Step 1 of 10
Pat the salmon dry. Run your fingers along the flesh against the grain to find any pin bones and pull them out with tweezers.
Step 2 of 10
Combine salt, sugar, white pepper, and crushed juniper in a bowl. If using aquavit, drizzle it over the flesh side of the salmon first.
Step 3 of 10
Lay half the chopped dill on a piece of plastic wrap large enough to wrap the salmon twice. Spread half the cure mix over the dill.
Step 4 of 10
Place salmon skin-side down on the dill. Pack the remaining cure mix evenly across the flesh. Top with the rest of the dill.
Step 5 of 10
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a shallow tray. Top with a board and a 1 kg weight (cans, a brick, a heavy pan).
Step 6 of 10
Refrigerate 36–48 hours. Turn the parcel every 12 hours. Liquid will pool — that's the cure pulling water out of the flesh.
Step 7 of 10
Unwrap. The salmon should feel firm and look more orange than when you started. Rinse briefly under cold water and pat very dry. Scrape off the dill.
Step 8 of 10
Place flesh-side up on a board. Slice thin and on the diagonal — almost parallel to the board — into 2 mm slices. Stop at the skin (don't slice through it).
Step 9 of 10
Whisk the mustard, honey, a splash of the cure liquid (or vinegar), and a small handful of chopped fresh dill into a sauce.
Step 10 of 10
Serve gravlax on dark rye, with mustard sauce, more dill, and a wedge of lemon.
Ingredients 11
the fish
- 1 kg salmon side, skin on, pin-boned
the cure
- 80 g coarse sea salt
- 60 g caster sugar
- 2 tsp white peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 1 tbsp juniper berries, lightly crushed (optional)
- 2 tbsp aquavit or vodka (optional)
- Large bunch fresh dill, coarsely chopped (stems and all)
the serve
- Dijon or grainy mustard, for serving
- 1 tbsp honey, for the mustard sauce
- Small bunch fresh dill for serving
- Dark dense rye bread, sliced thin