Homemade Gravlax Salmon
Experience the delicate art of curing your own Nordic-style gravlax with fresh dill, salt, and sugar.
Ingredients
- •1 center-cut salmon fillet (2 lbs / 900g), pin-boned and scaled
- •1/4 cup coarse sea salt (75g)
- •1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- •1 tablespoon whole white peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- •1 bunch fresh dill, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup packed)
- •2 tablespoons aquavit or dry gin (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the salmon fillet thoroughly under cold water and pat it completely dry with paper towels.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the coarse sea salt, granulated sugar, and crushed white peppercorns.
- 3
Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter, long enough to wrap the salmon completely.
- 4
Spread half of the chopped dill and half of the salt-sugar mixture in the center of the plastic wrap, roughly matching the shape of the salmon.
- 5
Place the salmon fillet skin-side down on top of the herb and salt bed.
- 6
Rub the remaining aquavit or gin over the flesh of the fish if using.
- 7
Cover the top and sides of the salmon with the remaining salt-sugar mixture and the rest of the fresh dill, pressing gently so it adheres.
- 8
Wrap the salmon tightly in several layers of plastic wrap to create a tight, leak-proof package.
- 9
Place the wrapped salmon in a shallow dish, weigh it down with a heavy object like a cast-iron skillet or canned goods, and refrigerate.
- 10
Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the package over every 12 hours to redistribute the curing liquids.
- 11
Unwrap the salmon, scrape off the dill and excess salt mixture, and pat dry.
- 12
Using a long, sharp carving knife, slice the gravlax thinly on a bias away from the skin before serving.
💡 Chef tips
- Always use the freshest sushi-grade salmon available since the fish is cured raw.
- Gravlax can be kept tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or sliced and frozen for up to a month.
- Serve traditionally with mustard-dill sauce, dark rye bread, and lemon wedges.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished gravlax should be brilliantly translucent, firm yet tender to the bite, with a fragrant aroma of fresh dill and a perfectly balanced sweet-and-salty flavor.