Frequently Asked Questions

The PSU Farmers Market has a Health and Safety Plan in place, to help make shopping at the market safe for everyone. Currently, market staff is monitoring and limiting capacity of shoppers. However, if you place an order with us for Saturday market pick up, you can skip the line! Contact us to place your order. Payment will be accepted at our booth.

Unfortunately, we can’t always offer all of our smoked salmon products online. If you've had the pleasure and fortune of visiting us in person at the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, you know that we sometimes carry Smoked Salmon Jerkey! It’s a favorite for those looking to spend the day hiking in Washington Park, at Mt. Hood, or any other numerous fantastic hiking and camping spots around Portland, Oregon. However, because of the extra preparation time needed to make salmon jerky, we can’t always offer it online. Additionally, we have our famous Ivory Salmon (white Chinook salmon) that’s a rare delicacy for our local shopping customers. Because only 1 in 1000 of the wild salmon caught are white Chinooks, we can’t always secure a large source for smoking. We get it when we are able, but can’t always offer it online. If we do, however, don’t pass it up! It’s a rare delicacy that even the locals can’t stop talking about!

All orders are encrypted with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology on both your end and ours. SSL encrypts all of your personal information, including credit card number, name, and address, so that it can’t be read as the information travels over the Internet. In order for SSL to work, however, you must use an SSL-enabled browser. Please note: e-mail is NOT encrypted and is NOT considered a secure means of transmitting credit card information. If you prefer not to order online, you can always call us with your order!

Each order can only be shipped to one address. To ship to additional locations, please start a new order.

Because of the delicacy of our product, The Smokery can only ship to addresses within the U.S. (excluding Hawaii). We do not ship to Canada or internationally.

We do our best to keep our online shop current and up to date. If a product is listed on our website, but is out of stock online, we will provide a refund for that portion of the order or substitute the item(s) with another delicious flavor. Out-of-stock items will usually be available within one to two weeks.

Yes. We will send an email confirmation to the billing email address you supply when placing your order.

There is no sales tax in the state of Oregon.

Absolutely! We specialize in handling your large gift giving needs, as well as corporate orders. We’ll gladly speak with you about special requests, large orders, or corporate gift baskets. Choose any item, or group of items, from our online shop. We have a wide range of products to choose from. If you don’t see an item listed (whole smoked sides of salmon, for example), simply contact us!

The Smokery accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover to pay for your online order. When shopping at our farmers market locations, you may also use cash or checks, as well as wooden tokens purchased at the Market Manager’s booth.

We use FedEx Shipping, exclusively.

There is a flat $9.50 charge for packaging materials, per online order. The materials include a thermal foil bag with frozen gel packs, packed inside a reusable Styrofoam cooler and an outer cardboard casing. Informatively, ALL the items we use for packing are reusable! Shipping charges are calculated based on weight, destination, and FedEx shipping method.

We try our hardest to ship as soon as soon as possible, after your order is placed. Generally, however, orders placed at the end of one week will be shipped at the beginning of the following week, based on product availability. In the event of any undue delay, we will contact you by phone or e-mail. FedEx Ground deliveries must use a business address. Only FedEx Home deliveries may be shipped to a personal residence. We cannot ship to P.O. boxes, A.P.O.s, or F.P.O.s. The Smokery is not responsible for incomplete or incorrect addresses.

We use FedEx Air or FedEx 2-Day Ground*, depending on how quickly you want your smoked salmon delivered. You’ll have the option to choose which FedEx shipping method you’d prefer, once you’re ready to check out. * Important Note: We can only ship FedEx 2-Day Ground to Washington, Oregon, and California, during warmer months (generally March through October).

While you don’t have to be home to receive packages, our product is perishable and should be refrigerated immediately upon arrival. The Smokery will not be responsible for items delivered but not opened, packages that spoiled due to lack of refrigeration, or packages stolen or destroyed by pets or animals. Remember, we ship all our items in a thermal foil bag with frozen gel packs, packed inside a reusable Styrofoam cooler and an outer cardboard casing. Packages should be inspected immediately upon arrival. All claims must be made within 24 hours of receipt. Please do not discard any of the packaging, if there is a problem. Please contact us immediately.

Contact "The Smoke Master," Michael Jacobs, via our Find Us page.

Our goal is that your order will reach you in prime condition and ready for you to enjoy! However, if for any reason you are not completely satisfied, we want to know about it immediately. We will either refund all your payment or offer you replacement product.

Wild salmon is an excellent source of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, in addition to having high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are unique, in that our bodies cannot make them on their own. These “essential” oils can only be obtained from certain foods that are naturally high in omega-3s. They are an integral part of cell membranes throughout the body and affect the function of the cell receptors in these membranes. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish, such as salmon) at least two times (two servings) a week. These “good” fats are beneficial during all stages of our lives. For pregnant women and children, “preliminary research suggests [omega-3 fatty acids] can enhance brain development and improve learning, behavior and vision,” according to According to KidSafe Seafood. According to the American Heart Association, “Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of—or who have—cardiovascular disease. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids decrease risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats), which can lead to sudden death. Omega-3 fatty acids also decrease triglyceride levels, slow growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and lower blood pressure (slightly).” A recent 2016 study, published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation, found that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may help the heart heal itself after a heart attack. High doses, derived from fish oil and taken daily for six months after a heart attack, helped reduce scarring in the heart muscle and increase its ability to pump blood, researchers found. “Numerous studies show that omega-3 fatty acids, especially those found in certain oily ocean fish, reduce inflammation and joint pain.” ~Leslie Beck, registered dietitian and author of “Leslie Beck’s Nutrition Guide for Women: Managing Your Health With Diet, Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs” (Prentice Hall)

There’s an overwhelming (and sometimes conflicting) amount of information out there, telling us what is considered healthy and what isn’t. The wild-versus-farmed salmon debate is no exception. How do we balance the need to feed our bodies nutritionally dense foods, conserve the environment and its native species, and prevent potential biohazards resulting from aquafarming while continuing to feed an ever-growing population? While we can’t give you a direct, one-dimensional answer to these questions, we DO encourage you to make the best possible choices for you, your family, and your global community. Here, we’ve chosen to explain why we choose wild salmon over farmed salmon. Nutritional Density Farm-raised salmon are often raised in overcrowded conditions. Because of their “sedentary” lifestyle, farmed salmon fillets contain higher-than-normal amounts of fat and calories, for what is considered an average-sized serving. Conversely, because of their manufactured (and antibiotic-enhanced) diets, they contain fewer minerals than those found in wild salmon. For a side-by-side comparison of fats, vitamins, and minerals, take a look at this chart (published by authoritynutrition.com). Conserving Native Species Poor genetics, lowered immunity, lethal diseases, sea lice, etc… there’s good reason organizations are keeping a close eye on how escaped, farmed salmon may affect the long-term health of wild salmon. An FAO report states, “Negative effects [by escaped farmed salmon on wild Atlantic salmon populations] include both ecological interactions and genetic impacts of inter-breeding[…] It has been shown that inter-breeding of farm with wild salmon can result in reduced lifetime success, lowered individual fitness, and decreases in production over at least two generations.” Avoiding Biohazards from Aquafarming According to an NOAA Technical Report, issues with farmed salmon that carry the most risk include: The impact of bio-deposits (fish feces and uneaten feed) from farm operations on the environment beneath the net-pens. The impact on benthic communities by the accumulation of heavy metals in the sediments below the net-pens. The impact on non-target organisms by the use of therapeutic compounds (both pharmaceuticals and pesticides) at net-pen farms. While the spotlight on aquaculture biohazards have created a demand for safer farming practices, how do you find responsible salmon farms? Do your research! While we can’t list them all here, there are small operations that are doing it right! Creative Salmon and Skuna Bay—the former is certified organic while Skuna Bay uses best practices. Growing Population For home cooks and high-volume restaurants, farmed salmon certainly has its appeal… it’s cheap and available all year long. The Smokery, however, chooses to use wild-caught salmon because we still can. But, we are not blind to the fact that to ensure world health, there need to be alternatives for feeding ever-growing populations. In fact, there may come a day when the world’s population exceeds the demand for wild salmon. What agricultural farming has done to feed world populations, aquaculture can do too. Whether you choose to purchase wild-caught or farmed salmon, it helps to do your homework. Become an informed consumer. Ask your fish monger where they purchase their fish. If it’s farmed, ask them from where and then find out whatever you can about the company’s aquaculture practices. We’ve compiled a short list of organizations that we hope you’ll find helpful when making your fish-purchasing decisions. While not a comprehensive list of every resource available, we find these to be the most credible sources, thus far: Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch NOAA’s Fish Watch Washington State Department of Health Aquaculture Stewardship Council

We begin by using wild salmon caught along the Pacific Northwest’s coasts. Next, we use only the freshest ingredients in our brines. The Smoke Master then uses a special blend of hickory and mesquite to impart an intense, smokey flavor to the salmon. Unlike salmon found on supermarket shelves, we smoke our salmon fresh every week and ship Web orders within days—and we never freeze our product! Wild Salmon Farmed salmon are fed a scientifically formulated diet of nutrient-dense, dry pellets made from animal, plant and fish proteins and essential vitamins and minerals. And, because they are farmed using net pens, they don’t get much exercise or room to move about. Unlike their farmed counterparts, however, the primary food source for wild-caught salmon are shrimp and krill, living in huge masses, deep in the open sea. These tiny crustaceans feast on plants and algae, rich in carotenoids—the pigments found in plants. The richly colored pigments that make up the main food source for crustaceans are what give salmon their brightly colored, pinkish-orange flesh, as well as their rich flavor. How It’s Caught Our wild salmon are caught with hooks and lines (“trolled”); we never use salmon caught in nets (“trawled”). Trawling is the indiscriminate casting of nets that are dragged along the ocean floor, catching anything in its path! This is harmful to other ocean-dwelling species that often are injured or killed after they’re discarded from nets. Not to mention, salmon are often injured, and their flesh bruised, when they try to escape from nets. Trolling, on the other hand, refers to several baited lines, towed at the same time, behind a boat. Where It’s Caught We only use wild salmon, caught in oceans, off the coasts of the Pacific Northwest. Wild salmon are at their healthiest (and fattiest) just before they start swimming inland, toward rivers, before the spawning process. Once an ocean-going salmon hits fresh water, it stops eating… instead, utilizing the fat it’s stored to help it survive. Therefore, we never smoke salmon caught in streams or rivers because they are, essentially, preparing to die! We need them at their fattiest so that they retain their moisture through the smoking process. How It’s Brined Organic dark-amber maple syrup, kosher salt, all natural honey… we use only the best, quality ingredients in our brines. And, the “all natural ingredients” listed on our labels include onion, garlic, and dill (just to name a few). We never use artificial ingredients, colors, additives, flavoring, or synthetic chemical preservatives. We also use about half the amount of salt in our brines, compared to salt found in other smoked salmon—this ensure that the natural flavor of our wild-caught salmon is enjoyed! How It’s Smoked We use our own special blend of hickory and mesquite to give salmon it’s intense flavor. We use a thermometer to monitor heat, while maintaining temperatures for a shorter time. This process ensures that the salmon doesn’t dry out, but is instead infused with flavor and while still retaining most of the oils (omega-3 fatty acids) in the salmon. Our unique smoking process ensures a moist and flavorful product that keeps our customers coming back for more. We smoke our salmon fresh every week and ship web orders within days—we never freeze our product. Visit our online store today and taste for yourself what makes our salmon so wonderfully unique!