| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 days 15 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 20 to 30 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 (3-pound) center-cut fresh salmon fillet
- 1 large bunch of fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons of Pernod
- 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns, crushed
- 1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds, crushed
- Thin, dark pumpernickel bread, for serving
- Gravlax Sauce, for serving, recipe follows
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey mustard
- 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons good white wine vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Cut the salmon fillet in 2 pieces crosswise and place one piece in a deep dish, skin side down. Combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, and fennel seeds in a small bowl. Wash and shake dry the dill and arrange it over the fish. Sprinkle dry mixture evenly over the dill and salmon. Add Pernod over the top of salmon. Place the other piece of salmon over the dill and spices, skin side up. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place a smaller dish on top of the plastic wrap and weight it with heavy cans. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 2 to 3 days, turning it every 12 hours and basting it with the liquid that collects.
- To serve, lay the salmon fillets flat on a cutting board and scrape off most of the dill and spices. Slice with a long, thin knife, as you would for smoked salmon. Lay the slices of bread on a cutting board, spread with the Gravlax Sauce, and place a slice of salmon on top, covering the bread completely. Cut each bread slice in half, decorate with a sprig of dill, and serve at room temperature.
- Whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey mustard, whole-grain mustard, ground mustard, sugar, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Combine the olive and grapeseed oils in a small measuring cup. Slowly add the oil mixture to the mustard mixture, whisking constantly, until emulsified. Stir in the dill and salt.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 26 servings |
| Calories | 151 |
| Total Fat | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 11 g |
| Cholesterol | 29 mg |
| Sodium | 150 mg |
Reviews
Excellent and easy. Make an extra batch of the spice rub for future use makes it even easier to make.
I can’t believe I made lox! And it was sooooo easy. I’ll never buy store bought or even deli bought again. Sensational flavor. And yes, I invested in a lox knife – and boy am I glad I did. Made a big difference for paper thin slices. Thank you Ina!
I made this and it came out divine. My first time curing salmon and I’m so proud of myself. I plan on using some of the lox in other dishes like salmon pizza and of course w/a bagel & cream cheese. DON’T skimp on the Perno. It’s worth it and you can us it in so many other seafood recipes. Ina has nailed it once again.
once you pickel the salmon how long will it stay refrigerated? can you freeze at this point?
This looks really good, but what can I substitute the Pernod with? I don’t have it, and it’s kind of expensive to just use 2 tablespoons. Can’t wait to try this!