Gingravad Lax (Gin Cured Salmon)
Gravad lax or gravlax is a hugely popular starter found on the classic smörgåsbord (buffet table). This variation on the classic cured salmon uses the usual mix of salt, sugar, pepper and dill, but also adds a more sophisticated note with the addition of crushed juniper berries and gin.
This boozy twist has gained a lot of flavor (I mean… favor!) especially around Christmas time in Sweden.
It’s an all-around fantastic starter to prepare in advance for a meal, well worth a try!
Gingravad Lax (Gin Cured Salmon)
The great thing about this recipe is that you can prepare this salmon perfectly in advance for parties. Once marinated, you can easily keep the salmon for a week in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg salmon fillet in 2 pieces, skin-on
- 3 tbsp gin
- 4 tbsp sea salt
- 4 tbsp dill roughly chopped, including stalks
- 2 tbsp white peppercorns
- 2 tsp juniper berries
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
Instructions
- It's recommended you use center-cut pieces of salmon (avoid the tail), with the skin on, either sushi grade or bought frozen to avoid any possible parasites.
- Start by rinsing the salmon and patting it dry. Remove any pin bones you might find along the surface using a pair of tweezers.
- Crush the juniper berries and peppercorns either by pressing the flat of a knife on them on a chopping board, or using a pestle and mortar and toss them together with the salt and sugar to mix.
- Spread out a sheet of cling film large enough for both fillets and sprinkle some of the curing mixture on it as well as some dill.
- Place your salmon fillets on the cling film skin-down. Sprinkle on the curing mixture and gin and rub unto the fillet all over. Don't forget to add the rest of the dill as well!
- Place one fillet on top of the other, meat side to meat side and skin sides out, wrap tightly with the cling film and place in a large freezer bag. Push out as much air as you can before sealing the bag and place in the fridge with a weight on top (a small baking dish or similar).
- Leave the salmon to cure for 48 hours, turning it on the other side about once every 12 hours.
- Once the 48 hours are up, you can take the salmon out and unwrap it over a plate in the sink (some excess liquid might leak). Use a knife or your hand to brush away the dill and residue then rinse it under cold water. Pat the fish dry.
- The curing process is now done. You'll notice the salmon will have changed colour slightly and firmed up a little during the process.
- You can slice up the fish now, if you're in a hurry, or you can place it in a clean plastic bag and place back in the freezer for another 24 hours just to even out the flavor throughout the meat. It's up to you!
- When you're ready to serve, use a well-sharpened knife to slice the salmon. You can make straight, vertical slices, around 5 mm (about 1/4-inch) thick, or cut at a slight angle to get wider thin pieces.
- Consume within 2-3 days or freeze to keep for longer.
Enjoy!
Notes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Related: Salmon Gravlax with Cucumber, Quail Egg and Oranges
Related: Cured Salmon Recipe