to top homemade Christmas canapés or for a festive breakfast?

We've rounded up the supermarket specials for 2022, plus advice on choosing, costs and how to serve it.

From flavoured and smoked options to alternatives such as trout, and how to source cheap smoked salmon, we've got all you need to plan your festive shop.

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Smoked salmon types

Smoked salmon is an umbrella term used for all types of smoked and cured salmon. It's made by smoking and then curing salmon, typically a fillet, which can be hot or cold smoked. It is ready to eat, and can be served warm or cold.

• Nova is a cold smoked salmon which uses a wet brine before a cold smoke. It has a mild flavour, less salty than other cured salmon types.

• Lox is the saltiest salmon of the group, cured in salt but not smoked with curing typically lasting a couple of months to preserve the fish.

• Gravlax is a smoked salmon with Scandinavian origins. It is cured over two days in brine, salt, herbs, aromatics, and sugar. The saltwater infuses the raw flesh and makes it edible. Gravlax often has a rim of herbs or spices on the slices.

• Hot smoked salmon differs in taste due to its alternative preparation method. It is both flaky and smoky and works very well in hot dishes like pasta and soup. It can also be reheated whilst cold smoked salmon cannot.

It's a popular choice for Christmas, either as a canape, served on a blini (small pancake) or bread with cream cheese or mayo / horseradish sauce, and a spritz of lemon and pepper - or as a luxury breakfast or lunch option.

As such, most supermarkets offer some festive editions of their everyday smoked salmon, with some also offering smoked trout as a vibrant alternative. 

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Supermarket smoked salmon festive specials

We've rounded up some of the festive editions available for 2022 to help you find the best Christmassy smoked salmon for you. 

Trends this year include fancy smoke flavour combinations and citrussy twists. Lidl is going the extra mile with an attention-grabbing gold-dusted salmon side:

Aldi Specially Selected Smoked Scottish Salmon in Gin & Lime Oil (100g), £3.49 Salt-cured, cold-smoked Scottish salmon marinated in gin and lime oil. Available from 10 December from Aldi.

Asda Extra Special Hand Finished Muscovado & Sea Salt Cured Scottish Smoked Salmon (120g), £4.75 Cured using sea salt, muscovado sugar and lemon zest, smoked in a bespoke wood blend for a unique smoky flavour. Responsibly farmed. Buy now from Asda.

Co-op Irresistible Beech & Oak Smoked Scottish Smoked Salmon (100g), £5.85 Scottish farmed salmon, smoked over beech and oakwood. RSPCA assured. Available now from Co-op. 

Iceland Luxury Smoked Salmon (150g), £5.00 Luxury beech and oak wood smoked salmon slices. Available now from Iceland.

Lidl Deluxe Smoked Salmon slices (130g), £3.99 Slices infused with beetroot, honey, mustard and dill and topped with edible gold lustre. Lidl also has champagne and gin infused options to choose from, as well as a whole gold-topped smoked salmon side, seasoned with brown sugar and sea salt and oak-smoked, for £9.99. Available from Lidl in-store from 15 December.

Morrisons The Best Triple Smoked Scottish Salmon with Orange (130g), £4.50 cured with sea salt and Demerara sugar, marinated with orange juice and clementine oil, and garnished with a dried orange slice. Responsibly farmed. Available for delivery from 20 December from Morrisons.

M&S Collection Lemon and Pepper Oak Smoked Salmon (100g), £5.35 cured and carefully smoked over oak wood, brushed with lemon infused oil, and finished with lemon zest and cracked black pepper. RSPCA assured. Available now from Ocado.

Sainsbury’s Hebridean Kiln Dried Thick Sliced ASC Scottish Smoked Salmon, Taste the Difference (100g), £4.50 Cured with sea salt and demerara sugar. RSPCA assured. Available now from Sainsbury’s.

Tesco Finest Scottish Smoked Salmon (120g), £5.10 cured with a blend of salt and sugar, gently smoked over smouldering hickory and oak and left to mature over 24 hours. RSPCA assured. Available now from Tesco.

Waitrose No.1 Truffle Flavoured Smoked Salmon (100g), £6.25 Scottish salmon, cured, hung kiln smoked over chestnut, oak and beech wood, finished with a blend of truffle flavoured extra virgin olive oil (1%) and natural flavouring with a dried parsley garnish. Sustainably sourced. Available now from Waitrose.

How to source cheap smoked salmon 

Smoked salmon is generally quite pricey, but you don't need to go for the fancy festive options. 

Picking standard smoked salmon can save money, and be easily spruced up with a simple garnish of lemon and pepper, herbs or you can even mimic the supermarket specials with a dash of fizz or gin over the top.

It's worth checking smoked trout options too which can sometimes be cheaper. For example, Lidl's Deluxe Smoked Rainbow Danish Trout is £6.99 for a 300g pack (£2.33 per 100g), whereas its Deluxe Smoked Salmon is £3.07 per 100g.

Alternatively, you can buy smoked salmon trimmings. These are often much cheaper than regular smoked salmon and although not as glamorous as, say, a herb-crusted gravlax, they are still tasty and versatile. 

How to serve smoked salmon

If a show-stopping salmon starter is what you’re after for your Christmas feast, here are some ways to use smoked salmon.

• Smoked salmon topped blinis, with cream cheese and capers. A classic canape at any Christmas party. You can play around with most elements of this, swapping the blinis for small slices of bread, scones or potato cakes, or switching the cream cheese for home-made mayo or horseradish sauce. Top with flavourings of your choice such as a squeeze of lemon and pepper or herbs.
• Smoked salmon pate. This option is a lot more budget friendly as you can use salmon trimmings which are a lot cheaper than traditional slices. Serve with warm bread, brioche buns or as part of a platter.
• Smoked salmon tart. Need to use up some leftover salmon? Try this BBC Good Food salmon tart recipe. It also works well in risotto, pasta or even scrambled eggs.

Best hot chocolate for Christmas - need a last minute gift, or want some warming luxury for the cold snap? See which supermarket hot chocolate beat fancy brands in our independent taste test

Choosing sustainable fish

For a complete guide on which species of salmon and other fish are being sustainably sourced, refer to the Marine Conservation Society fish guide, a simple guide which shows which fish are considered a sustainable choice based on where they have been farmed and how.

Keta, red and pink salmon are all rated as the ‘best choices’, meaning they are the most sustainably farmed and sourced salmons. Atlantic salmon has mixed ratings, so if purchasing from your local supermarket make sure you are checking the label for sustainability certifications like 'RSPCA assured' and notes from the supermarket about their sustainable practices.

Trout is a good alternative on this front too, as it is less intensively farmed than salmon. See our guide to choosing sustainable fish.

How to store smoked salmon and can you freeze it?

Fresh, cold smoked salmon slices usually last 4-5 days in the fridge once opened. Always check the packaging labels and follow use by dates.

You can usually freeze smoked salmon without issue, but check the packaging to make sure it's suitable for freezing.

Guidance on how long you can freeze smoked salmon for largely varies, however the longer it remains in the freezer, the more the smokiness will degrade so try and consume within 1-2 months. Always defrost in the fridge for 24 hours prior to consuming. Consume within 24 hours after defrosting.