Trying Gravlax...

[bgaviator]

Ok so I'm not smoking this as I haven't had the time yet to try my Amazen pellet smoker yet (that will be coming soon though). But I decided to try Gravlax using Ina Garten's recipe (minus a couple ingredients). I am using a piece of Sockeye my coworker brought back from Alaska. Equal parts Turbinado sugar and kosher salt. Zest of one lemon and a bunch of dill. I vacuum sealed it rather than wrapping it in plastic wrap. I figured less mess this way. I hope this turns out well! I'm going to cure it for two days. Next time I want to make lox using the Spyguy method I have saved. I am curious how Gravlax would come out if I smoked some Kosher salt over apple wood first and used that instead of regular kosher salt? Hmmmm

 

[bgaviator]

Just turned it over again. Color looks amazing. It's been curing 1 full day now. The recipe says to do it for two.

 

[crazymoon]

BGA, Your gravlax is looking good, I'll bring over some rye bread to go w/it ! :)

 

[cmayna]

You can always take it another step by cold smoking it afterwards. Smoked Lax!

 

[bluewhisper]

Mom used to make that but she didn't include as much sugar.

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Gravlax (marinated salmon)
Ten servings

Ulla Wachtmeister, wife of the Swedish Ambassador to the United
States, sets one of the finest tables in Washington. She is an
excellent cook and serves Swedish food. This is Countess
Wachtmeister's recipe.


2 pounds center-cut fresh salmon

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1-1/3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 large bunch dill, coarsely cut

Mustard sauce (below)



Divide fish into two halves. Remove all the bones. Wash and
wipe skin. Combine the sugar, salt and pepper and sprinkle over
halves of flesh. Sprinkle on the dill and place two salmon halves
flesh side together.

Place in enamel or glass container and cover
tightly. Place brick or other heavy weight on top of salmon and
refrigerate for 3 to 4 days, turning salmon occasionally.

Remove
the dill and scrape off seasonings. Slice salmon thinly and
garnish with fresh dill and lemon, and serve with Mustard Sauce.



P.S. Keeps up to a week.




Mustard sauce


2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar
(preferably wine vinegar)

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 heaping tablespoon chopped dill

Mix mustard with sugar and vinegar; add oil slowly, beating as
you add. Stir in chopped dill and serve with Gravlax. Swedish
mustard will make a much sweeter sauce.

Source: Pure and Simple, Marion Burros

 

[tardissmoker]

I vote for cold smoking too. Pat dry out of cure, form pellicule under fan or air dry in fridge, then smoke until you like the colour. I do 2 smokes on successive days. usually 4-6 hrs each. I use apple , lots use alder.

 

[bgaviator]

I have another recipe I am going to try for cold smoking. Spyguy's recipe I think? I'm concerned my fish is going to be too dry/jerky like in places. I felt the fish tonight at the 36 hour mark, and the edges felt pretty stiff. The center of the fish still felt moist. But I am concerned about the edges being too dry. Too much salt? Too long of cure? Both? Anyone who is an expert of making this stuff have any thoughts? My exact amounts of salt/sugar were 6 teaspoons each of Kosher salt and Turbinado sugar. This fillet was .75 lbs in weight. I vacuum sealed everything and I am letting it cure for 48 hours. That's how long the Ina Garten recipe called for, and seems to be consistent timing with a lot of other gravlax recipes.

 

[SmokinAl]

I make lox all the time, but have never made gravlox, because it's just too salty for my taste.
Looking forward to seeing how yours turns out!
Al

 

[mds51]

I make smoked Salmon or Lox and yes the edges do get a little stiff but the majority of the fillet is moist and has an excellent cured texture. I use two whole fillets with the skin on and the total weight is close to five pounds. I mix up one cup of Kosher Salt and one cup of White Sugar, a Tablespoon of fresh ground black pepper and a teaspoon of Cure #1. I then spread that over both sides of each fillet. I then grate the zest of three lemons and one Orange onto the fillet sides and cover with fresh dill sprigs. I then lay the two fillets together and wrap tightly with plastic wrap until I have a good seal. I then place the wrapped fillets on a cooling rack and then in a large baking sheet to catch all the liquid that the curing process pulls out of the fish. I then place another tray on top of the fillets and put cans or water bottles to weigh the fillets down. I flip the fillets over each day for four days in the Fridge. I then rinse off the cure and there will be some pepper and zest still on the fillets. I test taste a piece of each fillet for saltiness and soak in cold spring water for thirty minutes if needed. I usually do not have to soak with this recipe. I then dry the fillets and put them on racks in the fridge overnight to form a pellicle. The next day I cold smoke the Salmon for four hours using Alder dust in my AMNPS. I then put the fillets back in the fridge to mellow out some of the smoke over night. The next day the fillets are sliced as thin as possible and the Lox comes right off to the skin. The results are a buttery and delicate smoked Salmon with the Dill and Citrus adding a nice touch. I lay the slices on a square of parchment paper and into vacuum seal bags. The product lasts for months in the fridge and over a year in the freezer. My friends and family make sure it does not last too long. I cannot post pictures on this site but would be glad to send pictures of the process and end results to anyone`s email.
mds51

 

[bgaviator]

End result. Taste = great!! It turned out so good! It didn't seem too dry. A little drier than good quality smoked Nova lox, but very good. I wish I could have sliced it a little thinner. I need to get a salmon/lox knife! I whipped up a traditional mustard sauce and tried it with the rye cocktail bread. I must say I am not a fan of the rye! Way too strong that it overpowers the fish. The mustard sauce is good, but once again takes away from being able to taste the fish. I put some on a bagel with cream cheese and that was MUCH better for my taste. It would have been great cold smoked. As soon as I get some alder or Applewood pellets for the Amazen I'll do another batch.

 

[mds51]

Now you are Talking!!!! Looks great and the Alder will give you a really nice smoked flavor. Try a toasted bagel with cream cheese, a slice of purple onion and capers with that lox and you will have a really great combination of flavors. My favorite Deli food sandwich when done right with good Lox!!!
Great Job!!
mds51

 

[troutman]

Dude that is beautiful !!! Now all you need is some bagels and cream cheese to go with it !!! POINT for sure (do partly to job well done and partly to my Swedish heritage !!)

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please remove