Salmon gravlax with mustard dill sauce
Ingredients
Method
- Thaw the salmon for 24 hours in the fridge. Rinse it, pat it dry with kitchen paper and remove the pin bones with tweezers.
- Mix the coarse salt, sugar, crushed white pepper, pink peppercorns and juniper berries. Roughly chop the dill, stems included.
- Cut the fillet into two equal pieces. Place the first one skin side down in a dish. Cover the flesh with half the salt and sugar mix, then half the dill. Repeat with the second piece, then place it on top of the first, flesh to flesh, skin facing out.
- Wrap tightly in cling film, put back in the dish and place a board with a weight on top (two cans). Leave to cure for 48 hours in the fridge, turning the parcel every 12 hours.
- Unwrap the salmon, discard the liquid, scrape off the salt, spices and dill, then pat the flesh dry. Sprinkle with freshly chopped dill.
- Make the sauce: whisk the mustard, sugar and vinegar, then pour in the oil in a thin stream while whisking to get a thick sauce. Add the chopped dill, season with salt and pepper.
- Slice the gravlax very thinly at an angle, leaving the skin behind. Serve well chilled with the mustard dill sauce.
Notes
Silky, almost translucent flesh and a delicate taste of salt, sugar and dill: salmon gravlax is one of the finest starters in Scandinavian cooking. It needs no cooking at all, just a little patience. In this gravlax recipe, we explain step by step how to make perfect homemade gravlax: choosing the fish, the right ratios, curing time, slicing and the famous mustard dill sauce.
Gravlax, Scandinavian cured salmon
The word gravlax (or gravad lax in Swedish) literally means “buried salmon”. In the Middle Ages, Nordic fishermen lightly salted salmon and buried it in the sand above the high-tide line to ferment. Today there is no fermentation: the fish is simply cured in the fridge with salt, sugar and dill. This Scandinavian cured salmon recipe exists in every Nordic country: gravlaks in Norway and Denmark, graavilohi in Finland. In Sweden, gravlax is a must on the julbord, the big Christmas buffet, alongside köttbullar and pickled herring, as well as at Easter and Midsummer.
Easy salmon gravlax for beginners
Don’t worry: easy salmon gravlax really is within everyone’s reach. There is no difficult technique, no oven, no smoker. Twenty minutes of preparation is enough; the fridge does the rest. It is the perfect recipe for entertaining: it is made two days ahead and always impresses guests. You only need to follow three rules: very fresh salmon that has been frozen first, the right salt to sugar ratio, and enough curing time.
Which cut of salmon for gravlax?
Wondering which cut of salmon to use for gravlax? Choose a thick, skin-on fillet, ideally from the centre of the fish: the thickness is even, so the cure works the same way everywhere. Avoid the tail, which is too thin and would become too salty. Buy top-quality salmon with firm, shiny flesh and no strong smell, organic or wild if possible. The skin protects the flesh during curing and makes slicing easier.
Salmon gravlax: freezing first
This is the most important point for your safety. Gravlax is eaten raw, so any parasites, such as anisakis, must be killed. The only safe method is freezing the salmon before making gravlax. In a home freezer (−18 °C), allow 7 days. The 24 hours often quoted only applies to professional freezers reaching −20 °C at the core. The easiest option is to buy salmon sold as “sushi grade” or already frozen by the fishmonger. Then thaw the fish for 24 hours in the fridge, never at room temperature. Pregnant women and vulnerable people should avoid raw fish.
The salt to sugar ratio for gravlax
The salt to sugar ratio for gravlax is the key to success. The classic Swedish recipe uses equal amounts of salt and sugar (50/50), about 60 g of each for 1 kg of salmon. Salt “cooks” the flesh by firming it and drawing out water; sugar softens the taste and keeps the fish tender. If you like a saltier gravlax, use 60% salt and 40% sugar. Use coarse salt or non-iodised sea salt, never fine table salt, which penetrates too fast and makes the fish too salty.
Spices for salmon gravlax
The spices for salmon gravlax are simple but make all the difference. Crushed white pepper adds heat without spoiling the colour of the fish. Pink peppercorns, mild and slightly resinous, add a pretty touch of colour. A few crushed juniper berries recall the Nordic forests, and fresh dill remains the signature of the dish: use plenty, stems included, as they are very fragrant. Some people add lemon zest, fennel seeds or a dash of aquavit. To explore more pairings, see our spice guide.
How long to cure gravlax?
It is the most common question: how long to cure gravlax? For a fillet 3 to 4 cm thick, allow 48 hours in the fridge. After 24 hours, the gravlax is already edible but still very mild and a little soft in the centre. At 48 hours, the flesh is firm, glossy and perfectly seasoned. Beyond 72 hours, it becomes too salty and dry. Remember to turn the parcel every 12 hours: the salt draws water out of the fish and forms a brine that must soak both pieces evenly.
Beetroot salmon gravlax
For a spectacular presentation, try beetroot salmon gravlax. Finely grate a raw beetroot (about 150 g) and add it to the salt and sugar mix. During curing, the juice colours the edges of the salmon a stunning fuchsia pink, while the centre stays orange. The taste barely changes, with a slight earthy, sweet note. Wear gloves to grate the beetroot, and serve this gravlax with horseradish cream for a lovely contrast.
Gravlax mustard dill sauce
Gravlax is never served without its mustard dill sauce, hovmästarsås, literally “head waiter’s sauce”. It is a kind of egg-free mayonnaise: mild mustard, a little sugar and vinegar, then oil whisked in a thin stream, and plenty of fresh dill. In Sweden, a mild, slightly sweet mustard is used; elsewhere, mix a spoonful of Dijon mustard with a spoonful of wholegrain or honey mustard. The sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a closed jar.
How to slice salmon gravlax
Here is how to slice salmon gravlax like a chef. First scrape off the spices and dill, then pat the flesh dry. Use a long, very sharp knife, ideally a salmon knife with a dimpled (granton) blade that glides without sticking. Cut at an angle, almost horizontally, into very thin slices of 2 to 3 mm, leaving the skin on the board. Well-chilled salmon is much easier to slice: take it out of the fridge at the last minute.
What to serve with salmon gravlax
What should you serve with salmon gravlax? In Sweden, it is a starter with warm dill potatoes, or on buttered rye bread, for example our ruisleipä, the Finnish rye bread. It is also delicious on blinis with a spoonful of sour cream, on toast with a poached egg, in a cucumber salad or in a bagel. For a full Nordic meal, serve it before a lohikeitto, the Finnish salmon soup, or before köttbullar.
How long does salmon gravlax keep?
Salmon gravlax keeps for 4 to 5 days in the fridge, between 0 and 4 °C. Once cured, scrape off the spices, pat the salmon dry and wrap it tightly in cling film or put it in an airtight box. Only slice it when serving: it dries out less quickly. Gravlax also freezes very well, whole or in portions, for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge the day before.
Frequently asked questions about gravlax
Can you make gravlax with another fish?
Yes. Sea trout, Arctic char or halibut work very well. Simply adapt the curing time to the thickness: about 24 to 36 hours for a thinner fillet.
My gravlax is too salty, what can I do?
The fillet was probably too thin or cured for too long. Quickly rinse the slices in cold water and pat them dry, then serve with a milder sauce, such as sour cream with dill.
Should gravlax be rinsed after curing?
It is not essential. Swedish tradition is to simply scrape off the salt and herbs. If the surface seems very salty, rinse it quickly and pat it dry immediately.
