Gravlaks
Norwegian cured salmon — silky, dill-kissed, and cured in sugar and salt for 48 hours.
Date Night
Healthy
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh salmon fillet (skin on, center cut, pin bones removed)
- 4 tbsp coarse sea salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 large bunch fresh dill
- 2 tbsp aquavit or vodka (optional)
- For hovmästarsås (mustard-dill sauce):
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- Dark rye bread and lemon, for serving
Instructions
- 1 Mix salt, sugar, and crushed peppercorns.
- 2 Lay a large sheet of cling film on a tray. Place a bed of dill on the film.
- 3 Place salmon skin-side down on the dill. Drizzle with aquavit if using. Pack the salt-sugar mixture evenly over the flesh side.
- 4 Cover with another thick layer of dill. Wrap tightly in cling film.
- 5 Place another tray on top and weigh it down (cans or heavy books work well).
- 6 Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the salmon every 12 hours. Liquid will drain out — this is normal.
- 7 Make sauce: whisk mustard, sugar, and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in oil while whisking. Stir in dill.
- 8 Unwrap salmon. Scrape off the dill and cure mixture. Pat dry.
- 9 Slice very thinly on the diagonal, leaving the skin behind.
- 10 Serve on dark rye bread with hovmästarsås and lemon.
About This Recipe
Gravlaks (or gravlax) is Norway's gift to the cold table. Fresh salmon is cured for 2-3 days in a mixture of salt, sugar, and dill until it becomes silky, translucent, and intensely flavorful — no cooking required.
The name means "buried salmon" from the Viking-era practice of curing fish in the ground. Today it's cured in the fridge, sliced paper-thin, and served with hovmästarsås (mustard-dill sauce) on dark bread. Once you make it, you'll never buy store-bought smoked salmon again.