Lox is a famous topping for bagels among deli denizens. The salty and savory taste of lox goes well with a fresh bagel and cream cheese. Although some would say that lox has a following among deli food lovers because of bagels, most are unaware that it has a rich history.
Lox is made from salmon, so people are quick to confuse Nova lox, lox, and smoked salmon.
Note: Lox by itself is quite salty. The reason it is often served on a bagel and with cream cheese and other ingredients is to balance the flavors out and provide a better mouthfeel.
Usually it is served on a bagel with some seeds for added depth and crunch. Cream cheese adds creaminess and a luscious mouthfeel. And onions add a bit of sharpness with their sharp and pungent flavor and crisp texture.
Together, a bagel with lox, cream cheese is a symphony of flavors that has achieve iconic status and this is why it has become a staple of Jewish Delis everywhere.
Those who run in deli circles know the difference, but if you are new to the deliciousness of lox, here’s everything you need to know about it!
What Are Lox?
Lox derives from the German word ‘lachs,’ which means salmon. The word takes roots from other languages too. In Yiddish, it’s called ‘laks.’ It’s prepared as filets and usually served with a bagel and cream cheese.
Some prefer smoked lox over non-smoked lox. Regardless, the garnish remains typical for lox and bagel with capers, sliced onion, tomato, and cucumbers.
Lox is generally popular as brined salmon, which is a Scandinavian tradition popular among Ashkenazi Jews.
When Eastern European Jews immigrated to the United States, they brought the potential for a new cuisine. Cured, smoked, and brined fish was prominent in their cooked food.
Despite the Scandinavian roots of brined salmon, lox and bagel is purely American creation. At first, the combination was not well-received by Jewish immigrants back in the 1950s. However, now lox and bagel is a highly-cherished and sought-after deli creation.
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What Are the Types of Lox?
The most common types of brined salmon or lox are as follows:
Gravad Lax or Gravlax
It’s a generic Nordic method of preparing salmon. The fish is coated and immersed in dill, salt, and sugar before dry-curing it. Gravlax can be smoked or not, depending on the preference of the consumer. While sugar, salt, and dill are the typical seasoning, it can have coriander, allspice, fennel, or juniper berry too.
Nova Lox
The most popular lox used on the deli menu is Nova Lox. The salmon is brined mildly and cold-smoked. At one point, New York City’s salmon would only come from Nova Scotia, and that’s how this lox got the name. Now, despite being called Nova, the fish can come from a farm or other waters.
Scotch
When fish is dry-brined in salt and sometimes sugar and other flavorings, it’s called Scotch. The method is popularly known as the ‘Scottish style.’ After a while, the mixture is removed from the fish, and it’s cold-smoked.
These are the popular lox used around the world as brined salmon. In the United States, the most common types of lox used in delis come from Alaskan salmon species and Atlantic salmon. Due to the decrease in the wild-caught lox species, there’s an increase in the use of farm-raised salmon.
Also be sure to see our complete guide to kippered salmon.
How to Make Lox?
If you want to make lox at home for a healthy and fresh alternative to store-bought lox, here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Salmon: buy the thick belly section of the fish, which is perfect for making lox. You can choose from a skinless or skin-on salmon-either will work fine. Note that a skin-on salmon tastes better.
- Sea Salt: kosher salt is the most preferred option for lox. Do not use table salt because it does not give the best results.
- Fresh Dill: dried dill is not recommended to prepare lox at home. Fresh dill is aromatic, and you can make do with 1/3 of the amount.
- White Pepper: You can use white pepper to make the lox look clear. Black pepper could be used, but it will leave specks on the lox.
- Sugar (optional): some people like to add sugar to their lox recipes. You don’t have to do it because salt is enough to cure salmon at home.
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Process to Make Lox at Home
- Step 1:Start by rinsing the salmon under cold water. Once you are done, pat it dry.
- Step 2: Place a piece of plastic wrap on a smooth surface.
- Step 3:Sprinkle salt, white pepper, and fresh dill on the plastic wrap.
- Step 4:Place the salmon on top and sprinkle more dill, salt, and white pepper. Do not hesitate to cover the salmon in seasonings. It will look like a lot at first, but it’s supposed to appear that way before being cured.
- Step 5: Wrap up the salmon in the plastic wrap and add another layer of wrap.
- Step 6: Place the salmon in a shallow baking dish with a smaller dish on top. Add metal cans to weigh the fish down.
- Step 7:refrigerate the salmon for 36 hours and flip it every 12 hours while draining the dish.
- Step 8: Rinse the salmon to remove the salt. Pat it dry before refrigerating it uncovered.
- Step 9:Keep it in the refrigerator from 12 hours to overnight.
- Step 10:Use a sharp knife to cut thin slices of lox.
What Is Lox Spread?
Lox spread is a popular bagel filling that brings out the best flavor of brined salmon in a lox and bagel combo. The spread is made of cream cheese and salmon, and it has a strong flavor that blends well with the freshness of the bagel.
You can make lox spread at home with an easy recipe.
Ingredients for Lox Spread
- 80g of lox or smoked salmon
- Half a cup of cream cheese
- 1 tbsp of fresh chives
- 1 tbsp of mayo
- 1 lemon (juice)
- Black pepper (a pinch)
Instructions for Lox Spread
- Step 1:Add lemon juice, cream cheese, and mayo to the food processor.
- Step 2: Mix it for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is soft.
- Step 3:Add the chives, salmon, and black pepper.
- Step 4:Process it again until the salmon is in tiny pieces. Do not over-process. Otherwise, the lox spread will turn into a paste.
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The Most Popular Ways to Serve Lox
Lox is often associated with lunch and breakfast menus, but you do not need to limit the consumption of the deliciously brined salmon. You can serve it as an appetizer or main dish—it depends on when you crave it! Here are some common ways to serve lox.
With Bagel and Cream Cheese
This comes as a non-surprise because lox is most commonly eaten with a bagel and cream cheese. The cream cheese or spread or schmear is the lox spread. You can top it off with capers, onion slices, and black pepper.
With Salad
Fresh lox on top of radishes, arugula, avocado, and cucumber is a great idea for a simple yet delicious lunch. You can add vinaigrette dressing to it.
With Eggs
Another outstanding combination is lox and eggs. You can have fresh lox with scrambled eggs and avocado. A great way to serve eggs and lox is to cut an avocado in half and fill it with a hard-boiled egg and fresh lox.
With Latkes
If you are craving potato pancakes or latkes, prepare a batch at home and pair it with fresh lox. It will be your traditional Jewish dish. Add a dollop of sour cream and horseradish to the meal, and you are good to go!
The Best Bagel and Lox in NYC | Best of the Best
Sibling duo Aly and Charlie Weisman visit four of New York City’s top-ranked bagel shops to find the best bagel and lox sandwich in the city. The restaurants included are Russ & Daughters, Tompkins Square Bagel, Ess-a-Bagel, and Absolute Bagels.
Summary
Lox is brined salmon that’s popular in the United States as a topping for bagels and it is unofficially required at many Jewish events like a Bris, Bar Mitzvah, or Wedding. Most delis serve lox with cream cheese spread (lox spread) and toppings like red onion slices, capers, and a pinch of black pepper.
Jewish immigrants didn’t like the American way lox and bagels were served when this recipe was first introduced.
However, given the popularity of this savory and salty combo, people are sold on the idea of eating fresh lox on a bagel. If you aren’t visiting a deli for your fix of fresh lox, you can prepare it at home with basic ingredients and enjoy a serving with eggs, latkes, or salad!
Lox – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Smoked Salmon Too Salty?
Smoked salmon has a high sodium content because of its curation process. A 3.5-ounce or 100g of smoked salmon contains 600 to 1200 mg of sodium. You can reduce the amount of salt in smoked salmon by reducing its soaking time by 4 hours.
What Are Lox Trimmings?
Lox trimmings are the bits taken from the top layer of smoked salmon. The trimmings are perfect for adding flavor to dishes like quiche, pasta, kedgeree, or scrambled eggs.
How Long Can You Leave Lox Out?
You can sit lox or smoked salmon out at room temperature for two hours. A general guideline is to serve it fresh, but if you must keep it out, you can take advantage of good smoking techniques and cooler weather.
What Is Pastrami Lox?
Gravlax is a version of lox that’s not smoked for flavor. It’s coated in spices and molasses that bring it closer to the taste of pastrami.
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My name is Jay and I started this website to share my love of Deli Food. I am Jewish with Italian ancestry and grandparents who emigrated to the US from Poland, Russia and Turkey. This website is my celebration of the delicious flavors of international deli culture. Please feel free to send me your suggestions and feedback through the contact form.
