Gravlax originated in Scandinavia
This is a method for salt curing fish
Basically the salt draws moisture from the fish delaying any decay or breakdown and essentially “cooks” the flesh while still maintaining the texture of the fish
Though this my have started as a preserving method, it is still used today and can be served like it’s cousin lox (brined cured salmon) with dill, capers, red onion and cream cheese
This happens to be a family favorite especially for my wife who loves gravlax or lox on bagels, baguettes or on its own!
The reason for using salmon or trout in this dish is your looking for an oily type of fish which can stand up to this curing method
We decided to use Steelhead Trout since it was available to us
We have 2 fillets, scaled, skin on that are around 2 pounds all together
I like to remove the excess belly fat as well as the tail portion
Some cooked tail and belly will never sadden your favorite household pet!
Try to keep the fillets even since they will cure on top of each other
Place one filet into a baking dish
Lets work on the curing blend
I’m going to go with my standard measurement here since you never know exactly how much fish your dealing with once you trim it all up
We will need 1/3 cup of kosher salt, 1/4 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of ground black pepper (restaurant style), 2 teaspoons of dry dill and 2 sprigs of fresh dill
Add all the dry ingredients into a bowl
Snip the fresh dill in as well
Whisk everyone together
Spoon the curing blend generously over the filet
Place the second filet on top of the bottom filet, thick side to thin side
Cover this tightly with tin foil
Top the fish with another dish over its center
Place a 5 pound weight in the center of the dish directly over the fish
If the dish is sliding around stabilize it with something like a wad of paper towel
You want the weight directly on the fish to help press the liquid out as it cures
Place the weighted, covered fish in the refrigerator for 24 hours (no joke, this is step one, so plan ahead)
Remove from the fridge and remove the weighted dish and tin foil
What you should see is liquid in the dish (we would have had more liquid but since I used a paper towel to stabilize the dish it soaked some up)
Remove the fish, drain the liquid and wipe the baking dish out
Add the fish back in flipped (keep track of how you removed it, this is important)
Put the foil and weighted dish back
Place the dish back in the refrigerator for another 24 hours
Repeat this again 2 more times 24 hours apart (yes, I’m serious), for a total of 4 days
On the fourth day remove the dish and remove a filet to a cutting board
I used an offset spatula to gently remove the curing blend from the fish
Then I rubbed it down with a paper towel
It’s okay if some of the seasoning stays on
Once cleaned up use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the Gravlax on an angle
Wrap up what you don’t use and refrigerate up to 2 weeks
Serve this with cream cheese, capers, thinly sliced red onion, lemon, fresh dill and your favorite bagel, baguette or crostini!
Enjoy!!!
Simply Sundays! ~ Gravlax
Ingredients
2 pounds of steel head trout (or salmon)
1/3 cup of salt
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of ground black pepper (restaurant style)
2 teaspoons of dry dill
2 sprigs of fresh dill
Directions
Remove the excess belly fat as well as the tail portion from 2 scaled, skin on steelhead trout fillets. Try to keep the fillets even since they will cure on top of each other. Place one filet into a baking dish
In a bowl whisk together 1/3 cup of kosher salt, 1/4 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of ground black pepper (restaurant style), 2 teaspoons of dry dill, along with the fronds from 2 sprigs of fresh dill
Spoon the curing blend generously over the filet (reserve what’s left). Place the second filet on top thick side to thin side. Cover this tightly with tin foil. Top the fish with another dish over its center. Place a 5 pound weight in the center of the dish directly over the fish. If the dish is sliding around stabilize it with something like a wad of paper towel
Place the weighted, covered fish in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove from the fridge and remove the weighted dish and tin foil
Remove the fish, drain the liquid and wipe the baking dish out. Add the fish back in flipped (keep track of how you removed it, this is important). Put the foil and weighted dish back
Place the dish back in the refrigerator for another 24 hours. Repeat this again 2 more times 24 hours apart, for a total of 4 days. On the fourth day remove the dish and remove a filet to a cutting board. Use an offset spatula to gently remove the curing blend from the fish. Rub it down with a paper towel. It’s okay if some of the seasoning stays on
Once cleaned up use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the gravlax on an angle. Wrap up what you don’t use and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Serve this with cream cheese, capers, thinly sliced red onion, lemon, fresh dill and your favorite bagel, baguette or crostini
Tools used to make this recipe
Architec Gripperwood Cutting Board
Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish, Clear 8.9 Inch X 13.2 Inch – 3 Qt
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