Simple Homemade Gravlax Recipe
Gravlax is Scandinavian style cold cured salmon appetizer, served thinly sliced with a mustard dill sauce drizzled on top. Although it may seem like a complex process, gravlax is surprisingly easy to make at home with this recipe.
Ingredients
- Skin-on salmon fish fillets - 2 (2- to 3- pound)
- Fine sea salt - 1/3 Cup
- Aquavit - 1/4 Cup
- Freshly ground black pepper - 1 Tablespoon
- Granulated sugar - 1/3 Cup
- Coarsely chopped dill - 1/4 Cup (optional)
Preparation:
Step 1:
Gather all the ingredients.
Step 2:
Rinse salmon-fillets & pat them dry thoroughly.
Step 3:
Use pliers or tweezers to pull out any pin bones, if necessary.
Step 4:
Drizzle the aquavit evenly over flesh of each fillet.
Step 5:
In a small bowl, combine sugar, pepper, & salt.
Step 6:
Divide mixture into 3-even piles within the bowl.
Step 7:
Divide one of the thirds of curing mix in half & place on a rimmed baking sheet (or) baking pan in the shape of one of the fillets.
Step 8:
Lay a fillet skin side down on mixture. Spread a third of curing mixture on flesh of that fillet.
Step 9:
Spread remaining third of the curing mixture on flesh side of the other fillet. Sprinkle the dill, if using, over both fillets.
Step 10:
Lay 2nd fillet flesh-to-flesh on first fillet. Sprinkle remaining curing mixture over the skin of the top-fillet.
Step 11:
Cover the fillets & baking sheet (or) pan with foil or plastic-wrap. Place a cutting board or second baking sheet on the top of covered fish & top it with something heavy (pots, cans or pans) to weigh fish down. Place it all in fridge & let chill for about 12-hours (or) overnight.
Step 12:
Remove from fridge, unwrap, & discard the accumulated liquid in pan. Turn over fillets so the bottom one is on the top.
Step 13:
Cover the pan, weigh down fish again & return to refrigerator. Lets chill for another 12-hours.
Step 14:
Fish is now cured & ready to serve, but it will continue benefits from another 12 to 24 hours of being weighed down & chilled, so feel free to repeat these steps a second time around.
Step 15:
When ready to eat, pat dry, & thinly slice the gravlax against grain using a very sharp knife.
Step 16:
Serve & enjoy.
How To Serve Gravlax?
- Gravlax traditionally served with drizzle of mustard-sauce & some fresh dill, & it is often served with thinly sliced hearty rye-bread (or) crisp-rye crackers.
- It is also good anywhere you would use lox — with cream-cheese on bialys or bagels, as well as with sour-cream & latkes or blinis.
