Name: Cured Salmon Gravlax
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: makes 500g gravlax (approx. 1 pound)
Cuisine: Nordic
Ingredients: 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp juniper berries; 1 tbsp whole black pepper; 1 handful of fresh dill; 180 g salt (6.3 oz); 120 g sugar (4.2 oz); 1/2 tsp smoked paprika; zest of one bio lime (or lemon / orange); 600 g salmon fillet (1.3 pound)

Cured Salmon Gravlax

Do you guys love Smoked Salmon? Me too. Jernej isn’t the biggest fan on planet Earth, but I simply adore it. Well, if you love smoked salmon, then I am sure you will love this homemade cured salmon or Gravlax. It’s a fabulous appetizer that can be served with crackers, rye bread, spelt muffins and horseradish sauce or homemade mayo. It's a great healthy(er) breakfast or an unforgettable appetizer, perfect for celebrations or when you’re expecting guests. It’s melt in your mouth delicious and what’s even better, it’s pretty easy to prepare at home.

Cured Salmon Gravlax

Cured Salmon is a fantastic and delicious appetizer recipe. The flavor and texture are similar to smoked salmon, but Gravlax is prepared differently and it's easily made at home. We especially love it because:

not overly cured and delicious
not overly salty or sweet
gluten free and dairy free
such a delicious weekend project (it's cured in a fridge for 24 hours)
stores really well
simple recipe for any day of the year
great for celebrations (Christmas, birthdays, New Year's eve...)
serve as a healthy breakfast or appetizer

What is Gravlax

Gravlax is a Nordic cured salmon. The flavor and texture are similar to smoked salmon but Gravlax is prepared differently and it's easily made at home. In comparison to smoked salmon, the cured salmon flavor is less intense. Cured Salmon is covered in cure mixture made of salt, sugar and herbs. While curing, the salmon releases a lot of water which helps develop an intense salmon flavor. It's also important to buy the freshest possible salmon fillet.

HOW TO PREPARE GLAVLAX

Making Gravlax at home is incredibly easy:

Sprinkle the cure mixture (salt, sugar, herbs) over the whole salmon fillet
Place it the fridge for 24 hours
Rinse under cold running water and tap dry
Place in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours
Cut on thin slices and enjoy

How to make Gravlax at home?

When salmon is covered in cure mixture, transfer it to a vacuum bag and vacuum seal the bag. This way the salmon fillet will be tightly closed which will prevent the salmon from catching any bacteria or other flavors from the fridge. Also, if you decide to use this method, you won't need to top the salmon with weights or other heavy objects.

Trasfer the salmon filled covered with cure mixture to a large vacuum bag. Vacuum seal the bag. We are using a powerful Slovenian Vacuum Machine SV2000 from Status Metlika, which is perfect for this kind of recipes because it's powerful enough, yet still easy and simple to use. The process won't take you more than a minute, but it will improve the overall recipe making time.

What to eat with Gravlax?

Gravlax is a great choice for a healthy(er) breakfast or an incredibly fabulous appetizer. Serve it to your guests and they will for sure be impressed. Here are some ideas what to eat with cured salmon:

homemade mayo
spelt english muffins
crackers with seeds
homemade bagels
rye bread
horseradish sauce
serve in a sandwich with poached egg and hollandaise sauce

Storing and freezing

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. Defrost by bringing it to room temperature.

Other tasty Salmon recipes to try

Thanks to Status Metlika for the amazing vacuum machine and vacuum bags. All the opinions are ours and we only share our honest opinions and recommendations for great products that we actually use

METHOD

cure mix

Add fennel seeds, coriander seeds and juniper berries to a pan. Place over low heat and cook for about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and crush them using a pestle and mortar. Finely chop the dill. In a small bowl stir to combine salt, sugar and smoked paprika. Add the ground seeds and berries and zest of one lime, stir to combine.
cured salmon

Sprinkle half of the cure mixture over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the salmon on top of the cure mix skin side down. Sprinkle the rest of the cure mix over the salmon and press the cure mix into the salmon fillet so it incorporates as much of the mixture as possible. Transfer the salmon fillet to a large vacuum bag, making sure the fillet is covered in cure mix. Vacuum the salmon fillet using a Vacuum machine. We used a powerful Slovenian Vacuum Machine SV2000 from Status Metlika. Place in a fridge for 24 - 48 hours.
serve

Remove the cured salmon fillet from the fridge. Open the vacuum bag and rinse the salmon under cold running water to remove all the cure mixture. Tap dry using a paper towel. Place on a wire rack or large tray and place in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours. Use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the gravlax and serve.
store

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. Defrost by bringing it to room temperature.