Salmon Gravlax Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between gravlax and cured salmon? ›

Preparation: Lox is cured or brined primarily using salt, while gravlax is cured in a mixture of salt with sugar and herbs like dill. Taste: Lox tastes predominantly salty, while gravlax has more of a mild fish taste similar to sashimi.

While salmon is healthy, gravlax is salt and sugar cured and is still higher in sodium than fresh salmon, per Emozzy. Keep in mind that wild and farm-raised salmon contain toxins and mercury found in polluted waters, and farm-raised salmon may contain antibiotics, per Healthline.

So if you're ready for dinner just 24 hours after beginning the cure, by all means serve the gravlax. Similarly, if you want to hold the cure for 12 or 24 hours more, feel free.

Is It Safe to Eat? According to the FDA, gravlax is acceptable and safe for eating.

You can reduce or increase the quantities for smaller or larger fillets. Because of certain parasites found in fresh salmon, it is important to buy sushi-grade salmon or purchase commercially frozen salmon and thaw before use, as freezing for several days will kill any microorganisms present in the fish.

If you're ever in the Nordic regions of the world, you can enjoy a hearty raw salmon, salt, sugar, and dill appetizer called gravlax. But raw salmon is still raw. Like all raw animal protein, it carries risks. These include parasites like helminths or bacteria like Salmonella.

The traditional accompaniment for gravlax is super simple - a green salad, wedge of lemon and a couple of slices of rye bread all topped with a mustard sauce.

Gravlax lasts in the fridge for quite some time. It stores really well. You can serve your Salmon Gravlax immediately or vacuum it again and store it. Store in a fridge for up to 3 weeks or place in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Gravlax is one of the few world-famous Scandinavian dishes out there, and while many know that it is basically prepared with salmon and herbs, few know its ancient, Arctic history. The origin of gravlax can be traced all the way back to 14th-century North-Sweden.

The gravlax is done when the flesh is opaque, about 3-4 days. When ready to serve, remove the dill from the salmon and wipe clean and dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife held at a very flat angle, start slicing a few inches in from the end of the fillet with a back-and-forth sawing motion to remove a thin slice.

How do you know when gravlax is done? ›

Salmon takes 2 to 3 days to turn into proper gravlax, depending on the variety and thickness of the salmon. The only way to know if gravlax is done is to taste it. After 2 days, I take one salmon side out of the cure, and cut off three thin slices to see if the flavor and texture are to my liking.

This is how I make sushi using Costco salmon. This salmon is in sushi grade, but per the FDA guidelines, it can either be frozen or, as an exception, can be farmed.

Do drain your fish at least once, after about 12 hours. Don't let it wallow in its own brine. Not that it necessarily becomes inedible, but it adds a whole new variable you don't want to worry about. Just remove the weights, peel back the covers in a corner, and drain it into the sink.

It tastes fresh and not at all fishy”. Homemade gravlax get an intense floral aroma from the fresh dill, it's oiliness is replaced with a silky texture during the curing process, and it's far less expensive than store bought.

Gravlax keeps for a week after curing; and, though it's not an ideal solution, you can successfully freeze gravlax for a few weeks.

Gravlax/Gravelox

Like lox, gravelox is cured in a salt brine but, in the style of Scandinavian tradition, is seasoned with dill, salt, and sugar. Some gravelox preparations include horseradish, white peppercorns, juniper berries, and even aquavit! As you'd expect from the ingredient list, gravlax has a strong flavor.

Lox — or “belly lox,” which is the actual name for it — is salmon that has been cured in salt. (Like gravlax, which is cured in sugar and salt, there's no smoking involved.)

Here's the main difference: smoked salmon is cured and then smoked, whereas lox is only cured, typically in a salt brine and typically for longer periods of time, but not smoked.

This is done to facilitate the removal of moisture from the fish, which is crucial to the curing aspect, and this can take up to 20 hours or more. For this reason, the salmon is not technically cooked, although it is cured in a way that makes it ready-to-eat.