How To Make Gravlax: Cured Salmon at Home
Elevate your culinary repertoire with this easy, sophisticated salmon gravlax recipe. Cured with salt, sugar, and fresh dill, this melt-in-your-mouth salmon is a delicious showstopper! Best of all, just 15 minutes and a few simple ingredients stand between you and curing salmon at home.Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Equipment
- 1 Small Glass Mixing Bowl
- 1 Cheese Cloth
- 1 Plastic Wrap
- 1 Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Center Cut Salmon (sushi-grade recommended) - Skin on & Pin Bones Removed
- 2 TBS Vodka (SEE NOTES)
Dry Cure for Salmon:
- 1 Lemon - Zest
- 1 Orange - Zest
- 4 TBS Fresh Cracked Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (SEE NOTES)
- 3 TBS Granulated Sugar
- ½ tsp Fresh Cracked Pepper
- ½ Cup Fresh Dill - chopped
Instructions
- Make the Cure for Salmon: Combine all the DRY CURE ingredients in a small, non-reactive bowl.
- Prep Work: Place a piece of plastic wrap (large enough to wrap around the entire fish) on a clean work surface. Place a double layer of cheesecloth, twice the size of the salmon, on top of the plastic wrap.Sprinkle a heaping 2 tablespoons of the dry cure OVER the cheesecloth.
- Apply Cure to Salmon: Place the salmon, skin side down, on top of the dry cure. Drizzle the vodka over the fish. EVENLY, and liberally, coat the salmon with the remaining dry cure, using your hands to RUB it into the fish.
- Wrap Salmon: Wrap the cheesecloth around the salmon, followed by the plastic wrap, to completely seal the fish forming a tight package.Place the wrapped salmon on a wire rack set on a heavy sheet pan (or in a baking dish). Top the salmon with a weight* evenly distributed across the salmon to expedite curing process.
- Let Salmon Cure in Fridge: Refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours, up to 3 days*, TURNING OVER ONCE A DAY. (If only lightly curing for 24 hours, flip the fish over at the 12 hour mark)
- Remove Cure and Let Salmon Dry Out in Fridge: Remove salmon from wrapping and rise off with cool water to remove the dry cure. Pat dry. Place the salmon back on the wire rack and place in the refrigerator (uncovered) for about an hour to air dry.
- Slice and Serve Salmon Gravlax: Thinly slice the salmon on a bias and serve!
Video
Notes
- Salmon Selection: You want to make sure you use the freshest salmon possible! Always get your fish from trusted source, whether that be your fishmonger, a specialty store, or your local grocer, just make sure you aren’t purchasing some sketchy fish. Your salmon should smell like the ocean!
- Remove Pin Bones! Also, make sure there are no pin bones in the salmon filet. You can ask your fishmonger to remove them for you if you aren’t sure.
- Vodka Substitute: If vodka isn’t your thing, you can substitute gin or aquavit.
- Salt: Make sure you are using coarsely ground salt! If you don’t have Himalayan pink sea salt, just substitute regular coarse sea salt. If you are using finely ground salt, reduce the amount of salt by 2-3 teaspoons.
- Ratio of Sugar and Salt: If you want a sweeter, less salty cured salmon, switch the ratios of salt and sugar. (i.e. use 4 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of salt)
- Cure Time: Make sure you let your salmon cure for AT LEAST 24 hours. This will produce a slightly cured salmon. I personally think 3 days is perfect, as the extra time will allow the fish to become just a bit more firm and flavorful.
- Slicing Gravlax Salmon: When carving your gravlax use a SHARP knife, carve at a BIAS and slice it THIN. If you use a dull knife you will tear the salmon. If you don’t carve at a bias, your salmon slices will come out as teeny-tiny little strips. Breakdown - If you have a sharp knife, carve it on a bias AND slice it thin, you will yield more slices from the entire filet of salmon. Bonus – the gravlax will look better.
Nutrition
Calories: 154kcal Carbohydrates: 8g Protein: 15g Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 41mg Sodium: 4686mg Potassium: 438mg Sugar: 8g Vitamin A: 380IU Vitamin C: 14.9mg Calcium: 29mg Iron: 0.9mg