Hot-Smoked Salmon with Tarragon Crème Fraîche

A luxurious hot-smoked salmon dish featuring a 4-pound salmon fillet infused with aromatic spices and served with a creamy tarragon-infused crème fraîche. Perfect for serving on bagels with various fresh accompaniments.

8 servings

4 hr 18 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 whole skin-on center-cut salmon fillet
•1 spray Nonstick vegetable oil spray
•1 to taste Kosher salt
•½ medium shallot
•2 cups crème fraîche
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
•1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
•3 tablespoons coriander seeds
•1 tablespoon black peppercorns
•1 tablespoon dill seeds
•1 teaspoon celery seeds
•1 serving accompaniments for serving
•1 piece cast-iron skillet
•1 piece circular wire rack
•2 cups wood chips
•3 pieces bamboo skewers

Cooking Instructions

1.
Pat salmon dry, then generously coat skin and wire rack with nonstick spray. Place salmon, skin side down, on rack and set inside a rimmed baking sheet; season salmon flesh well with salt. Chill, uncovered, 3 hours.
180 min
2.
Whisk shallot, crème fraîche, tarragon, and lemon zest in a small bowl to combine; taste and season with salt. Cover and chill.
5 min
3.
Crumple 2 large sheets of heavy-duty foil to form two 4"-diameter balls. Heat skillet over medium-high, 6 minutes. Spread 2 cups wood chips in center of skillet and let char until partially blackened and smoking, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle coriander seeds, peppercorns, dill seeds, and celery seeds over chips. Carefully set rack with salmon in skillet over chips. Set foil balls on either side of fillet and push 3 skewers vertically into fillet along the bloodline about 1" deep and 3" apart. Loosely cover skillet with foil, using foil balls and skewers as support so there is space for smoke to circulate around the fish.
15 min
4.
Reduce heat to medium and smoke salmon 8 minutes, then reduce heat to lowest setting and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of fillet registers 120°F, 10-15 minutes. Transfer rack with salmon back to baking sheet and let cool 30 minutes.
53 min
5.
Serve salmon at room temperature with tarragon crème fraîche, bagels, capers, avocados, cucumbers, watercress, and scallions alongside.
5 min

Ingredients

•1 whole skin-on center-cut salmon fillet

•1 spray Nonstick vegetable oil spray

•1 to taste Kosher salt

•½ medium shallot

•2 cups crème fraîche

•2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

•1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

•3 tablespoons coriander seeds

•1 tablespoon black peppercorns

•1 tablespoon dill seeds

•1 teaspoon celery seeds

•1 serving accompaniments for serving

•1 piece cast-iron skillet

•1 piece circular wire rack

•2 cups wood chips

•3 pieces bamboo skewers

Cooking Instructions

Pat salmon dry, then generously coat skin and wire rack with nonstick spray. Place salmon, skin side down, on rack and set inside a rimmed baking sheet; season salmon flesh well with salt. Chill, uncovered, 3 hours.

180 min

Whisk shallot, crème fraîche, tarragon, and lemon zest in a small bowl to combine; taste and season with salt. Cover and chill.

5 min

Crumple 2 large sheets of heavy-duty foil to form two 4"-diameter balls. Heat skillet over medium-high, 6 minutes. Spread 2 cups wood chips in center of skillet and let char until partially blackened and smoking, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle coriander seeds, peppercorns, dill seeds, and celery seeds over chips. Carefully set rack with salmon in skillet over chips. Set foil balls on either side of fillet and push 3 skewers vertically into fillet along the bloodline about 1" deep and 3" apart. Loosely cover skillet with foil, using foil balls and skewers as support so there is space for smoke to circulate around the fish.

15 min

Reduce heat to medium and smoke salmon 8 minutes, then reduce heat to lowest setting and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of fillet registers 120°F, 10-15 minutes. Transfer rack with salmon back to baking sheet and let cool 30 minutes.

53 min

Serve salmon at room temperature with tarragon crème fraîche, bagels, capers, avocados, cucumbers, watercress, and scallions alongside.

5 min