Gravlax is fresh salmon that’s been cured with a combination of salt and sugar. It’s arguably the ultimate easy-to-make luxury food in the world! This homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax recipe can be made with a small fillet or whole side of salmon, and costs a fraction of store bought.
The beauty of homemade cured salmon is that you can control the salt so it’s not too salty and it’s got a fresh herb flavour that you’ll never get in a packet! Also, don’t miss the stunning Beetroot Cured Salmon!
Gravlax recipe
I’ve made cured salmon gravlax a bunch of times over the years and my results were varied. Never any epic disasters, they were always edible. But sometimes they were over cured, under cured, and the biggest problem I’ve had is over salted salmon.
If you’ve invested in a beautiful sashimi-grade piece of salmon, it’s almost criminal if it’s so salty that it overpowers the salmon!
If you search around on the internet, you’ll find that the ratios of salmon to salt and sugar and curing times are absolutely all over the place. Some recipes use as much as 750g/1.5lb salt + sugar to 1 kg / 2 lb of salmon. Some recipes use as little as 175g/6oz of salt + sugar. Then curing times range from 12 hours to 3 days.
Now finally, I have Cured Salmon Gravlax Recipe that’s a keeper with the right ratio of salt and sugar:
Salmon Gravlax formula
Equal parts salt + sugar (combined) 50% of the weight of the salmon. Coat, leave 24 hours for lightly cured, 36 hours for medium (this is what I do) and 48 hours for hard cure.
The biggest problem with gravlax recipes is that they are usually far too salty!
What does gravlax taste like?
Gravlax tastes like a cross between salmon sashimi (imagine it with the addition of seasoning from salt plus fresh herb flavour), and the smoked salmon slices you buy at stores – but minus the smokey flavour (because smoked salmon is made by smoking salmon).
This Cured Salmon Gravlax recipe is perfect. It’s not too salty, the flesh is not overly cured i.e. still nice and moist. But it’s cured enough to be easily sliceable into thin pieces (which is virtually impossible with raw fish). It’s salty enough that you’ll want to eat the slices plain, but not too salty that you’ll need to guzzle a glass of water with every bite. <- Problem I’ve had in the past!
Difference between gravlax and smoked salmon
Smoked salmon and gravlax are actually quite similar in flavour and texture in that they both have a moist, silky texture that is “raw-like”, rather than hard like jerky or cooked. But the big difference is that smoked salmon is made by smoking raw salmon at a low temperature which infuses the salmon which smokey flavour which gravlax does not have.
Other than the smokey flavour, they are actually quite similar! In fact, you can use this homemade gravlax in place of smoked salmon in all my smoked salmon recipes, including Salmon Quiche, these Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites and this Smoked Salmon Dip!
Salmon Gravlax FAQ
Can you make gravlax with frozen salmon?
Yes you can, as long as you use high quality salmon (ie don’t use vac packed salmon from the supermarket that’s been sitting around for days or box packet frozen salmon from Costco or Aldi). Freeze it yourself to -10°F / -23°C for at least a week, or use commercial frozen salmon from a reputable fish monger.
How long does gravlax keep?
It depends on how much you cure the salmon. I would not keep lightly cured salmon (24 hours) beyond 36 hours at most (just to be safe). Medium cured salmon (36 – 48 hour cure) for 2 days to be safe, but 3 should be fine. Hard cured salmon (3 day cure) can be kept for 5 days.
Can you freeze cured salmon gravlax?
Yes you can, just like you can freeze store bought smoked salmon slices. I keep frozen seafood for up 2 2 months, but 3 months should be fine. Do not freeze gravlax if it was made with previously frozen salmon.
What do serve with gravlax?
It’s typically served on crackers or pumpernickel bread with a sauce. I like using toasted baguette slices with a mustard cream sauce (recipe provided below) with extra fresh dill for serving!
Once you get your hands on fresh salmon, it requires less than 10 minutes effort to prepare salmon gravlax – then just leave it in the fridge!
Why make your own Cured Salmon??
Making your own Cured Salmon Gravlax costs a fraction of store bought. But regardless of the savings, the thing with store bought – even from the really good speciality stores – is that it just doesn’t have the same fresh dill flavour and it’s usually too salty, presumably to increase shelf life.
Homemade is always best. And in this case, store bought is truly incomparable!
You can get sashimi-grade salmon at most fish mongers here in Australia (at least in the coastal areas). That’s the single most important requirement for this recipe.
Once you have your salmon, it’s 5 minutes of effort.
That’s it. And you’ll have your very own incredible homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Cured Salmon Gravlax recipe video! (You’ll be amazed how easy it is!)
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Cured Salmon Gravlax (it's so easy!)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp white peppercorns (whole) (Note 1)
- 1 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (1 big bunch)
- 250g / 8 oz rock salt (Note 2)
- 250g / 8 oz white sugar (Note 3)
- 1 kg / 2 lb salmon, sashimi-grade, bones removed and skin on (Note 4)
Mustard Cream Sauce
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml heavy / thickened cream
- 1/3 cup Dijon Mustard (or hot mustard if you want a kick)
- 2 tsp Mustard Powder
- Salt and pepper
To Serve
- Rye bread slices or other bread/crackers (Note 5)
- Lemon wedges
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- 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 small cutting board) then 3 x 400g / 14oz cans ("Weights").
- 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 - Perfect Gravlax to my taste (See Note 2 for description and more curing times).
- 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 1/4 cup extra dill - for garnish and flavour.
- Slice thinly on an angle, do not cut through skin (i.e. don't eat skin). Serve with toasted bread, Mustard Sauce, extra dill and lemon wedges.
!Mustard Sauce
- Mix ingredients, making sure to season with salt and pepper. It should taste like a creamy mustard - a touch of tartness, but mostly to add moisture to the dish. You can add lemon juice and/or zest if you wish - I like to serve with wedges so people can adjust to their taste.
Recipe Notes:
* COARSE SALT / KOSHER SALT: 24 hours = Medium Cure, 36 hours will be between Medium and Hard Cure, 48 hours+ will be Hard Cure. Surface will be cured more (ie firmer, drier surface) than using Rock Salt because finer grains penetrate more. Highly recommend resting minimum 12, preferably 24 hours before serving - saltiness will distribute more evenly. CURING STRENGTH:
* Medium Cure (my preference) = surface is fairly firm and not too salty, inside is lightly cured, still moist (but not raw, it’s cured). Seasoned enough to eat slices plain.
* Hard Cure = surface is quite firm (like a soft jerky) and quite well seasoned, inside is slightly firmer and pretty well seasoned. Contrast between surface and inside more prominent. I find this a touch salty for my taste but is still way less salty than store bought. 3. Sugar, like salt, draws moisture from the flesh and cures it but makes it sweet rather than salty. Using normal sugar rather than superfine / caster sugar ensures that the salmon doesn't get too sweet (i.e. caster sugar penetrates salmon quicker). The right salt and sugar combination is key to controlling the saltiness of Gravlax while still achieving the "cured" effect and without making it too sweet! 4. Please ensure you use SASHIMI-GRADE salmon. I always ask, even if the sign says that! Nowadays in Australian coastal areas, sashimi-grade salmon is quite common at local fish mongers. Skin-on salmon means that the skin side is cured slightly less, however, for me, I prefer skin-on for this exact reason plus it's easier to carve. SMALLER FILLETS: The beauty of this recipe is that a little goes a long way! So you don't need to use a whole side of salmon, you can make this with a small fillet. However, if you get one smaller than 500g/1lb, then you'll need to increase the salt/sugar ratio to the weight of the salmon to ensure there's enough to cover the surface area. For a 300g/10oz piece, rather than using 150g/5oz combined salt/sugar, use around 210g/7oz (this is what I measured when I did a test using a smaller piece). I don't recommend going smaller than 300g/10oz because the width of the salmon will become too narrow and it will probably end up too salty. 5. Rye bread is the classic type to serve with Gravlax but it suits any bread or plain crackers. While some recipes recommend Pumpernickel Bread, I personally find that the flavour overwhelms the salmon. 6. EXTRAS: Some Gravlax recipes use lemon. Just add the zest of 1 - 2 lemons to the salt cure. This recipe is a classic one that doesn't use zest. 7. STORAGE: With the 36 hour cure, this salmon keeps for 3 days. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container. 8. SERVINGS: A little goes a long way with this recipe! It will comfortable serve 10 people as a starter. That's generous! 9. Nutrition is difficult with homemade Gravlax because I have no way of determining how much salt is infused into the flesh. So I've used a store bought Gravlax nutrition which is no doubt saltier than this recipe makes!
10. Recipe adapted from salmon curing guidance courtesy of Chef Massimo Mele. With my thanks for enduring my endless questions!!!Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Fishing for salmon. Not. (There was a stick floating in the water. 🙄 And also a twig hanging off his privates???!!?)
Thank you for this lovely recipe – I can’t wait to try it out!
I am an avid cook. Have catered on the side, barter with food for house repairs, etc. and a follower of most of your recipes. Also love Dozer!! Being Jewish I grew up eating lox and bagel every Sunday. I cure mine with kosher salt in a 50-50 salt to sugar, lots of dill, a bare teaspoon of smoke flavor, and then pour on a good dose of brandy(cognac). It just adds a slightly sweet fragrant note to the salmon. I put the salmon in a pyrex dish covered with plastic wrap and then place a smaller pyrex on top with 2 of my hand weights for 3 days.
Something to try!
I make this probably twice a month, 1 lb filet each time. Fresh dill is not always available, so I use a heaping T of dried dill weed. I am going to try crushing some dill seed next time and see how that works out. I also add a heaping T of allspice. And, I add a 1/4 cup of liquid smoke (mesquite type). I do not bother wrapping in plastic wrap. I have a plastic container that closely fits a 1 lb filet (came with a lb of deli meat. I put 2/3 of the mixture in the bottom of the container, spread evenly and then bed the filet skin side up into it, after dipping all edges in to cure to coat it. Then, I spread the rest of the cure even over the skin, and pour the liquid smoke around the edge, being careful not to rinse the cure off the salmon. I put on the cover and cure in the fridge for about 3 days. Then I rinse it, pat it dry and coat it paper thin with honey, and stick it in my dehydrator for a couple of hours, lowest setting (90 degrees) and it develops a nice “pellicle” like real smoked. Then, back in the fridge for another 24 hours. This allows the concentration of the salt to equalize thru the filet. (Those who think cured salmon is to salty probably don’t do this, which leaves too much salt near the surface, and not enough in the middle.) Result is outrageous. Sorry, but I think it is as good ad $50/lb Scottish salmon, for 20% of the cost.
Thank you for this lovely recipe – uncomplicated and yet allows me to serve up some posh nosh to guests!
I have been making gravlax for years. I keep the cure mixture in my cupboard at all times. To make the gravlax. I just cover the salmon with a layer of about 1/8 inch. After 2 days in the fridge, I rinse the fish and taste it. If it is too salty, I place it in a pan, in the sink and run cold water in the pan (not on the flesh of the fish) for about 15 minutes or more, which washes away excess salt. Taste again and repeat, if necessary, until reaching the desired degree of salinity.
made this recipe! easy to make.
unfortunatley it came out too salty , i scraped the salt & rinsed the salmon , we’ll see tomorrow ?? serving it with the mustard sauce
As there are only two of us most Gravlax recipes that use whole filets wouldn’t work. This formula does. Couldn’t find fresh dill so only used sea salt and muscovado (unrefined) sugar, with a sprinkle of ground white pepper. There was a piece of the flatter stomach side to make a flesh to flesh skin side out bundle after rubbing in curing mixture. First taste – after 40ish hours then rinsing off – seemed salty but put back in fridge for another 6 hours and now it’s fabulous!! Might end up eating it all by slices before getting it on a bagel.
Thanks for a great recipe!
I love gravlax and I love your recipes and was excited to make this. Thanks nagi….
Hi Nagi!
Thank you for this lovely recipe – uncomplicated and yet allows me to serve up some posh nosh to guests!
I realized my salt was the iodised type at last minute but I’m happy to report it didn’t turn my gravalax grey – perhaps it was also because I cured it for only 24 hours.
Fantastic recipe which I will certainly be using again and will experiment with other spices for flavour!
Hi Nagi, quick question about freezing the salmon after it’s cured (which to me means it is now gravlax): in the recipe you state that it can be frozen, but in the comments, on July 30 2018 Vikas asked whether it can be frozen after curing and you answered no… so now I am utterly confused. Did I misread something? There’s no way our small family can eat a kg of gravlax in a few days and with our current lockdown it will be a long time before we can have company over to enjoy it:-) please help!
In the article Nagi said the gravlax can be frozen but not if the salmon that was used to make the gravlax had been previously frozen. Hope that helps!
I love gravlax and I love your recipes and was excited to make this. I tried it with a fillet of sashimi grade salmon I ordered online, When it was delivered, it was really thin – maybe 2cm. I only cured it for 24 hours but it ended up quite “tough”. Should I have skipped the weights? Or shortened the curing time? Or aborted because the fillet was just unsuitable due to its thickness? What would you say is the ideal thickness for a salmon fillet for this recipe?
Honestly, I never thought I would one day cure my own salmon !! We will only be able to taste it in 36 hours, but regardless of the result, the experience in itself is so exciting. Thank you very much for making it so accessible 🇨🇵🇦🇺
My store only had smaller salmon filets, so I got two 1-lb pieces instead of the 2 ob in your recipe. I made 2 batches of the curing mixture and did each piece separately. It’s in the fridge now but I’m wondering if it makes any difference that I had more of the curing mix on the pieces? Next time I’d make one batch of the mix and divide it between the 2 smaller pieces, I think.
I adore Gravlax, though during the final third phase after rinsing i may cover the salmon in dill and sometimes sprinkle a little spirit ie Gin, Vodka, or Whisky. then refrigerate for 24 hrs.I love the result!
Any comments welcome.
thanks,i was loving it till the last,keep it up
That’s great to hear Akit, thanks so much for letting me know!! N x
This recipe is fantastic, the key is the ratio of seasoning to weight of salmon, something no other recipe gives. I felt super confident making this first time for a dinner with friends. Naji’s recipes never fail.
Hi Nagi,
A health concern: If sashimi grade is unavailable, how safe is it to consume this very gravlax using store bought fresh farmed salmon?
What would be your best practical advice for salmon free of parasites prior to the curing process?
I’ve made gravlax almost exclusively with regular fresh atlantic farmed salmon. I’ve probably made over 100lbs. No problems at all. I eat the same salmon raw dipped in shoyu and in sushi rolls.
Thank you.
thanks,i was loving it till the last,keep it up
Hi Nagi. How sweet is the finished product? If I am to achieve the fresh, briney, and savory taste of well cured grav laks, what is the recommended sugar and salt ratio? Thank you.
I think it’s a matter of personal taste. I prefer less sugar so the ratio I used for 1lb of salmon was 175g salt to 150g sugar. It was still on the sweeter side so I will be experimenting further. I hope this helps!
so delicious! i cured sashimi-grade scottish salmon for about 45 hours, and added a bit of smoked maldon salt to himalayan rock salt in the mix. turned out perfect. thank you for this simple and beautiful recipe! will try adding juniper berries next time
Hi Nagi!
Thank you for this lovely recipe – uncomplicated and yet allows me to serve up some posh nosh to guests!
Thank you for this lovely recipe
Thank you. Love this equally proportional recipe. Used wild Alaska salmon, and added some crushed juniper berries. Served with a dusting of Meyer lemon zest and wedges on side, ooh la la! Your recipe is delicious.