Smoked Salmon Chowder {with Leeks & Fresh Tarragon}

Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder is a rich bowl of comforting decadence; each ingredient carefully chosen to complement the delicate, smoky salmon and allow it to shine.

Soups are a specialty of mine, and I think this Smoked Salmon Chowder may be one of the best soups I’ve ever created.

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Ingredient Notes: What You Need to Know

I spent a lot of time and care developing this rich, decadent salmon chowder recipe. Each ingredient was chosen specifically because it works to highlight the star of the show.

For this reason, you won’t find any bacon, or corn, or cream cheese (seriously people?!?), or added thickeners like cornstarch or flour, or anything else that could eclipse the sweet, smoky, delicate flavor of the salmon. 

There are the six key ingredients that set this amazing chowder apart:

1. Hot Smoked Salmon [The Star!]

Smoked salmon is a blanket term for salmon of any origin (wild, farmed) or cut (fillet, steak) that is cured with hot or cold smoke.

For this smoked salmon chowder recipe, you want to use hot-smoked salmon. Hot-smoked salmon is smoked basically like meat, resulting in a firm, flaky piece of fish. The flavor and texture will be similar to grilled salmon, with smoky undertones.

Be sure to use as high-quality smoked salmon as you can find/afford.  Good-quality smoked salmon should still look like fish. If at all possible, avoid using the rock-hard, vacuum-packed bricks o’salmon sitting in the fish section cooler. Also, for the purposes of this recipe, do not use “flavored” smoked salmon (i.e, teriyaki, peppered, lemon, etc.). 

Scroll down past the recipe card to learn more about the different types of cured and smoked salmon, what works best for this recipe, and where to find the best smoked salmon ever.
(Hint: It’s in Oregon!)

2. Leeks

The base for this chowder is riff on the French classic, potage parmentier, or potato leek soup. I chose leeks for this recipe instead white or sweet onions because they have a milder, more delicate flavor than their onion cousins, so they complement the smoked salmon flavors instead of overpowering them.

Leeks, which look like giant green onions, are notorious for having hidden sand and grit in between their tightly packed leaves. In the recipe below, I’ve included basic information on how to prep the leeks, but if you need a detailed tutorial, you may find this post – “How to Clean & Cut Leeks” – very helpful. 

3. Potatoes, Potatoes, Potatoes (Why you need three varieties for this chowder) 

Each of the three types of potatoes in this chowder serves an important role. 

• Russet potatoes have a neutral flavor and high starch content, resulting in a creamy, soft texture that breaks down easily. This all makes them the perfect choice for making a creamy soup, as they act as a natural thickener.
• Yukon Golds are a cross between a North American white potato and a wild South American yellow-fleshed one. Their golden flesh is richly flavored and fairly firm and moist, with medium starch content. They hold their shape a better than Russets, and contribute to the chowder’s classic chunkiness. 
• White Sweet Potatoes add a mild sweet component to the mix that complements and highlights the natural sweetness of the salmon. They also help to thicken the chowder. 

4. Fresh Tarragon

Tarragon is often described by French chefs as the king of herbs. Its delicate flavor pairs perfectly with the smoked salmon in this French-inspired chowder. 

In my experience, fresh tarragon has a completely unique flavor; one that is noticeably changed by the drying process. If you must use dried tarragon (which I do not recommend) keep in mind that it has a much more concentrated, intense flavor than that of fresh. As a rule, use 1 scant teaspoon of dried herb for every tablespoon of fresh. 

If possible, use fresh French tarragon (as opposed to Russian tarragon, which can be bitter) for best results. 

5. Grated Carrots

You may not think that something as simple as grating a carrot (versus dicing it) would have any significant impact on a recipe, but in this case it really does. Coarsely grating the carrots allows them to cook faster, meld with the other chowder components more readily, and (bonus!) it gives your soup some lovely color in the process. 

6. Heavy Cream vs. Everything Else 

If possible, use full-bodied, heavy cream. Smoked salmon chowder is something special: treat it that way. 

And Yes, in case you’re asking, you can make it with half & half, or even straight-up milk for that matter, but it won’t be the same. Trust me. 

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

Types of Cured Salmon (and which kind works best for this recipe)

For best results, you should use Hot-Smoked Salmon when making this chowder. With that in mind, I thought it might be helpful to do a brief run-down of the major types of cured salmon to avoid any confusion. 

For best results, use hot smoked salmon for this recipe! 

Cured salmon can be broken down into two basic categories: brine-cured salmon, and smoked salmon (hot & cold).

Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon is a blanket term for salmon of any origin (wild, farmed) or cut (fillet, steak) that is cured with hot or cold smoke.

• Hot-Smoked Salmon <<< THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO USE FOR CHOWDER!
  • Hot Smoked salmon is smoked basically like meat, resulting in a firm, flaky piece of fish. The flavor and texture will be similar to grilled salmon, with smoky undertones. 
  • Use as high-quality smoked salmon as you can find/afford, and look for smoked salmon that still looks like fish, as opposed to a hard brick. (See “Where to Get the Best Smoked Salmon” below.) Also, for the purposes of this recipe, avoid “flavored” smoked salmon (i.e, teriyaki, peppered, lemon, etc.). 
• Cold-Smoked Salmon is smoked significantly longer and at a lower temperature than hot-smoked, which results in a texture that is similar to lox, but with an infused smoky flavor. 

Brine-Cured Salmon {Delicious for brunch, but not for chowder!}

• Lox is salmon that has been cured in a salt-brine. Authentic lox traditionally comes from the belly of the salmon, and is sliced very thin for serving. Lox are salt-cured, but unlike smoked salmon, does not go through a smoking process. 

• Gravlax is like Lox, in that it undergoes a curing process, and it isn’t smoked afterwards. The difference between lox and gravlax is in the brining spices: gravlax is cured with sugar, salt, and dill, rather than a salt brine. 

Where to Get the Best Smoked Salmon Ever!

(Before you read this section, it’s important you know that this is Not A Sponsored Post. No one is paying me in any way for what I’m about to write.)

Mr B and I both grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and we’ve eaten a lot of salmon in our day. So it is no small thing that we both agree on this point: in our experience, the best commercially available fresh smoked salmon in the world (yeah, that’s what I said – THE WORLD) can be found at a place called Robba Gump’s Smoke’n Fish Co., in the tiny tourist town of Depoe Bay on the Central Oregon Coast. 

Mr B and I first stumbled into Robba Gump’s a few years ago. Back then, the shop was a tight, narrow space, wedged between a beach-themed candy shop and a whale watching tour kiosk on the far south end of town. Owner Rob Jacobs greeted us at the door with a plate full of generous samples, and we walked away with a pound of the most delicious smoked salmon I’ve ever eaten.

Rob tells us he “double-smokes” his salmon. I’m not sure what that means, but the final product is perfect: moist and sweet, with just the right amount of smoke to allow the flavors of the salmon shine. And, since Rob’s fish is not “overcooked” (as is the case with the majority of mass-produced smoked salmon), it retains its fresh, flaky texture, making it the ideal choice for this Smoked Salmon Chowder recipe. 

Recently, Robba Gump’s moved to a new location on the north end of town, into what feels like ten times the space of their previous digs. The new place even has tables where you can relax and enjoy a snack, and visit with Rob and his wife. Business is good. It should be: like I said, Rob makes the best smoked salmon in the world. 

Robba Gump’s Smoke’n Fish Co.
488 N Highway 101
Depoe Bay, Oregon 97341

(541) 614-4296

UPDATE 1/18/2020 – It appears that Rob is in the process of making another move. We hope to connect with him again in the spring, and I’ll update this post with new contact info when/if I do. 

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