Gravlax is a traditional Nordic dish of raw salmon cured with salt, sugar, and dill.
It’s absolutely delicious when made well.
It impresses guests and significant others, because it’s exotic.
It’s dead easy to make, even if you’re a kitchen klutz…
…and nearly every recipe I’ve found on the Internet is wrong. Most of them produce gravlax that is either raw in the middle, hard and crusty on the outside, or tastes like a Styrofoam salt lick—which is a tragedy, because properly made gravlax is so delicious that I’ve eaten over a pound and a half at a single sitting! And the others make you go to a lot of extra work.
It’s taken several expensive experiments to get this recipe correct—and now I bring it to you.
Gravlax, Gravad Lax, Gravet Laks, Gravlaks, Graflax, Graavilohi, Graavilõhe
Gravlax (also known as gravad lax, gravet laks, gravlaks, graflax, graavilohi, or graavilõhe, depending on which Nordic country you’re from) was traditionally made by salting salmon and burying it in a hole dug at the ocean’s edge, just above the high tide line. Today we will improve on that technique by using refrigeration and fresh herbs.
Why This Gravlax Recipe Is The Best
First, I’ve stripped the process down to the essentials, skipping steps that don’t matter and streamlining the rest.
More importantly, though, most gravlax recipes add far too much salt—and then depend on ending the cure at exactly the right time. Too early, and the salmon is still mushy. Too late, and the surface is hard and salt-burned…and the outside always seems to end up harder than the inside no matter what you do.
In this recipe, however, you’ll use the correct amount of salt and sugar to cure the fish, and no more. Not only will it taste better, you won’t have to worry about timing!
(Note: if you’re willing to do the extra work and want the strictly traditional dish, here’s how. And if you disagree that this recipe is the best, feel free to leave a comment!)
Ingredients and Supplies You Will Need
Ingredients!
- 1.7 pounds (800 grams) of salmon filet, skin on. Do not get steaks! If you’re not doing an entire side at once like I do, get two smaller filets that are the same size. However much salmon you get, adjust quantities of salt, sugar, and lime appropriately, as per the table below. I find the recipe works better the more I fix at once: I’ve done two entire filets before, which was almost seven pounds!
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) white sugar.
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt. Sea salt is preferred, but whatever you use should be finely ground.
- 1 oz. (28 grams) fresh dill. This is absolutely necessary. Don’t try to use dried dill. Trust me on this.
- 3 very thin lime slices. The secret ingredient! Don’t try to use lime juice: I’ll explain why later.
No, this recipe isn’t ‘paleo’ due to the white sugar…but please, please don’t try to use honey (or, Gods forbid, stevia) as the dry granulated sugar is necessary for the salmon to cure properly. Besides, there’s less sugar in the entire recipe than there is in a single 12-ounce can of Coke…and I’d rather have lots of healthy raw omega-3s plus a bit of fructose than hideous fake ‘bread’ made out of omega-6 laden nuts. Plus, this will give you an excuse to ask your hot neighbor “Hey, can I borrow a quarter cup of sugar?”
If you’re trying to avoid fructose entirely, you can use dextrose instead, although it won’t taste quite as good. UPDATE! If you’re zero-carb or VLC, commenter Johnnyv has successfully made a batch using xylitol. I haven’t tried it myself, but if you’re interested, click here to see how he did it. If you’re doing Whole 30, I don’t know what to tell you. Sorry about that.
Conversion Table
If you’re in between, average it out. The amount of dill isn’t critical: just cover the filets like you’ll see in the pictures below.
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = ~45 ml.
| Weight of Salmon | Salt | Sugar | Lime |
| 3.4 pounds (1.55 kg) | 2 tablespoons (30 ml) | 6 tablespoons (90 ml) | 6 slices |
| 2.8 pounds (1.3 kg) | 5 teaspoons (25 ml) | 5 tablespoons (75 ml) | 5 slices |
| 2.25 pounds (1 kg) | 4 teaspoons (20 ml) | 4 tablespoons (60 ml) | 4 slices |
| 1.7 pounds (800g) | 1 tablespoon (15 ml) | 3 tablespoons (45 ml) | 3 slices |
| 1.1 pounds (500g) | 2 teaspoons (10 ml) | 2 tablespoons (30 ml) | 2 slices |
| 0.6 pounds (270g) | 1 teaspoon (5 ml) | 1 tablespoon (15 ml) | 1 slice |
You will also need:
- Plenty of plastic cling wrap
- A plate large enough to hold the salmon. If it came in a plastic tray, rinse it and use that.
- Measuring spoons. Don’t fake this: it is very important to get the proportions right.
- Paper towels.
- A cutting board.
- A sharp knife.
Gravlax: Step By Step Directions, With Pictures!
Step 1: Unwrap the filet, rinse it gently, and pat it mostly dry with a paper towel.
Step 2: If there’s a very thin part on one side (this is the belly), trim it off. Save it and eat it later, as it’s delicious!
Try to trim the filet so the two ends are nearly symmetrical. You'll see why later.
Step 3: If you bought a single filet, cut it in half as precisely as you can.
As if using white sugar wasn't evil enough, I bought it at Wal-Mart. Then I ate a baby.
Step 4: Place a layer of plastic wrap on top of the plate (or the plastic tray, if you saved it) that you’ll be curing the gravlax on. Then put the salmon filets on the tray. If you skip this step, you will make a big mess.
Step 5: Shake the salt and sugar over the thick parts of the filet. Don’t try to go all the way to the edge: it’ll soak through as it cures. Use more salt and sugar on the thick end of the filets, and less on the thin end.
Just shake the salt and sugar right out of the measuring spoons.
Step 6: Mince the dill. Most recipes tell you to leave it whole, but you can use a lot less if you mince it—and I think gravlax tastes better with a few dill bits left on it.
Step 7: Distribute the dill over the filets.
Looks festive, doesn't it?
Step 8: Cut three thin lime slices. Dice the slices and put them on top of only one of the two filets. (You’ll understand why in a moment.) Use slightly less lime than I used in the picture: this is a bit too much. It is important that the lime bits don’t touch the fish, or they’ll make little white acid burns. This is why you can’t use lime juice.
Strictly speaking, the lime isn't traditional...but it tastes much better.
If you have a zester, instead of dicing lime slices, you can zest about half a lime and mix the zest in with the dill. Then you don’t have to move the dill back and forth or carefully distribute pieces of lime: you can simply pile the mixture all on one filet and skip to step 10. (Thanks to commenter Gail for the tip.)
If you don’t have a zester, or don’t know what a zester is, don’t worry…this is just a small time-saver for people with lots of kitchen gadgets.
Step 9: Take the dill off of the other filet and put it on top of the filet with the limes. Remember, you need to keep the lime bits from touching the fish.
You'll understand in a moment why I do things this way.
Step 10: Make a big salmon sandwich by putting one filet on top of the other. This is why you put most of the ingredients on one filet: if you try to tip one filet onto the other while it’s covered in dill and lime bits, you’ll make a huge mess.
We're almost ready!
Step 11: Wrap the filets as tightly as you can in the layer of plastic wrap you put under them.
Step 12: Wrap the filets in at least two more layers of plastic: one around, one lengthwise. Wrap as tightly as you can: you want the filets to be touching each other at all points, with no air space. The easiest way is to lay a few big sheets of plastic wrap out on the table and roll them up.
This photo was actually taken after curing, but it looks the same.
Step 13: Put the filets in the refrigerator. Make sure they’re on the tray or plate, because they’ll leak no matter how well you’ve wrapped them.
Step 14: Traditional recipes tell you to put a weight on top of the filets while they’re curing, and to remove and re-baste them during the cure. This isn’t necessary if you’ve wrapped them tightly…but you do need to turn them over a couple times. I flip mine morning and evening.
Step 15: This is the hardest part: wait two days.
Unlike most recipes, curing time doesn’t need to be exact…it’s OK (though not perfect) after 36 hours, and I’ve left it to cure over three days and it tasted the same.
Intermission
And now, the delicious part!
Scrape the dill and lime debris off the top, and slice the gravlax as thinly as you can. For best results, slice diagonally so that you get the largest slices possible.
Just slice...
If you’re feeling frisky, you can present it nicely: it’s traditional to serve gravlax with a dill and mustard sauce on crisp bread, often topped with a squeeze of lemon, a few capers, and some white pepper. (Another delicious suggestion involves lemon zest, orange zest, and juniper berries.) But as I am a bachelor and eat a paleo diet, I usually just stand over the cutting board and pop the slices straight in my mouth.
...and serve! This will last me approximately eighteen seconds.
It’s probably good that salmon is expensive, or I’d be eating gravlax every day!
Live in freedom, live in beauty.
JS
Did this recipe work for you? Think your recipe is better than mine? Got questions? Leave a comment! Feel free to explore gnolls.org: the index is a great place to start.
I will try this recipe if it’s the last thing I do. OK, probably much sooner than the last thing I do. Like, maybe this weekend?
I’ll report back with results!
I must say, this is the most unusual recipe I’ve seen in awhile. However, I’m going to try it!
JS,
Thanks for this recipe! Looks amazing. I also enjoy slicing my freshly finished dish and popping it straight into my mouth. Why dirty a dish?
Plastic wrap! Uh! The devil!!!
Seriously, what about wax paper, like in the good old days?
Namu:
Excellent! Let me know how it turns out for you. It's fun to have a recipe where it's impossible to burn or undercook anything.
Caveman:
Cured meat has a long history. I suspect meat has been preserved with brine for a long, long time…especially in cold climates like Northern Europe.
Chris:
Why indeed? And if you're sneaking my half-and-half out of the refrigerator, you shouldn't complain when it's got my germs on the spout.
Franco:
I don't know…I've never tried it. I suspect you'd need some tape in order to keep the bundle tight. Try it and let me know what you find out!
JS
When I make gravlax (or in Swedish “gravar laxen” in present tense) I do not use either suger or lime but salt, white and black pepper, dill, that I do not mince, and put it in the fridge for at least 24h.
Björn:
How much salt do you use per weight of fish? I'd love to be able to tell people how to make it without sugar. (Credit to you, of course.)
I'm biased towards the salt/sugar because I eat it naked, and the salt gets overwhelming when I sock down half a pound or more…but if I were eating it more traditionally and in smaller quantities, on crisp bread or toast, I'm sure I'd like the salty/peppery version, too.
JS
Growing up on what now they’ve now labeled “The World’s Greatest Salmon River”, I’ve had my fill of the beasties, pretty much all we ate some months.
Also a great fan of sashimi so I know they freeze the salmon before preparing it, in order to kill the tapeworms that salmon often carry… I’m wondering if this method would do the same. Not a big fan of fish tapeworm myself. If the salting is done right, likely.
And remember, farmed salmon is killing the wild stocks, likely doesn’t have the same nutritional content (certainly doesn’t taste right to me), so don’t buy it.
yes, it is recomended to freeze the salmon in advance. Regarding the salt don’t have a specific measure for it, just a feeling. I use sea salt that I crumble over the salmon so the whole of it covered. I try to use as little as possible and still cover the whole side of the filet.
Having tried your Gravlax I stoked to give this a try, thanks!
This looks delicious. I’m trying this as soon as I’ve got some fresh salmon in the house!
Björn:
Do let me know if you ever decide to measure it…for instance, by shaking the salt out of a measuring spoon and counting how much you used.
HeMan:
That's a good question about the tapeworms. I know the cure kills a lot of fermentation, as I've made gravlax from salmon that was starting to get a bit whiffy (hey, it was 50% off!) and it came out fine.
Most of my experimentation was trying to figure out how little salt/sugar I could use and still actually cure the fish. Not enough, and it's still raw and mushy: too much and it's hard and crusty. When it's just right the fish firms up and is much easier to slice thinly.
Keep in mind that typical home freezer temperatures aren't supposed to be low enough to kill parasites: -4 degrees F for 7 days is considered a minimum (source). Dry salting is considered to kill all parasites, but the recommendation is for 5-7 days.
Of course these are government recommendations, which err on the side of paranoia. Personally I don't worry about it: most parasites are visible, and are much more of a concern with restaurant-prepared fish than with fish I'm preparing (and closely inspecting) myself.
Jeff:
Go for it! It's remarkably simple.
Katie:
Let me know how it works for you! It makes me want to start a herb garden so I have a reliable supply of fresh dill.
JS
After reading your article I did a quick check in my Swedish cookbook collection and found a number of recepies for “Gravad Lax” or cured salmon. Some are more than a 100 years old. Gravad = sugarsalted. If you remove the sugar it’s salted.
It’s fairly evenly spread between more sugar than salt, more salt than sugar and the same amount of both. More sugar than salt makes it a little milder.
I think that the amounts is not that important as long as the mix cover the whole side of the salmon.
2 kg Salmon cut in 2 equally large pcs
150-200 grams of salt
150-200 grams sugar
Mix sugar and salt and rubb part of the mix on all 4 sides. Then put one side on a plate with meatside up and cover it with the rest of the mixture.
10-20 crushed whitepeppercorns sprinkled over.
1 cup of dill coarsley cut, on top of that.
Your Step 10-15.
For me lime comes later when you eat the salmon, but it’s always fun to experiment.
SR
I love gravlax. It’s a must during Christmas time ever since I was a child growing up in Sweden. I make my own too..Yummy, now I have to and get some salmon..
This sounds great!
I will have to make some this weekend.
Think I will cold smoke some after the cure and see how that turns out.
Sten:
Thanks for digging that up! White pepper is definitely a good addition if you use 1:1 salt:sugar. I think the lime goes best with the sweeter mixtures, and the pepper goes best with the saltier mixtures.
You're reminding me that I should offer the recipe in metric units, too. Fortunately a teaspoon is basically 5ml.
Jo:
Glad I could remind you. Enjoy!
Johnnyv:
Make sure to try some unsmoked, too…and let me know how the smoked stuff turns out!
JS
I’ve made gravlax many times with more salt and sugar than this and quite successfully too judging by how much people seem to enjoy it. That said, reducing the salt to a minimum without compromising the results can only be a good thing. I bought some salmon this morning to make gravlax for Mother’s Day and I will try these proportions.
I’m a bit surprised there is no mention of alcohol in this discussion. I usually add a TBS or two of vodka (or sometimes tequila or whatever). I know that in Scandinavia aquavit (sp?) might be used. Is that typical/traditional?
Jock
I have hot smoked cured salmon before but without the dill. I find that the hot smoked dill has an unpleasant taste. Don’t know if the same would apply to cold smoked.
Jock
Jock:
Most of the recipes I see use much more salt and sugar, and then depend on stopping the cure at the right time. I came up with this one because I don't want to have to worry about how long I cure or how thick the fish is. Just throw it in the fridge, turn it a few times, and pull it out anytime after two days.
Let me know how it works for you! I'm open to changes and refinements.
JS
And, a note to everyone: it's not nearly as good without the lime. I made a batch without and added the lime afterwards, and it's just not the same.
[...] I love Gravlax. I don’t know if Chris was aware of that fact when he shared this excellent post with me on how to make it yourself at home. [...]
So, I made this for a Mother’s Day brunch and it was excellent! The reduced salt and sugar let the flavor of the fish shine through and the texture was buttery. This is my new go to gravlax preparation. Thank you
Jock:
Thanks for reporting back! I'm glad your brunch was a success.
It took several attempts to get the ratios just right. Any less salt/sugar and it's floppy and raw-tasting, much more and it gets that hard salt-lick taste and texture…especially on the outside.
For an extra taste spiff, try pretending it's sashimi and dipping a corner in soy sauce (gluten-free, of course), perhaps with a bit of wasabi.
JS
I have made this a number of times now, I use xylitol instead of sugar at 50% as it is twice as sweet. I like it a bit more salty so I increased the salt/xylitol combo by 50% the second time and it came out perfect to my taste.
I make it by placing lime slices in a vacuum bag the salmon skin side down on top of limes, then the salt sugar mix and finally the dill on top. I then vacuum and seal the bag. This way requires no trimming and the lime doesn’t discolour the flesh.
Cold smoking gives fantastic results, I used grapefruit wood and smoke for eight hours then wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The unsmoked stuff goes great in som tam(Thai green papaya salad).
Johnnyv:
The vacuum bag is a great idea if you've got one, as is putting the limes underneath. Do you use more lime than the recipe calls for along with more salt/xylitol?
Thanks for the report! It's good to know that there's a fully sugar-free option for the zero-carbers, and the cold-smoked version has to be interesting. I've linked your comment from the recipe.
Xylitol tastes a bit minty, doesn't it? How does it change the taste?
JS
I double the lime as well, but I love lime.
Xylitol is fine in this dish in my opinion it’s cooling effect isn’t really noticable.
I wouldn’t use it to make panna cotta though.
[...] Awesome Gravlax at Gnolls [...]
Gravlax…my new candy.
I used Sockeye, which I’m usually not a fan of, but, I must say was great. Regular Ocean salmon wasn’t available at Costo (it was farm raised), the Sockeye was Ocean caught.
Any-hoo, it turned out wonderful. It had a little burn, only because some the Lime pieces were a little thick, my fault. Next time, I’m trying lemon and will let you know how it goes.
Thanks again.
This website is by far one of the best Paleo blogs out there. It really gives good ammo to use on the indoctrinated and I like your writing style. Can’t wait to read your book.
Carl
P.S. – I was thinking about vacuum sealing, but wasn’t sure if it would hinder the process, in that it wouldn’t let the excess juices run out.
Carl:
I'm glad my recipe works for you! The nice thing is that the cure overwhelms much of the taste of the fish…so if it's gone a bit whiffy (or if you don't like sockeye) you can still cure it and it'll taste fine.
As far as the lime pieces, I slice them absolutely as thinly as I can. Keep us posted on the lemon.
JS
So, I made it. I let it cure for 3 days. Came out buttery smooth. I’ve got to tell you though, I’m not used to eating raw fish. I keep waiting to keel over or something.
Do you just keep the uneaten portion under wrap in the fridge?
Dave RN:
I'm glad it came out well for you!
This cure won't stand up to room temperature (which is why cured bacon and ham use nitrates in addition to salt and sugar), but it's fine in the refrigerator.
And yes, I just keep the uneaten part wrapped. Leftover containers work too. Anything airtight is fine.
JS
(Note: this is my opinion, and you eat any raw/cured fish at your own risk. I'm sure the USDA says you should always cook it to eleventy-million degrees.)
I keep meaning to try this. I love gravad lax. My fridge has a good space now and I'm out for most of the weekend (eating-wise), so I can donate the real estate and the time to doing this. We have pre-made gravad lax quite often, but making my own will be really cool! I'll use crushed sea salt, though. I keep in a couple of “gourmet” sea salts, Maldon and Halen Môn.
I've been to Sweden a few times . Dropping downstairs in the Hötorget in Stockholm and seeing buckets of crayfish ready for eating and slabs of salmon (lax) being sliced with such precision is a real treat. Swedes have such a cool diet; shame they're so hooked on the US for lifestyle aspirations. They'll lose it … and once it's gone, it will be gone.
Glad to hear it…and gourmet sea salt is an excellent addition. Let me know what you think once you're done!
I've found that I can use about half dextrose and half table sugar without changing the taste, if I up the total amount very slightly. This will lessen the fructose load if you're concerned about that. (100% dextrose isn't as good.)
If you're used to genuine Swedish gravad lax, you might want it a bit saltier. But I recommend starting with this basic recipe and modifying it to taste.
I've also found that if the filet is so dry that the sugar and salt aren't dissolving, just a few drops of water will fix that.
JS
How long do you think this stuff would last in the fridge? I made a batch but promptly forgot I made it… it’s been two weeks, so I’ve tossed it.
But for future reference… I’m thinking a week max. But I’d love to hear some opinions.
Shane:
I've served gravlax that was a week old (a week since the cure was over, not since the cure started) and was fine.
That being said, I go by smell. If it smells funny, don't eat it, and if it tastes funny, don't eat any more. Salmon has a very distinct odor when it starts to go bad.
JS
I was scared to open the bag after two weeks. Next time I’ll be a bit braver. I need to find more ways to eat fish – can’t do sushi all the time.
Shane:
Once you taste it, I guarantee you won't ever forget about it for two weeks again! Usually I have to restrain myself from digging in before the cure is finished…
JS
[...] [Best Gravlax recipe on the Internet] [...]
Can you use Atlantic (farm Raised)salmon and if not what would you suggest?
Andy:
You can use any kind of salmon. Wild is better, but the recipe works the same for all kinds.
JS
Just an FYI about storage, if you leave it covered in the fridge, the curing process isn’t actually stopped, so if you aren’t going to eat the whole thing within a day or two, I would freeze the rest. This stops the curing process.
If you like gravlax, you should try “sursild”, pickled herring. Another nordic traditional dish, and can be varied indefinitely. It’s a little more tricky to make than gravlax, but oh so tasty, especially around christmas when we Scandinavians need an injection of vitamin D, since we haven’t seen the sun in so long.
Read this post start to finish, thank you for the recipe, I’m trying for the first time this week. I’ve smoked salmon with excellent results and never worry about parasites. But just for clarification, you buy a filet of salmon at the locale Costco or meat counter, cure it for 3 days with this recipe, and serve it right away? A few other recipes on the web suggest freezing for 7 days afterward. I’m not afraid I have no problem eating raw hamburger on occasion, but I’ll be serving to friends and family, don’t want anyone mad at me.
Inga:
The reason my recipe works so well is because the curing process does indeed stop, due to all the salt and sugar being absorbed. Regular recipes depend on stopping the cure at the right time, because they add way too much sugar and salt. I've verified this by leaving the fish wrapped and “curing” for a week before eating it…it tasted the same.
I'll have to look into sursild…unfortunately I don't think I can get herring where I live!
Larry:
That's what I've always done — and neither I nor any of the people I've served it to (nor any of my commenters) have ever had a problem. But like I've said, there's probably some government advisory against it, and you eat it at your own risk.
JS
I have made gravad-lax for many years but I have never thought of smoking it before I will post the results of my current cure which is in the fridge now as soon as one half has been smoked and tasted by an “independent” panel.
Hmmm … I like the sandwiching technique, and the lime and mincing the dill … but I think when I try this I will stick with the recipes that completely coat the exposed flesh with the salt/sugar mixture, and weight it down. Maybe you have to be careful about overcuring … but I love the uniform deep red looks of that technique.
Thanks for posting this recipe!!
Es:
The reason I only pile the salt/sugar in the center is because it diffuses slowly throughout the meat as the cure progresses. When I distribute it evenly over the surface, the (thinner) edges become hard and crusty while the (thicker) center is still soft and raw.
Salt/sugar amount and ratios are a judgment call. I wouldn’t use any less in total, as the meat won’t completely cure…but you can certainly add more salt, sugar, or both. Lots of people like the more traditional recipe with 1/2 salt and 1/2 sugar, and some people like a harder cure with more total salt+sugar.
Let me know what you find out! I’m always interested to hear how this recipe works for my readers, and what variations they've been successful with.
JS
[...] chicken- amazing!)Garlic Dill Pickles at Keeper of the HomeHomemade Yogurt at Keeper of the HomeAwesome Gravlax at GnollsButternut Squash Chips at Health, Home and HappinessChicken Pepper Poppers at Health, Home [...]
Thanks for the recipe. I zested half a lime & mixed that with the dill (& added a bit of fresh parsley too). I think it worked out well, got some nice flavor without having to worry about the acid burns. You may want to give it a try. It eliminated having to spread the dill over both pieces, I just piled the dill/lime zest/parsley mix on one.
Gail:
Zesting is a good idea. I don't mandate it because most people don't have a zester and zesting with a knife is a bit tricky…but I bet it tasted great! Perhaps I'll add a note to that effect.
JS
Before reading this recipe I made gravlax using the 50/50 salt/sugar recipe and was pretty liberal with the amounts. It turned out great but the surface was burnt by the salt, so looking forward to trying this. I fish for salmon in Scotland and many visiting anglers from Scandinavia gravlax their catch. The worm thing is a worry but it doesnt seem to stop folk gravlaxing fresh wild salmon. I read up on this and farmed salmon are not a risk in this regard according to government advice.
An earlier writer above tried to persuade people not to buy farmed salmon because its not as good as wild. I agree however farmed salmon plays an important role in taking pressure off wild salmon which itself is an unsustainable resource which should not be harvested for commercial reasons. For more info visit the North Atlantic Salmon Fund website.
Sean:
You're correct. The trouble is that with seven billion people in the world, everything is unsustainable.
Let me know how the recipe works for you!
JS
Tried your recipe a couple of times. I like the sugar salt proportions very much. I also liked the time factor. Other recipes call for it to cure longer. I did substitute the limes with a spinkling of Absolute. Wraping it in plastic wrap and then Vacu sealing it in a food saver eliminates the turning and of course it doesn’t leak. The cure is pressed in with a nice equal pressure. Next time I am going to try the limes.
Good call on the Absolut!
I've used Akvavit before which itself is often infused with dill, caraway and fennel. The Swedes get a little shy about Akvavit, although they have some excellent varieties. The Danes seem more proud, but it's all Scandinavian … fish, cured with something or other and then human cured with schnapps
Bill:
I'm glad it works for you! Vacuum sealing would indeed save some time and effort.
Paul:
I've had some gravlax that used fresh juniper berries in addition to the lime. It was delicious!
And yes, I think every European country that has salmon, an ocean, and cold weather has its own variant of gravlax.
JS
I may have told this story, but one of the most memorable experiences I hold dear is walking downstairs into the indoor part of the Hötorget (Hay Market) in Stockholm to be met by an almost endless set of stalls selling gravad lax and crayfish.
Nothing like a bag of crayfish, exit the market, eat like a tramp under a statue of Neptune, burp, wipe face, chuck bag of shells in the bin and then tuck into a few slices of cured salmon while walking through to Gamla Stan and the Ardbeg Rooms for a good local pint (with greasy salmon fingers) and slug of something Scotch! Damn it! I love Stockholm.
You know what, J? I've still to make up your recipe. I'll grab some good salmon soon and do this.
A variation that I have used for several years, courtesy of New York Times Sunday Magazine, is to add about a tablespoon of ground dried juniper berries as well as ground black pepper corns. A splash of gin on the cut slices adds a bit of extra flavor. Always a hit at holiday parties.
Cody:
That sounds properly festive! I find it pays to be cautious with the juniper berries, though.
JS
I just tried your recipe using a 1 lb 1 oz size filet and follow your recipe. 51 hrs later I removed the various ingredients ( dill, lime zest, cracked pepper, salt sugar)–it was a disaster! The “gravlax” was only slightly less raw than before the curing. I had my doubts about curing with using only 2 1/2 tsp of salt but I decided to go along with your calibrations and followed everything else exactly as you recommended. I did mix the dill and lime zest together and mixed them into the dry mix (salt & sugar) even added about 1 TBS of vodka.
I have made gravlax many times before using 1/2 cup kosher salt; 1/4 cup sugar; lemon, lime and orange zests; 1/4 cup chopped dill; 3 TBS of vodka and wrapping in 2 layers of plastic wrap and topping with a plastic wrapped brick. I did not make a sandwich but rather wrapped the whole filet in plastic to ensure the liquid would drain out into a large sized baking tray (able to fit into refrigerator). No acid burning marks or other problems with the filet.
Am really disappointed and sorry this effort did not work out. Am going to try again later this week and will revert to my time tested recipe.
It is not my recipe so I must give credit to Emeril Lagasse when he hosted “Essence of Emeril”on the TV Food Network many years ago.
N. Lebo:
I'm sorry it didn't work for you! You're the first to report a problem, so let me ask a question.
You said: “I did not make a sandwich but rather wrapped the whole filet in plastic to ensure the liquid would drain out into a large sized baking tray (able to fit into refrigerator).” Does that refer to your usual recipe, or did you use that technique for this one?
Because that would explain the problem: if you let the liquid drain out, it'll take the salt and sugar with it — and you'll end up with mostly-raw fish.
Whatever wrapping technique you use, you'll want to make sure it's as water-tight as possible (although there will almost always be a little bit of leakage unless you have a vacuum sealer). That's why I specify wrapping three times as tightly as you can. Furthermore, if you only have one filet (i.e. you don't have enough fish to make a sandwich), it's absolutely critical to flip it at least every 12 hours, more often if possible — because the salt/sugar liquid will tend to sit on the bottom of the package, where it won't cure the fish.
There is also the possibility that you simply like a much harder, saltier cure: 1/2 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of sugar will result in some VERY hard gravlax. That's not how I like mine, but I won't dissuade anyone else from making theirs however they like it best.
JS
I was referring to my “original” recipe. I followed your recipe for the most part; wrapping the sandwich filet in three layers of plastic wrap as tightly as possible. I did, however, place a brick (in plastic wrap) on top and flipped the salmon every 12 hours. I used fine Kosher salt instead of sea salt.
I plan on doing another gravlax this coming weekend–using your recipe and another using my “original” and will compare the results. Will let you know. I am “psyched” to get your recipe to succeed for me!
JS, thanks for your feedback.
N. Lebo:
In that case, I suspect that you may simply prefer a harder cure. Feel free to use this technique with more salt and/or sugar. Also, if two days pass and the fish is still too soft for your tastes, you can always add more salt/sugar, rewrap it, and cure it another two days! It lasts me about a week in the fridge if the fish was fresh to start with, so you'll still have a few days to eat it.
Some people do like harder, saltier gravlax — particularly if they're serving it traditionally, on crisp bread with dill sauce, at which point it's more of a condiment for the bread than a main dish. However, since I'm eating it by itself, as a meal, I prefer it to be both softer and less salty…I couldn't eat over a pound of it otherwise!
Something that helps the cure distribute more evenly is to put much more of it on the thick parts of the filets. As I said to Es above, “The reason I only pile the salt/sugar in the center is because it diffuses slowly throughout the meat as the cure progresses. When I distribute it evenly over the surface, the (thinner) edges become hard and crusty while the (thicker) center is still soft and raw.” Did you find that the edges were OK but the center was raw, or did you find the whole thing too raw for your taste?
JS
50 /50 Sea salt and Brown sugar ratio. Fresh dill is always a yummy inclusion.
24hr. curing time.
Foil-wrap fish on deepish-platter (to catch the liquid):
Weight: I use light-rocks to evenly press the fish down.
Refrigerate.
Flip at 12 hrs.
Re-Rock weight.
At 24 hrs. rinse and serve as you wish.
I love to get fresh baguette, generously schmeered with cream cheese, sprinkle with ridiculously thin slivers of lemon including rind, some more fresh dill and a blast of cracked black pepper. VOILA! Gone Yummy.
JS,
I just completed a 2nd attempt–this time using 3/4 cup fine kosher salt; 1/2 cup sugar lemon, lime zests; 4 grinds of freshly ground pepper; 1 and 1/2 TBS of lemon flavored vodka and followed your instructions. I used a brick and flipped the “sandwich” every 12 hrs and allowed the salmon to cure for approximately 38 hrs.
The gravlax is super! Not hard or crusty but soft and “buttery”. The filets were rinsed in cold water and the initial tasting found the gravlax to impart a mild saltiness.
I am very pleased and delighted with the outcome.
Am planning to serve it as an appetizer with garnishes (capers, chopped red onions, thinly sliced lemon) as part of the Passover seder.
Happy Passover and Happy Easter!
Zenia:
Cream cheese is delicious. Another variation is to pretend it's sushi and dip it in a little bit of tamari + wasabi.
N. Lebo:
I'm glad to hear of your success! May I ask the approximate weight of the fish you used with the 3/4 cup salt and the 1/2 cup sugar?
L'Chaim!
JS
Ok, today is “D” Day. My 2 lb Salmon has been thawing in the fridge, and now I am ready to rock and roll.
I spent hours reviewing the internet. I was lucky to come across your site. In my experience, it seems the best ideas are simple.
I read all the information you provided, including the comments,
top to bottom several times.
I even have a Zester tool in my Camp Kitchen drawer, didn’t even
know what the heck it was…till now.
I am going to follow your method to the “T”
May as well use my Vacuum Sealer, while I am at it.
Will let you know the outcome in about 36 hours.
Thanks for your intuitive information!
Danny
Danny:
36 hours is doable, but 48 hours is recommended for best results.
I hope it works for you…I just served it to a bunch of people this weekend, with excellent results. Even the teenagers loved it!
JS
Howdy here from Texas.
Just to be on the safe side, I waited 3 days-about 72 hours.
Since I did 2Lbs 1oz of Salmon I used the 2.25 ingredient conversion table, and zested 3/4 lime…for weight of the Salmon.
Since you mentioned the fresh Dill amount did not have to be precise, I had 3/4 oz on hand, minced stems and all.
My wife bought 2 fillets, one I hot smoked with my special recipe. When I went to grab the second one later, it happen to be skinless Chile Farm raised. Darn It! Decided to proceed anyways.
In the final step, I vacuumed sealed the sandwich. Most likely I did not need to turn them every 12 hours, I did anyways, just in case gravity had an effect.
After all this work (actually it was fun) I was anxious on the
results.
I went head and drained off the juices, scraped off the most of the Dill, went ahead and rinsed, patted dry with paper towels (it was easier to remove some more of the dill, still leaving some flakes for presence).
Results….Man was I surprised! The texture, flavor (had a nice
Dill flavor presence also) awesome.
Along with the cutting samples…(Sushi), we ate it traditionally with my home made Bagels, Red onion (purple color), and cream cheese. My friend who dislikes Sushi,(so he tells me)helped himself to a second sandwich.
Next time I will make sure the skin is on the fillet, and hope to get Wild Salmon. If you have any other suggestions, I am open, other than that we are very pleased. Thank you for all your experiments. Been there with many recipes.
Chow.
Danny:
I'm glad you and your family enjoyed it! (Even teenagers and people who “don't like raw fish” usually do.) One of the reasons this recipe works so well is that curing time isn't critical: as you discovered, it's fine to leave it for three days instead of two.
My only refinement (which I've added to the recipe) is to use more salt and sugar on the thick end of the filet, and less on the thin end, for a more even cure. Other than that, you can experiment with adding more salt or sugar to taste: some people like their gravlax saltier. I wouldn't use less salt or sugar, though, as the fish probably won't cure completely.
Enjoy your gravlax…and if you have any favorite recipes you'd like to share, please do!
JS