Gravlax — Scandinavian Dill-Cured Salmon
The elegant cured salmon of Scandinavia: a fresh fillet buried in a cure of salt, sugar and masses of fresh dill, weighted and left in the fridge for a couple of days until silky, firm and translucent. No cooking, no smoke — just time. Sliced paper-thin and served with a sweet-sharp mustard-dill sauce (hovmästarsås) on dark bread or boiled potatoes, gravlax is a centrepiece of the Nordic smörgåsbord and Christmas table, and astonishingly easy to make at home.
Use the freshest skin-on salmon fillet you can (sushi-grade ideal; freezing first is wise for safety). Mix a cure of coarse salt and sugar (roughly equal, often a touch more sugar) with crushed white pepper. Lay the salmon skin-down, rub the cure all over the flesh, and pack a thick layer of chopped fresh dill on top. Wrap tightly, set in a dish, weight it down, and refrigerate 36–48 hours, turning once and draining the liquid that's drawn out. Wipe off the cure, slice the cured salmon thinly off the skin on the diagonal, and serve with mustard-dill sauce.
- Use very fresh, good-quality salmon — freezing it first is the safe choice for raw curing.
- The cure is just salt, sugar and lots of dill — weight it and refrigerate 36–48 hours, draining the liquid.
- Slice thinly on the diagonal off the skin, and serve with the classic mustard-dill sauce (hovmästarsås).
Equipment
- Dish/tray
- Plastic wrap
- Something heavy (to weight it)
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Cure
- 1 very fresh salmon fillet, skin on (ideally frozen first)
- 60 g coarse salt
- 60 g sugar
- 1 tsp crushed white peppercorns; 1 large bunch fresh dill
Mustard-dill sauce (hovmästarsås)
- 2 tbsp Swedish/Dijon mustard; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tbsp vinegar
- 4 tbsp oil; chopped dill (whisk to an emulsion)
วิธีทำ
- ขั้น01
Pat the salmon dry and check for pin bones. (For safety when eating raw-cured, use sushi-grade fish or freeze it at −18°C for a few days first, then thaw.)
- ขั้น02
Mix the coarse salt and sugar with the crushed white pepper. Chop the dill (stalks and all).
- ขั้น03
Lay the salmon skin-side down in a dish. Rub the salt-sugar cure all over the flesh side, then pack a thick layer of chopped dill on top. (For a whole side, sandwich two fillets flesh-to-flesh with cure and dill between.)
- ขั้น04
Wrap the salmon tightly in plastic, set it in a dish, and put a weight on top (a board with cans). Refrigerate 36–48 hours, turning once halfway and pouring off the liquid that's drawn out.
- ขั้น05
Unwrap, scrape off most of the cure and dill, and pat dry. Slice the cured salmon thinly on the diagonal, off the skin. Whisk the mustard-dill sauce ingredients into a thick emulsion, and serve the gravlax with the sauce, dark rye bread or boiled new potatoes, and more dill.
Make ahead
Gravlax is by definition make-ahead — the 36–48 hour cure must be done in advance, and the finished gravlax then keeps for several days (and freezes), making it perfect to prepare well before a party, Christmas or a brunch. Make the mustard-dill sauce ahead too. Slice to order for the freshest look.
Storage
Cured gravlax keeps about 5 days refrigerated, well wrapped (the cure preserves it). Slice as you need it. It freezes well too — slice or keep in a piece, wrap tightly, and thaw in the fridge. The mustard-dill sauce keeps several days. Once sliced and exposed, eat within a couple of days for the best texture.
Variations
Beetroot or gin
Add grated beetroot to the cure for a vivid pink edge, or a splash of gin/aquavit for flavour.
Citrus / pepper
Add lemon or orange zest, or coat in cracked pepper, for variations on the cure.
Gravlax vs lox/smoked
Gravlax is cured (not smoked); it's distinct from cold-smoked salmon (lox is brine-cured).
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
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Is gravlax raw, and is it safe?
Gravlax is raw salmon 'cooked' (cured) by salt and sugar rather than heat — it's not cooked or smoked. To make it safely, use very fresh, high-quality (ideally sushi-grade) salmon, and freezing the fish first at −18°C for a few days is the recommended way to kill any parasites before curing. The salt cure also helps preserve it. Cured properly and kept cold, gravlax is a traditional, safe delicacy.
What's the difference between gravlax and smoked salmon?
Gravlax is cured with salt, sugar and dill (no smoke or heat), giving a fresh, dill-forward, firm-silky result. Smoked salmon is cured and then smoked — hot-smoked (cooked, flaky) or cold-smoked (like lox, silky and smoky). So the defining difference is the smoke: gravlax has none, just a dill cure. Both are sliced thin and served similarly, but they taste quite distinct.
How long should I cure it?
Usually 36–48 hours in the fridge for a fillet, weighted, turning once and draining off the liquid the cure draws out. Shorter (24 hours) gives a milder, softer cure; longer (up to 72 hours) gives a firmer, saltier, more 'done' result. Thicker fillets need longer than thin ones. Taste a slice — you can always cure a bit longer, but you can't undo over-curing easily.
What is hovmästarsås?
Hovmästarsås ('maître d' sauce'), also called gravlaxsås, is the classic sweet-and-sharp mustard-and-dill sauce served with gravlax. It's made by whisking mustard (a mild Swedish or Dijon type), sugar and vinegar with oil into a thick emulsion, then stirring in lots of chopped dill. Its sweet, tangy, mustardy flavour is the perfect partner to the rich, dill-cured salmon — don't skip it.
Can I make gravlax ahead and freeze it?
Yes — the cure itself takes a day or two ahead anyway, and finished gravlax keeps about 5 days refrigerated (the cure preserves it) and freezes well. So it's an ideal make-ahead for entertaining: cure it days before, then slice as needed. Wrap it tightly to freeze and thaw in the fridge. Slice just before serving for the best appearance.
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