Posted: 9/14/2008 6:00:07 PM EDT
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Is perhaps one of the best things I have ever eaten. I am in the SCA and have seen it a few times at feasts and someone here posted a picture of it. Maybe Dk Prof? Anyhow I will try almost anything once and while in Mt.Dora I went to an Icelandic place and ordered it. It was so frigging awesome I cant really explain. I was wanting to go back and get more later that night. I actually walked back the the place this afternoon and had some more for lunch. Frikken awesome. Thats all I can really say about it. |
I filleted an atlantic salmon at work today and spread garlic, pepper, and dill over both sides after removing the skin. They are now sitting in a bus bin compressed in a 50/50 mix of rock salt and course sugar, and will be fully cured at 9am tomorrow morning. New batch of Gravlax. 
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kick ass. I have just looked at many recipes. A lot of them say to cure for 4 days. does it really make much of a difference in cure time? |
I too love the Gravlax. It is so easy to make, and will keep in the fridge for quite some time. I like that it has the texture of cold smoked salmon, minus the smoke. I'm not a huge salmon guy, but I definately love it cured. Gravlax FTMFW!!11! |
Comes out perfect every time with a 12 to 13 hour cure time, the compression helps draw out some of the moisture. |
I agree. I don't eat Salmon when at sushi place and the smoked I really don't care for but holy smokes that cured salmon was incredible. Heck I really dont care for fish much at all but this stuff is addictive. |
The salt will reach a "saturation point" i.e. it won't be able to extract anymore moisture from the fish and will become obsolete, this will depend on the total volume of salt you use. The salt in a cure or brine will always draw out moisture while the sugar helps to impart the flavor of whatever additional ingredients that you add to the recipe. For a 6 lb filet of salmon, about 1 and 1/2 inches thick at the thickest spot I will let it cure for 36 hours under a heavy weight. I use 1 full size hotel pan or a half sheet pan with another on top of the prepared fish and add 2 #10 cans of tomato/ beans/ etc. |
Vodka and citrus zest would make that cure complete. 
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My recipe: 6 pounds fresh skin on boned whole salmon side 2 1/2 0z. Kosher salt 2 1/2 oz. sugar 1 Table spoon of cracked white peppercorns (or black) Juice of two fresh lemons 1 Cup of fresh chopped dill 1. wrap fish in cheese cloth 2. place 1/2 salt, sugar, and peppercorns in bottom of the pan 3. place salmon skin side down in pan 4. place the rest of the salt, sugar, peppercorns and all of the dill on top 5. add fresh lemon juice and press ( place a pan that fits in side the pan the fish is in and add some kind of weight ex. canned fruits or vegetables 8-10 pounds worth) 6. flip daily and continue to press I waited four days minimum and stopped pressing the fish after 6 days. You need some kind of citric acid to "cook" the fish. A little alcohol of some sort wouldn't hurt, white wine or vermouth, but a little is the key. This is how they preserved fish back in the day before the refrigerator. |
the Frosty Mug. In the old part of town near the Lakeside Inn www.thefrostymug.com/about.htm Good beer selection as well. If you like a hearty beer I suggest either Chimay or Duvel and have it with the sirloin they offer. This place like many others in that part of town is not cheap, but the food is awesome. |