You Only Need 2 Spices To Give Your Salmon A Wonderfully Smoky Flavor

Making salmon with a delicious smoky flavor doesn't need to be complicated or challenging. Instead of having to set up your smoker or plan hours to cure and dry fillets, you can give tonight's dish a similar taste with two simple spices. 

Reach into your kitchen cupboards and look for ancho chili powder and smoked paprika. The two ingredients can give your fish a smoky taste that can be enjoyed as a main dish or used as part of another recipe like tacos or salads. No fancy smoking devices or fires are required, and your tastebuds will be thanking your culinary creativity. If you're worried about heat associated with ancho chili, fear not: The ingredient is processed from poblano peppers, and the dried spice is more earthy than hot in taste. Smoked paprika has already been smoked (to make the spice, pimiento peppers are smoked, dried, and then ground into powder), and when combined, a few quick shakes of these two powders has the ability to transform tonight's dinner.

From tucking your smoky salmon into pasta or layering it onto bagel sandwiches, you'll be able to enjoy a similar taste of a freshly smoked fillet without needing to get your hands on smoke bags or pieces of cherry or apple wood. Typically, smoking salmon involves smoking cured fish for several hours until the fillet reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, yet with this easy spice hack, you'll save yourself time in the kitchen and plenty of prep work so that you can enjoy a similar taste with minimal effort. 

With a properly cooked piece of salmon, your guests may not even know the difference between the fish you've prepared and a fillet that has been smoked in the oven or on a grill. Before long, you may be finding yourself tossing ancho chili powder and smoked paprika onto other kinds of fish, chicken breasts, steak, and even vegetables for more flavorful, smoky meals.