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The best smoked salmon to kick off Christmas dinner in style
The Good Housekeeping Institute reveals this year’s best smoked salmon for your festive menu
Tested by JoJo AnastasiouFood and Drinks Tester
It simply wouldn’t be Christmas without smoked salmon making an appearance — whether that’s on blinis, alongside scrambled eggs on your Christmas morning bagel, or as a canapé with a glass of our expert-tested champagne.
With that in mind, the Good Housekeeping Institute set out to find the very best smoked salmon for your festive feast, whatever your budget.
From rich and fatty, to lean and mild, our panel worked their way through a wide selection from the supermarkets and independent smokehouses — so we’re confident we’ve found the very best for the big day.
Best smoked salmon 2024
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The Fish Society FishRjumpin Smoked Scottish Salmon 100g
Read review - 5
Looking for something a little different this year? We’ve also tested the best flavoured smoked salmon, for festive fish with a twist.
How we test smoked salmon
Our team of smoked salmon specialists (they taste hundreds of slivers every Christmas) sampled 19 varieties from supermarkets and small independents to find their favourites for 2024.
They judged the aroma, appearance and freshness of the fish, as well as the texture and overall flavour balance (a touch of salt and a slightly sweet finish is key).
Score: 85/100
Luxury department store Fortnum & Mason took the top spot in this year’s smoked salmon taste test, with its welfare-accredited fish. Testers loved the light orange hue, fresh, floral aroma, well-balanced smoke, and delicate, buttery texture.
Tesco Finest Strong And Robust Scottish Smoked Salmon 100g
Score: 81/100
Tesco’s smoked salmon certainly looks the part, with its rich orange appearance, and it has an authentic hint of hickory smoke. The high fat content means you can look forward to a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel too. Perfect for piling on canapés or toasted English muffins come Christmas morning.
Score: 77/100
These thick salmon slices have a traditional flavour, with rich smoke, a good level of salt and just a hint of sweetness. They’re a great all-rounder for a variety of dishes, although we defy you not to eat it straight from the pack.
Score: 77/100
The Fish Society holds its own yearly taste test for its “fishjumpin” pack, to see which smokehouse does the best job. This year’s Scottish fish is moist and succulent, with a concentrated and long-lasting smoky flavour that will suit stronger palates.
Score: 77/100
Morrisons recognises that consumers want choice when it comes to the level of smoke in their salmon. As a result, this “strong and intense” version leans towards a woody campfire smoke, with well-balanced sweetness.
Score: 76/100
Get a taste of Loch Fyne’s restaurant-quality fish at home with this Scottish smoked salmon, which is cured with a combination of sugar and salt — before being smoked over whisky chips. The delicate flavour has hints of lemon and orange notes, which pairs well with the salty finish.
Score: 76/100
Don’t underestimate Amazon’s own grocery range – this smoked salmon impressed testers with its moist texture, well-integrated smoke and salty finish. It cuts easily with no stringy pieces in sight, making it perfect for blinis.
Score: 76/100
This buttery soft smoked salmon is worth seeking out for your Christmas table. The flavour is as classic as they come, with robust smoke from the cherry, alder and birch wood, and a hint of natural sweetness on the finish.
Score: 74/100
Weighing in at 300g, this generous pack is a safe bet when hosting larger gatherings. The brand has taken its time with this one, curing the fish with salt for up to 26 hours (the longer the cure, the saltier the fish) before smoking it over oak and beech wood for a well-rounded flavour.
Score: 74/100
Testers praised the light peatiness and complex umami flavour of this traditional smoked salmon. The firm texture makes it perfect for pairing with soft scrambled eggs on sourdough with a sprinkle of fresh chives.
Score: 73/100
A vibrant peach shade with a glossy finish, this Sainsbury’s smoked salmon is certainly a looker. But, more importantly, how did it taste? There’s real complexity here, with sweet hickory smoke and lingering saltiness from the brine. Soft and moist, it’ll be the star of the show this festive season.
Score: 73/100
Asda’s “rich and intense” smoked salmon is certainly that, with pronounced smoke and a moreish fatty quality. The texture is moist while retaining a satisfying bite, too.
Score: 71/100
The budget-friendly fish is beautifully cut and golden orange, exuding a sense of luxury without the price tag. The panel felt it delivered a delicious depth of flavour, with the perfect balance of salt, sweetness and smoke in each buttery bite, making it the perfect pairing with cava.
These also passed...
- Ocado Long Sliced Smoked Salmon, £5.75 for 180g, Score: 70/100
- H. Forman & Son London Cure Smoked Salmon, £7.35 for 100g, Score: 70/100
- Abel & Cole Severn & Wye Smokery Smoked Salmon Side, £36.90 for 360g, Score: 70/100
- Campbell’s & Co Smoked Salmon, £15 for 250g, Score: 70/100
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
Millie is freelance journalist and editor with five years’ experience writing product reviews, buying guides, breaking news and about the latest trends.
Millie has also reviewed countless restaurants and written travel features for British GQ, The Telegraph and the Independent, and has interviewed a number of leading chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Heston Blumenthal and Raymond Blanc.
Founder of creative catering brand @grazeandgorge, Millie also spends her time creating seasonal recipes and tablescape content, as well as planning her next golden retriever-friendly getaway and rearranging her own home bar cart (... again).
Joanna Anastasiou is our Food and Drinks Tester, and has completed certifications in Sensory Foundation and WSET Wine Level 2 training. Prior to this she studied geography with conservation biology at the University of Exeter and trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Through this she has developed a passion for sustainability within the food and agricultural sectors. Joanna also volunteers in kitchens with FoodCycle, as well as on multiple wildlife conservation projects, where she formed a particular love for bees!
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