Salmon Gravlax
Cook Notes
Cooking Method: Curing
BBQ Used: N/A
Charcoal Setup: N/A
BBQ Temperature: N/A
Smoking Wood Used: N/A
Total Cook Time: 72 hours
Ingredients
420g Atlantic Salmon Side
50g Smoky Brae Gravlax Cure
2 heaped teaspoons Smoky Brae Fennel Pepper
large bunch of fresh dill
Method
Gravlax is a really simple dish to prepare but it will take a little while to cure so give yourself plenty of time.
I used around half a side of Atlantic Salmon for this Gravlax with the skin on and all the pin bones removed.
Place the salmon into a high sided bowl or tray skin side down. This will hold all the moisture that will come out of the salmon during the curing process but it will also hold all the cure ingredients on top of the salmon.
The first ingredient to go on in the Smoky Brae Gravlax cure. This is a mix of smoked sea salt and smoked sugar. You will need to use around 50 grams of cure per 450 grams of salmon. Cover the salmon flesh with the cure making sure the entire surface is covered. Next apply the smoked fennel pepper evenly over the surface of the salmon. The final ingredient to go on is Dill. Gravlax needs lots of Dill so don't scrimp on on it. It should cover the entire salmon and it will break down during the curing process and pump flavour into the flesh.
Cover the dish with cling film and put it in the fridge. The salmon needs to cure for a minimum of 48 hours but it will have a much nicer texture and flavour after 72 hours.
When the 72 hours have passed, remove the salmon from fridge and brush the cure ingredients off the top. remove the salmon from the dish and pat the surface dry. Slice the salmon into thing sheets using a long, sharp knife.
The salmon should keep for about a week in the fridge. You can serve on wheaten bread, bagels or crackers with a little cream cheese. It's great as a breakfast or served as a party food. Gravlax isn't traditionally smoked however you could put it into your cold smoker after the curing process has finished.
