Way back in the 60s, when my parents threw the occasional party and this Smoky Salmon Spread was on the table. Mom would put it out in a sweet little silver bowl, looking all fancy. No one knew it was one of our dogs’ trophies; it was engraved on the bottom.  🙂

Smoky Salmon Spread

While there are some items made back in the day that should never see the light of day again, I think it’s time this Smoky Salmon Spread had a place at the table again.

About Smoky Salmon Spread:

What’s not to love about a spread that’s tossed together in minutes from ingredients you might already have in your fridge and pantry?

Maybe other than the fact that it’s made from fish? Admittedly, those raised in areas along the Great Lakes or near coastal waters might be more likely to take a spread like this in stride; for the rest of us, maybe it’s time to rethink this as a high-protein option at a get-together.

The smoky flavor keeps this little spread from being so delicate that it feels like “women’s food.”  And at the risk of being sexist, guys seem to go for this more than my women friends do. Does it appeal to some ancient NA deeply imprinted somewhere in the genes? Fishing? Smoking stuff?

This is going to be fabulous any time of year, but serving it around St. Paddy’s warms the cockles of my heart! It’s fast and easy enough to make almost anytime, for the family, for guests, to serve at home, or bring to a party.

Making Smoky Salmon Spread:

I adore that Smoky Salmon Spread is a breeze to whip up; it can be made at the drop of a hat. Just mix everything and pop it into a serving bowl. Don’t forget the cream cheese needs to be taken out ahead to soften to room temperature ahead of time.

This calls for canned salmon, a budget (and easy) option. You can go all out and cook your own Salmon. You’ll need around 7 ounces, raw. If you smoke your own salmon, leave out the liquid smoke and use less (it’s stronger), around 4 ounces of smoked.

Trout can be substituted for the salmon; smoked trout is particularly good.

Smoky Salmon Spread

Make Ahead:

• This can be served immediately after mixing, but is best if the flavors are given a little time to blend.
• Make ahead by an hour and up to three days. If it’s too stiff, let sit at room temperature for a bit.

Serving:

If you wish, you can do what my Mom often did for parties: set up a platter with some dolloped out ahead on toast or crackers, and the rest sitting nearby with additional makings.

This is good on rye toast; toasting your own and cutting into squares is the budget option, but for a full retro experience, little loaves or rye bread can be found in the gourmet section.

Try it on toasted Irish Soda Bread, like Ballymaloe’s Irish Soda Bread. It was my original thought, but Gibson, my lab, took care of that bread for me!

This spread is also good on thinly sliced cucumber, pear, or apple if you’re thinking low carb. It makes a fabulous sandwich layered with your fave veggies and Swiss or Gouda cheese.

Gibson loved the water! And any food sitting around!

Leftover Smoky Salmon Spread:

Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days. Do not freeze.

If you’ve used a larger 14 1/2 ounce can, you’ll use half. The rest keeps in the fridge for three to four days and can be frozen.

Other Old Fashioned Spreads You Might Like:

• Aunt Lou’s Hot Crab Dip
• Deviled Ham
• Old English Potted Cheese

Old English Potted Cheese

Saving Money on Groceries:

What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.

• The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
• If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.

Canned Salmon:

There are two times of the year when canned salmon (and most fish and seafood) is heavily discounted; if you use this product and find it at rock bottom, stock up for the year:

• The best sales are during Lent, the weeks before Easter. For more items likely to be on sale, see Easter & Lent, Leveraging the Sales.
• The other is during Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas. The sales will be sporadic and may not be as good. See my post on Winter Holidays for other items.
• Shop around, especially during Lent and Advent, and check pricing at multiple stores, including discount and dollar stores. A surprise option is pharmacies, where the sales might include digital store coupons; watch for great honey prices there, too.
• There are two species of canned Salmon commonly available in the US. They’re both wild-caught: the first is Sockeye (Red Salmon) from Alaska; the other is Pink Salmon from the West Coast and Alaska. Sockeye is considered superior and pricier, and Pink is the bargain and a sustainable option.
• For more about Canned Salmon, see What to Do with that Canned Salmon Lurking in the Pantry and NOAA.

Cream Cheese:

• Will be on sale before almost every holiday, especially the big “baking” holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The discount stores, Aldi & Lidl, as well as buyer’s clubs, have great pricing and Holiday sales, too.
• Check dollar stores around Christmas; in the past few years, I’ve picked up packages for a dollar (2022 – 2024).
• Know your pricing:  the regular price, sale price, and great sale price. Don’t be afraid to stock up at rock bottom.
• Cream cheese keeps for weeks after the “best by” date. It can be frozen, but once thawed is best used in recipes.
• Some brands rely on”gums” for thickening, which can affect no-bake items that need to set up w/o heat.
• Nuefchatel is often less expensive than full-fat.

Hello Fellow Frugals…I know this spread might throw some of you off, but I love it. Maybe because I was raised on it. If you have a can of salmon in the cupboard and no plans to use it, I highly recommend this!

Mollie

Smoky Salmon Spread

My Mom’s Smoky Salmon Spread

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• Author: mollie kirby

Ingredients

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• 1 small (about 6-ounce) can of Sockeye (Red) Salmon, drained and picked over
• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon liquid Smoke
• 1 teaspoon horseradish (prepared)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• a good dash or two of lemon pepper, go by taste (substitute a bit of pepper and finely grated lemon rind)
• salt, if desired

Notes:

• Prepared horseradish comes in small jars (and keeps in the fridge nearly forever). It’s not mixed with any substance like horseradish sauce is.
• Liquid smoke is distilled smoke; basically, the flavor is caught in steam, and the particles are left behind. It keeps in the pantry literally for years.

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Instructions

Mix all ingredients together to the desired consistency. Serve slightly chilled.

Nutrition:

1 teaspoon: Calories 26; Total Fat 2 g 3 %; Saturated Fat 1 g 7 %; Monounsaturated Fat 1 g; Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g; Trans Fat 0 g; Cholesterol 7 mg 2 %; Sodium 26 mg 1 %; Potassium 8 mg 0 %; Total Carbohydrate 0 g 0 %; Dietary Fiber 0 g 0 %; Sugars 0 g; Protein 1 g 3 %; Vitamin A 2 %; Vitamin C 0 %; Calcium 0 %; Iron 0 %