Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Glass or ceramic baking dish (9x13 inch)
• •Plastic wrap
• •Weights (canned goods, cast iron skillet, or similar)
• •Long, thin slicing knife or salmon knife
• •Fish tweezers or needle-nose pliers

Instructions

1. 1

   Select your salmon

   Choose a center-cut fillet with even thickness from head to tail. This ensures uniform curing. Run your fingers against the grain to locate pin bones and pull them with needle-nose pliers or fish tweezers. The skin stays on, acting as a base that holds the fillet together during slicing.

   Ask your fishmonger to remove pin bones. A good one will do this gladly and save you ten minutes of tedious work.
2. 2

   Mix the cure

   Combine the kosher salt, sugar, black pepper, and crushed white peppercorns in a bowl. The ratio matters: equal parts salt and sugar create the classic Swedish balance, slightly sweet with clean salinity. Stir in the lemon zest. The mixture should smell bright and peppery.

3. 3

   Prepare the curing vessel

   Line a glass or ceramic baking dish with enough plastic wrap to eventually enclose the entire fillet. The dish should be just large enough to hold the salmon snugly. Spread one bunch of fresh dill across the bottom, stems and all. This bed of herbs will perfume the fish from below.

4. 4

   Apply the cure

   Lay the salmon skin-side down on the dill bed. Drizzle the aquavit evenly over the flesh. The alcohol accelerates curing and adds a subtle caraway note. Now pack the cure mixture firmly over every exposed surface of the fish. Use all of it. The layer should be thick and even, about a quarter inch. Top with the remaining bunch of dill, pressing it into the cure.

5. 5

   Weight and refrigerate

   Wrap the plastic tightly around the fish, pressing out air pockets. Place another baking dish or cutting board on top, then weight it with several cans or a cast iron skillet. This pressure forces the cure into the flesh and expels moisture. Refrigerate immediately.

   The weight is not optional. Unweighted gravlax cures unevenly and lacks the dense, silky texture that makes this dish special.
6. 6

   Flip and drain daily

   Every twelve hours, unwrap the salmon, pour off the accumulated liquid, and flip the fillet. Baste the flesh with any remaining liquid before rewrapping and weighting again. The salmon will firm visibly over three days. The flesh will darken slightly and feel dense when pressed.

7. 7

   Test for doneness

   After 72 hours, the gravlax is ready. The flesh should feel firm throughout, not squishy in the center. The color will have deepened to a burnished coral. Unwrap and scrape off the dill and cure with a knife. Do not rinse. Pat dry with paper towels.

   For a lighter cure (softer texture, less salty), slice at 48 hours. For a firmer, more intensely flavored gravlax, cure up to 5 days.
8. 8

   Make the mustard dill sauce

   Whisk together both mustards, honey, and vinegar until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking constantly to emulsify, exactly as you would a vinaigrette. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. Fold in the chopped dill and season with a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust: it should balance sweet, sharp, and herbal.

9. 9

   Slice the gravlax

   Using your sharpest knife, slice the salmon against the grain at a severe angle, almost parallel to the cutting board. Each slice should be paper-thin and translucent. Start from the tail end, holding your knife at about 20 degrees. The blade should glide through. Stop cutting when you hit the skin.

   A long, flexible slicing knife or salmon knife makes this dramatically easier. Short blades require sawing, which tears the delicate flesh.
10. 10

    Arrange and serve

    Drape slices across a wooden board or platter in overlapping layers. Serve with the mustard dill sauce in a small bowl alongside. Offer dark rye bread, pumpernickel, or crisp crackers. Provide capers, thinly sliced red onion, and lemon wedges for guests who want traditional accompaniments.

Chef Tips

• •Salmon quality matters immensely. Buy the freshest fish available, ideally sushi-grade if your fishmonger offers it. Wild king salmon or sockeye produces superior gravlax, but farmed Atlantic salmon works respectably.
• •The plastic wrap must be food-safe and heavy-duty. Cheap wrap tears and lets air in, which compromises the cure. Double-wrap if you're uncertain.
• •Aquavit is traditional and adds authentic Scandinavian flavor. Vodka works if aquavit is unavailable, but the caraway and anise notes will be missed.
• •Leftover gravlax freezes beautifully. Slice it first, layer with parchment between slices, wrap tightly, and freeze up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• •The mustard sauce also complements smoked salmon, cold roasted pork, or steamed new potatoes. Make extra and keep it on hand through the holidays.

Advance Preparation

• •The salmon must cure for a minimum of 48 hours and up to 5 days. Plan accordingly. Three days is ideal for balance of texture and flavor.
• •Once cured and scraped, the whole unsliced gravlax keeps refrigerated for up to one week, wrapped tightly in plastic.
• •Sliced gravlax holds well refrigerated for 3 to 4 days if kept covered.
• •The mustard dill sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. Whisk before serving to re-emulsify.
• •For large gatherings, prepare two fillets simultaneously. They cure in the same time and double your yield without additional effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 57g)