Salmon Gravlax
Delicate, delectable and classy, Salmon Gravlax is very simple to prepare. It’s a great appetizer. Next time you want to have an effortless party, invite your friends for tea and serve sandwiches with salmon gravlax. Spread butter on bread and top with thin slices of salmon. Or mix together cream cheese, lemon juice, dill, etc. and use it as a spread on bagels for brunch.
This is my Mom’s recipe and she’s always said that this it’s foolproof. You pretty much can’t mess it up. We make it all the time and it always turns out perfectly. Breakfast, lunch, snack …. you’re covered as long as Salmon Gravlax is in your refrigerator. It’s also MUCH cheaper to make it at home than buying it at the store, and the quality is much more superior, of course.
Skin the salmon fillet. Combine the salt, sugar and pepper on some parchment. 
You can do this on the counter, but if you use parchment paper, you can just chuck the whole thing when you’re done. It makes cleaning very easy. 
Dredge the salmon in the salt, sugar mixture until the salmon is well coated.
Tap off the excess. 
Place the salmon in a tall sided container. Place a generous amount of fresh dill on top and bottom of the salmon. 
You will need to put a weight on top of the salmon. What I usually do is place a plate on top of the salmon and place something heavy on top of the plate, like orange juice, or anything else heavy that I have in my refrigerator.
Seal the dish tightly, with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, otherwise your whole refrigerator will smell fishy. Yuck.
Leave the salmon in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. If the salmon is thin, it will be ready in 24 hours. The thicker it is, the longer it will need to cure, up to 3 days.
While the fish is curing, make sure it’s always well moistened. Take a spoon and baste the salmon with the liquid in the bottom of the dish. Do this at least once a day. 
Rinse the fish in water and pat it dry on a paper towel, washing off the excess saltiness. Store the fish in the refrigerator, well sealed. 
Slice the salmon thinly and enjoy in the salmon in a number of different ways. The best way to slice this is on a bias, using a long, sharp knife. 
There are SO many things you can do with Salmon Gravlax. Here are a few ides.
-Simple sandwiches with butter.
-Cream cheese spread (with lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill, etc) on a bagel, bread, etc.
–Eggs Benedict – use salmon instead of the canadian bacon. Delicious. 
–Blini (little russian pancakes) with sour cream
- 1 salmon fillet
- ½ cup salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- Skin the salmon fillet. Combine the salt, sugar and pepper on some parchment. You can do this on the counter, but if you use parchment paper, you can just chuck the whole thing when you're done. It makes cleaning very easy.
- Dredge the salmon in the salt, sugar mixture until the salmon is well coated. Tap off the excess.
- Place the salmon in a tall sided container. Place a generous amount of fresh dill on top and bottom of the salmon.
- You will need to put a weight on top of the salmon. What I usually do is place a plate on top of the salmon and place something heavy on top of the plate, like orange juice, or anything else heavy that I have in my refrigerator.
- Seal the dish tightly, with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, otherwise your whole refrigerator will smell fishy.
- Leave the salmon in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. If the salmon is thin, it will be ready in 24 hours. The thicker it is, the longer it will need to cure, up to 3 days.
- While the fish is curing, make sure it's always well moistened. Take a spoon and baste the salmon with the liquid in the bottom of the dish. Do this at least once a day.
- When the fish is cured, rinse it in water and pat it dry on a paper towel, washing off the excess saltiness. Store the fish in the refrigerator, well sealed.
16 Comments
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moms dish
Olga, does it taste close to a costco one?
olgak7
Mom’s Dish, I’ve never tried the Costco one, so I’m not sure:).
moms dish
oh ok 🙂 I will try this recipe. I tried something similar and it didn’t turn out for me. You cook lots of fish at home. You should live in NW 🙂 We have plenty of salmon 🙂
olgak7
I really like seafood. Plus, it’s really healthy, so I try to serve it at least once or twice a week. We do have lots of fish here in Florida too, but fresh fish is very expensive. Oh, well! It’s worth it.
Valentin Jr
Looks mouthwatering:))) I will most definitely have to try that:)))
Nelya
We always freeze the fish at least for 12 hours before salting it, in order to kill any microorganisms that might be living in it.
olgak7
Hi Nelya,
Unless you buy the fish from a fisherman, most fish that is sold in stores has already been frozen. The large amount of salt that is used to cure the fish will keep bacteria from growing in the fish. Salt is a great preservative and that’s why it’s been used for centuries even when people didn’t have refrigerators. I do have to point out that pregnant people and people who’s immune systems are suppressed (elderly or sick, etc), should refrain from eating this dish.
Oksana K
Tempted to try and do it at home. Its sorta spendy to buy it at Costco, as it’s always gone before u know it… hope it will have a similar taste though, because isn’t the one that is sold at Costo and other grocery stores, SMOKED salmon? hmm… 😕
olgak7
Hi Oksana K,
This is NOT smoked salmon that is sold in stores. Salmon Gravlax doesn’t have a smoky flavor, since it’s not smoked, it’s cured. I really enjoy both types.
Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Yum, now you I have to go and make some. I have a wonderful recipe as well. I put mine in a double ziploc bag, and turn it over a couple of times during the curing process. Less fishy smell that way.
Ilona
I really enjoy your blog and stories :)I made this last night, and it’s still curing, but wondering how to take out bones. Do you try pulling them out before slicing?
olgak7
Hi Ilona!
Thanks for your kind words:).
I always get all the bones out before curing the fish. Most of them are easy to just pull out, the stubborn ones will come out with a pair of tweezers.
Leo
Privet Ol’ka!
Very delicious. Did you ever try to add some CORIANDER to this recipe. I love it!
olgak7
No, I’ve never used coriander, Leo, but I’m sure you can, if you’d like.
alla shchegol
Hi Olga
I decided to try this, yet your instructions (unless I missed it) doesn’t state the size/weight of salmon filet I need. Can you please advice?
Thank you so much
Alla
olgak7
The size/weight of the salmon is not important in the recipe, Alla. You can use bigger or smaller fillets, the amount of salt and sugar will remain the same. The excess salt and sugar mixture will not adhere to the salmon and you will discard it anyway.