The best salted salmon is easy to make from scratch with this cured fish recipe! Enjoy homemade gravlax (lox) on toast, bagels, or any way you love to use smoked salmon.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time2 daysd
Total Time2 daysd15 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Snack, Starter
Cuisine: American, Norwegian, Swedish
Servings: 12servings
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Sommer Collier
Ingredients
1.5-2poundswhole salmon filletfarmed or wild-caught
Lay the salmon fillet out on a clean work surface. Feel the top of the surface of the salmon with your fingers. Check for any small pin bones that were not removed. Then use your fingertips or tweezers to pull out any lingering bones.
Set out a small mixing bowl. Combine the kosher salt, granulated sugar, fresh dill, and pepper. Mix well.
Drizzle the gin over the surface of the salmon fillet. Then rub the salt and sugar mixture over the entire surface of the salmon fillet including the skin side. Pile any remaining salt mixture on top of the fillet.
Wrap the salmon fillet very tightly in plastic wrap. Then place it in a baking dish.
Set a smaller container, about the length of the salmon fillet, on top of it. Then place something heavy in the container to press down on the salmon… I like to use bags of dried beans or canned goods. The idea here is to press the salt into the salmon for several days.
Now place the baking dish in the refrigerator and leave it alone. The salmon will be soft-cured within 36 hours. If you would like a heavier salt cure and a slightly denser texture, cure the salmon for up to 48 hours or even three full days. I usually remove mine at the 48 hour mark.
Unwrap the salmon fillet and rinse with cold water to remove the excess salt and sugar. Then pat it dry.
Working with a sharp knife, slice the salmon at an angle, against the grain, into fine slivers. If you cured the salmon for only 36 hours and it’s very soft, you may want to cut slightly thicker slices to make cutting more manageable.
Place the slices in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Serve on rye bread with mustard or horse horseradish sauce. Top with dill, red onions and capers. Serve on bagels with cream cheese. Pile on salads or sandwiches.The gin (or vodka) is not necessary, but does help balance the flavor of the salmon so that any fishiness does not intensify as it cures.Enjoy within 2 weeks of slicing. For the freshest flavor, I recommend using a vacuum sealer to lock in the Gravlax.You can freeze gravlax made with fresh salmon; however, it is not recommended that you re-freeze previously frozen fish. Wrap the cured fillet in plastic wrap, and place in an airtight plastic zipper bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. To enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Use within a week.