Make Your Own Homemade Salmon Gravlax! 15 minutes preparation, 2 days cure in the fridge. Showstopper for a fancy brunch or dinner party.
Of all the homemade homemade foods, Gravax is one of the most filling.
The process doesn’t take long – or much of your attention – and it’s so pretty!
Gravlax is a Scandinavian specialty. It’s very similar to salmon, the deli counter favorite, but graviolax is usually cured with spices and fresh herbs (unlike salmon, which is left natural). Gravlax is also never smoked.
All you need to make gravlax at home is a casserole dish and two heavy cans to use as weights during the curing process. And of course some salmon.
Get two 1-pound pieces of salmon, preferably cut from the thicker end of the fillet. Make sure the skin is still on. You will press these two pieces together with salt, herbs and other spices in between.
After 48 hours in the refrigerator, use your sharpest, straight-edged knife to thinly slice the salmon. When arranging them on the platter, lightly curl the pieces before tossing them with red onions, capers and more dill – it makes such a pretty presentation.
The Graved Lax is so rich that you really don’t need cream cheese or crème fraiche, although these extras always make a brunch look extra decadent.
How to Make Salmon Gravlax
It is always best to buy your fish from a reliable supplier who has checked the catch for parasites and handled the fish properly. If you’re unsure, completely freeze (then thaw) your fish before making this recipe. For more information on safe practices for handling and consuming raw fish, see this FDA article.
ingredients
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2 center-cut pieces (1 pound each) of boneless, skinless salmon, both cut from the wide, butt end of a fillet
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1/4 cup kosher salt
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2 tablespoons light brown sugar
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2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
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1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
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1 bunch fresh dill sprigs, cut into 2-inch pieces
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1/2 red onion, finely chopped, for garnish
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1/4 cup capers for garnish
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1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish
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Extra dill for garnish
method
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Remove all bones from the salmon:
Place the salmon, meat side up, on a cutting board. Feel along the meat with your fingertips to see if there are fine pin bones. Use tweezers, a strawberry peeler, or other tongs to gently pull them out.
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Mix the pickle mixture:
In a bowl, mix salt, brown and granulated sugar, and fennel seeds. Mix well.
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Sprinkle half the salmon with half the salt mixture:
Sprinkle some of the salt mixture in the center of a 12-inch glass or ceramic casserole dish and sprinkle some dill on top. Place one of the salmon pieces, skin-side down, on top of the salt mixture. Sprinkle half of the remaining salt mixture and half of the remaining dill over the fish meat. Press lightly so the mixture sticks.
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Place the other piece of salmon, skin-side up, on top of the first piece:
Lay the second piece so that the thicker part of the top piece sits on top of the thinner part of the bottom piece, forming a flat, even rectangle. Sprinkle the remaining salt mixture and dill on top.
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Cover and drain the salmon:
Cover the whole bowl with plastic wrap. Place another, smaller casserole dish on top of the salmon and weigh it down with 2 heavy cans, a garden brick, or other heavy weight.
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Store in the fridge and cure for 2 days:
After 24 hours, turn the fish over so the top piece is now on the bottom. This will help the fish heal evenly.
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Rinse the gravel mixture off the gravel:
To serve, remove the fish from the casserole dish. Some liquid has collected at the bottom; that is normal. Rinse the fish well with cold water and rub off the salt mixture with your fingers. Dry the fish well with paper towels.
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Slice the Graved:
Place one of the pieces of fish skin-side down on a cutting board. Using a very sharp knife, slice the fish as thinly as possible while holding the blade extremely diagonally. Do the same with the other piece of fish.
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Serve the gravlax:
Arrange the slices on a platter, overlapping them, curling them as you lay them down. Sprinkle with red onions, capers and remaining dill and garnish with lemon. Leftovers keep for about a week.
