Smoked Peppercorn-Crusted Salmon with Smoked Salt Butter

Pan-seared salmon finished with a cracked smoked peppercorn crust and a knob of smoked salt butter melting over the top. The peppercorns go on after searing so the crust stays sharp, and the butter is stirred through off the heat for a rich, genuinely smoky finish.

Ingredients

2 salmon fillets, skin on
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp LittleBig Smokehouse Smoked Peppercorns, roughly cracked
40g butter, softened
1/2 tsp LittleBig Smokehouse Smoked Salt
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Lemon wedges, to serve

Directions

Mix the softened butter with the smoked salt and lemon zest, then set aside at room temperature.
Pat the salmon fillets dry and rub lightly with olive oil.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat and sear the salmon, skin-side down, for 4–5 minutes until crisp.
Flip and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until just cooked through.
Remove from the heat and press the cracked smoked peppercorns firmly onto the top of each fillet while the surface is still warm.
Top each fillet with a spoonful of smoked salt butter, let it melt naturally over the fish, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Why Smoked Peppercorn & Smoked Salt Work in This Recipe

Smoked peppercorns keep their peppery bite even after a short blast of high heat, which is why they’re pressed onto the salmon after searing rather than before — added late, the smoky aroma stays sharp instead of burning off in the pan. Smoked salt works the same way here: stirred through softened butter off the heat, it carries its warm, woodsy character straight onto the fish as the butter melts. Discover more ways to use them in our smoked spices guide.