Classic Dill Gravlax

Name: Klassischer Dill-Gravlax
Total time: 48 h
Ingredients: 60 g Grobes Meersalz; 30 g Weißer Zucker; 50 g Frischer Dill; 5 g Weißer Pfeffer, grob gemahlen; 5 g Zitronenabrieb

Curing MixFishCold SmokingEasy48 hrsNo cooking – Cold curingNo smoking – CuringNo smoke

A timeless Scandinavian classic where fresh salmon is cold-cured with a mixture of salt, sugar and plenty of fresh dill. The combination of sea salt and sugar gently draws moisture from the fish, giving it a silky texture. After 48 hours the result is a mild, aromatically fresh gravlax of the highest quality.

Ingredients(for 1 kg)

Coarse sea salt60 g

White sugar30 g

Fresh dill50 g

White pepper, coarsely ground5 g

Lemon zest5 g

Instructions

Preparation

15 minutes

Check the salmon for bones and remove them with tweezers. Pat the skin side dry. Roughly chop fresh dill and combine with sea salt, sugar, white pepper and lemon zest.

Rubbing

10 minutes

Spread one third of the curing mixture on the skin side. Apply the remaining two thirds generously to the flesh side and gently massage in. If using two fillets, place them flesh to flesh on top of each other.

Curing

48 hours

Wrap the salmon tightly in cling film and place in a baking dish. Place a light weight (e.g. a book) on top and cure in the refrigerator at 2–4 °C for 48 hours. Turn once after 24 hours and pour the released brine back over the fish.

Finishing

10 minutes

Remove the gravlax from the film, rinse off the curing mixture and dill, and pat the fish dry. Using a sharp, long knife, slice thinly at an angle. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Pro Tip

For optimal results, freeze the salmon for 24 hours beforehand to kill any parasites. Apply the curing mixture generously to the flesh side and less on the skin side.

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