“Home-cured gravlax is so easy and good that we don’t even think about buying it anymore. And we know exactly where the fish comes from because we brought it home! This recipe is a crowd pleaser, a top choice for an appealing holiday appetizer. Using wild salmon insures the freshest flavor and best color. Copper River and sockeye look especially appealing paired with the dill. We’ve found that the dill is the key to this recipe. Don’t skimp—use plenty!”
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon white peppercorns, whole
- 1 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces rock salt*
- 8 ounces white sugar
- 2 pounds salmon, sashimi-grade, skin and bones removed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Dijon Mustard (or hot mustard for more spice)
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Rye bread slices or other bread/crackers
- Lemon wedges
- ¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
Preparation
SALMON
Crush peppercorns with the side of a knife (or roughly grind using mortar and pestle). Combine peppercorns with salt, sugar and dill.
Place 2 large pieces of cling wrap on a work surface, slightly overlapping. Spread half the salt mixture in the shape of the salmon. Place salmon on salt, skin side down. Top with remaining salt mixture.
Wrap with cling wrap. Place in a large dish. Top with something flat (like a small cutting board) then 3 (14-ounce) cans for weight. Refrigerate for 12 hours. There will be liquid in the dish. Turn salmon over (will be gloopy/wet) then replace weights and return to fridge. After another 12 hours, turn salmon over again, replace weights. After another 12 hours, remove salmon from fridge: 36 hours total for medium cure.
Unwrap salmon, scrape off salt then rinse. Pat dry. If time permits, return to the fridge for 3–12 hours uncovered (dries surface better, lets salt “settle” and permeate through flesh more evenly). Sprinkle over the ¼ cup extra dill — for garnish and flavor.
Slice thinly on an angle, do not cut through skin (and don’t eat the skin). Serve with toasted bread, Mustard Sauce, extra dill and lemon wedges.
MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE
Mix ingredients, making sure to season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and/or zest if you wish—I like to serve with wedges so people can adjust to their taste.
*Note about salt types and curing times: Rock salt cures salmon more evenly from the surface to the center. Do not use table salt or iodized salt of any type (can turn salmon brown).
- Rock Salt: 36 hours cure time per recipe = medium cure; 72 hours = hard cure
- Coarse Salt / Kosher Salt: 24 hours = medium cure; 36 hours will be between medium and hard Cure; 48 or more hours will be hard cure. Surface will be cured more (firmer, drier) than if using rock salt because finer grains penetrate more.
We highly recommend resting minimum 12 hours, preferably 24, before serving. The saltiness will distribute more evenly.
About this recipe
Source: RecipeTinEats.com
