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???!!?)
Hi Nagi. I have set up my own cold-smoking unit. *Tell me please – am I correct in thinking that the curing process for both gravlax and cold-smoked salmon is identical? IE, make gravlax as per your ideas (but without dill) and then pop it into the cold-smoker. (Personally, I prefer dill-free gravlax, so I could use the cured product for both.)
I have made this 100s of times with roughly the same proportions you do! I also love the 36 hour time frame…. as for sushi grade I have never used that. I use farmed salmon from my fish market
Hi Nagi, thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I want to make it but had trouble finding rock salt. I do have a bag of damp sea salt (large grain) that is for making kimchi, I believe. Would this work?
Hi Rose – is the grain similar size to rock salt or it is a coarse grain salt – check the notes in my recipe for using a coarser grain. N x
It is a large grain rock salt, but it’s damp and it’s sea salt. I’ll try it and report back!
Can you use a regular good quality salmon or does it have to be sushi grade?
Hi Kevin, it MUST be sushi grade here. N x
This couldn’t have been easier to make! For my quarantine birthday I really wanted to cure my own salmon. A quick search and this popped up and I’m so glad it did! I used a smallish piece (about 12oz) of sushi grade salmon and used ground pepper and a coarse salt with a little less dill than the recipe called for. Im crazy about dill and I figured i had plenty for garnish afterward in case i changed my mind. From Saturday 6pm to Monday 8am was the total curing time and then I rinsed/scraped and returned to the fridge uncovered to dry out. I will 100% be making this again, next time for family when we’re able to see them. Thank you!
My first time ever curing fish and I am sooo thrilled with how good this turned out! Every note about salt size and curing time was so helpful and right on. I did a medium cure with kosher salt on a 1.5 lb fish for 24 hours and it came out so good! The tip about letting it dry out in the fridge after rinsing was key for me as at first I thought it was too salty but the next day it was perfect! I improvised my own mustard sauce and put it on pumpernickel with a slice of cucumber and some red onion. Thank you for doing the research!
I have a question for that sauce. Do you whip the heavy cream or leave it liquid form?
Hi Cathy, I leave as is – no need to whip. N x
I wanted to try curing the salmon for the very first time and Your recipe came out when I googled.
It’s a great recipe with details and notes that really helped.
I did cure my salmon perfectly well.
Thank you very much xx
Tho
That’s so great to hear Tho, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
This was such an easy recipe to follow. Excellent result!
That’s great to hear Sarah!! N x
hi,
is there a way to smoke this too?
I have rock salt, yet it says on label “not intended for consumption.” Is there some other food grade rock salt for this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Jennifer – I wouldn’t use what you have, but yes, there is food grade rock salt available. N x
Love your work Nagi!
Your attention to detail on another level
Recipe defo on the charts before long.
Question: What would you serve as a main following this delectable starter
Hello! I didn’t make this recipe but it looks very yummy. However, I have made cured salmon using this technique. I don’t like the rawish taste that cured salmon has so I use liquid smoke (mesquite by woodland). Using liquid smoke makes it taste just like smoked salmon!
P.S. What is the best method to freeze, please?
Curious to know how much and how to incorporate the liquid smoke.
Looking forward to try yet again a yummy recipe of yours Nagi. Everything is always delicious!
A great idea Nyalah! N x
Great recipe! Came out really well! However, the warning about not using table salt came way too far down the recipe, consequently I did use it, and it was iodised. Just washed it a bit more after 36 hours and it was delicious, and I never over-salt.
So glad I saw this post as I have done exactly the same with table salt…. just proves read the recipe first !!! In the fridge at the moment so hoping all is well x
hello Chef Nagi,,just finished up a one pound slab I have been making LOX for many years ,,,Clasic New York served on a bagel slathered wit cream cheese sliced sweet red onion I prefer white onion sometimes capers sometimes lightly toasted bagel .Ill try your dressing next time . also in Norway they use vodka in the cure and sea weed with less salt added adds a nice twist and a special taste. also ti basil or Italian instead of dill ,
hello Chef Nagi,,just finished up a one pound slab I have been making LOX for many years ,,,Clasic New York served on a bagel slathered wit cream cheese sliced sweet red onion I prefer white onion sometimes capers sometimes lightly toasted bagel .Ill try your dressing next time . also in Norway they use vodka in the cure and sea weed with less salt added adds a nice twist and a special taste. also ti basil or Italian instead of dill , Good Eating. !!
This sounds yum and so easy. 61 mg would be super low sodium which would be great. Are you sure that number is correct?
Hi Dozer. .how is the weather in Australia I am freezing ( it’s Luca asking)..
Nagi the gravlax looks good I. Will make this for.my brother and family Jan 5th
Is it ok to use sea salt in lieu of rock salt? I live in a rural area and my only grocery stores do not carry rock salt.
Hi Edie, you can use salt flakes – I talk about this in the recipe notes – N x
Thank you for this very detailed recipe!!! Can curing salt be used instead of rock salt? Can’t wait to make this for Christmas morning!!! Thanks again!
Hi Natasha, you can use curing salt, as long as it’s not fine grain and is coarse like rock salt – N x
Hi Nagi, thank you for the recipe. Have you tried to freeze it then un-freeze it before serving? Just wonder if the flavour changes. I’m thinking to make this but due to time as such I have to make it well in advance for Christmas. So it leaves me no choice but to freeze it. And how long do you think can I store in the fridge after I un-freeze it? Thank you
I have the same freezing question.