Just made cured salmon for the first time. Anyone else here done it?

**Atomini** · 04-28-2008, 08:45 PM

Since I love cured salmon (also known as gravlax or gravlox) so much, I decided to do it myself a few hours ago. I can't stand how they charge so much for the pre-packaged stuff, i'll just do it myself since I love it so much.

I just did a basic sea salt (the coarse un-ground crystals), 3 tablespoons: 1tbsp on the skin side, 1tbsp on the other side, and then 1 more tbsp on both to cover any areas I missed. I fear I might have put on too much salt but we'll see. Then I sprinkled some peppercorns on it. Wrapped it tight in plastic wrap and stuck it in the fridge and i'm gonna leave it in there for 12 hours. If this goes well, next time i'm going to make an actual sauce when I leave it in the fridge.

If anyone here has done it, I have a couple questions. First off, how long do you leave it in the fridge before eating? I'm leaving it for 12 hours but i've read elsewhere that people have left it for 48-72 hours. And what is the fish supposed to look like when it's ready? I heard it looks a bit whiter than when you first stick it in the fridge.

If this run works, then the next time I make it, i'm gonna use the following recipe for the sauce to let the salmon soak in:

1 Cup. salt
2 Cup. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. fresh-ground black pepper
2 large bunches of dill, chopped rough (stems and all)
1/4 Cup. spirit such as brandy, vodka, gin or aquavit (any opinions here?)

**StoneGRMI** · 04-28-2008, 08:52 PM

I did Emerils recipe and it turned out fantastic. It needs at least a week in the fridge.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._27003,00.html

**Atomini** · 04-28-2008, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by StoneGRMI

I did Emerils recipe and it turned out fantastic. It needs at least a week in the fridge.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._27003,00.html

Whoa a week! WHy was I reading in places that 12 hours is adequate?

**StoneGRMI** · 04-28-2008, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Atomini

Whoa a week! WHy was I reading in places that 12 hours is adequate?

That's the minimum time you can cure it in the brine. The whole week time was spent with just sugar on it.

**Atomini** · 04-28-2008, 09:04 PM

Ohh ok. I'm just doing it with the basic salt so is there any need to leave it in for a week? I'm not sugaring it up.

**StoneGRMI** · 04-28-2008, 09:28 PM

I would think it may need at least 24 hours in your case to make sure it's cured. I can't imagine 12 hours can do it. Also, splenda works well too.

**StoneGRMI** · 04-28-2008, 09:31 PM

Found this for you

Home cured salmon gravlax - Induction safe

1 lb very fresh salmon filet, skin and bones removed
1 tbsp non iodized salt (Morton's coarse kosher or sea salt)
Additiional coarse salt for scrubbing use only
1 tbsp Splenda
Seasonings to taste - cracked black pepper, garlic, dill, etc. Anything from a few sprinkles of pepper to several tablespoons of seasoning is fine.

Clean and debone the salmon; long nosed pliers may help you pull the bones. "Scrub" the fish with coarse salt, rubbing it in on all sides. Leave the first layer of salt on the fish for 2-3 minutes, then rinse it off and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels.

In a dry bowl, mix 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp Splenda, plus seasonings to taste. Lay the salmon filet on heavy duty plastic wrap. Sprinkle (do not rub) the dry mixture on the fish evenly. Turn the filet over carefully and do the same to the other side. Splenda tends to clump as soon as it gets wet, so you want to make sure it remains evenly spread.

Wrap the fish loosely, being careful not to dislodge the seasonings, then place in a large Ziploc bag. Put the fish in the refrigerator under a heavy weight for 24 to 72 hours to cure, depending on how well cured you like your salmon. A longer curing time produces a denser and stronger flavored product. Drain off any liquid, and rinse the fillet briefly in cold water to stop the curing process. Pat dry and serve in thin slices, or keep refrigerated.

Health advisory: for safety, you may wish to freeze your fish at 0F for several days before eating it uncooked. People with compromised immune systems are not advised to eat raw food. Do not attempt this recipe with fish that is of dubious freshness or of uncertain origin.

**Atomini** · 04-29-2008, 05:48 AM

Very helpful, thanks. Can't wait till my second attempt.

**shifty_git** · 04-29-2008, 05:50 AM

Cured salmon rocks!

You ever cure ham?

Due to french family connections i've had a go! was superb.

**juicy_brucy** · 04-29-2008, 07:14 AM

I love salmon. I just cured some in garlic and chipolte (spelling) sauce. worked out rather nice.
In my restaurant days, I used to cold smoke salmon over ice using applewood that had been soaked in pineapple juice for days, for that nice flavor. Salmon was then glazed with a maple/burbon sauce. Best salmon I ever had, and it was caught that day too! I miss working in a ski resort

**juicy_brucy** · 04-29-2008, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by shifty_git

Cured salmon rocks!

You ever cure ham?

Due to french family connections i've had a go! was superb.

Never tried it. What was the ham cured with. sounds nice.

**shifty_git** · 04-29-2008, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by juicy_brucy

I love salmon. I just cured some in garlic and chipolte (spelling) sauce. worked out rather nice.
In my restaurant days, I used to cold smoke salmon over ice using applewood that had been soaked in pineapple juice for days, for that nice flavor. Salmon was then glazed with a maple/burbon sauce. Best salmon I ever had, and it was caught that day too! I miss working in a ski resort

damn your making me hungry!

**shifty_git** · 04-29-2008, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by juicy_brucy

Never tried it. What was the ham cured with. sounds nice.

Followed this type of recipe.

Lucky enough to have a chimney to smoke in, and used different types of aromatic woods.

And earthern crock i used a big heavy metal dish.

Used honey instead of suger, and loads of different herbs and spices.

The niceties of curing and dressing hams were known to every good housewife - she had to rub the ham with salt and brown sugar and lay it in an earthen crock with more salt, black treacle, saltpetre (which gives it its lovely pink colour) spices and sometimes ale or cider over 3 to 5 days. It had to be turned and inspected and finally hung up to dry and smoke inside the big kitchen chimney, then stored, wrapped in a cloth, until it was needed. When the time came to cook the ham it had to be soaked for up to a week to relieve it of its preserving salt. Then it had to be cooked, skinned, crumbed, cooled - and at last was ready for slicing.

**Atomini** · 04-29-2008, 09:30 AM

Just tried a slice after leaving it in the fridge for 16 hours. It was not bad but stuck it all back in to let it cure for another while. I might just leave it for another day or 2.

I'd love to cold smoke it. How exactly do you cold smoke it?

**juicy_brucy** · 05-11-2008, 01:26 PM

cold smoke is basically when you smoke salmon over ice in the smoker so that the fillet don't get to hot while absorbing the smoke

**juicy_brucy** · 05-11-2008, 01:30 PM

ya put the ice in a cookie sheet (leak proof steel) and ya put a grill ontop of that sheet. the ice is underneath the salmon keeping it cool. The ice eventually melts, but the water level is always lover than the original level of the ice, so you don't have to worry about soggy salmon. Anyways, you don't want your smoker to go above 275 celcius, for about 3-4 hours, depending on how ya like it.
Applewood soaked in pineapple juice for 4-5 days (in the fridge) will give ya very tasty smoke.

**shifty_git** · 05-11-2008, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by juicy_brucy

ya put the ice in a cookie sheet (leak proof steel) and ya put a grill ontop of that sheet. the ice is underneath the salmon keeping it cool. The ice eventually melts, but the water level is always lover than the original level of the ice, so you don't have to worry about soggy salmon. Anyways, you don't want your smoker to go above 275 celcius, for about 3-4 hours, depending on how ya like it.
Applewood soaked in pineapple juice for 4-5 days (in the fridge) will give ya very tasty smoke.

i've just dribbled on my self reading that....

Sounds like a great method.