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Home Salmon

Cured Salmon Gravlax (crazy easy!)

By:Nagi
Published:7 Apr '17Updated:4 Apr '23
244 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Gravlax is fresh salmon that’s been cured with a combination of salt and sugar. It’s arguably the ultimate easy-to-make luxury food in the world! This homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax recipe can be made with a small fillet or whole side of salmon, and costs a fraction of store bought.

The beauty of homemade cured salmon is that you can control the salt so it’s not too salty and it’s got a fresh herb flavour that you’ll never get in a packet! Also, don’t miss the stunning Beetroot Cured Salmon!

Homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax is arguably the easiest luxury food to make at home at a fraction of the cost of store bought! recipetineats.com

Gravlax recipe

I’ve made cured salmon gravlax a bunch of times over the years and my results were varied. Never any epic disasters, they were always edible. But sometimes they were over cured, under cured, and the biggest problem I’ve had is over salted salmon.

If you’ve invested in a beautiful sashimi-grade piece of salmon, it’s almost criminal if it’s so salty that it overpowers the salmon!

If you search around on the internet, you’ll find that the ratios of salmon to salt and sugar and curing times are absolutely all over the place. Some recipes use as much as 750g/1.5lb salt + sugar to 1 kg / 2 lb of salmon. Some recipes use as little as 175g/6oz of salt + sugar. Then curing times range from 12 hours to 3 days.

Now finally, I have Cured Salmon Gravlax Recipe that’s a keeper with the right ratio of salt and sugar:

Salmon Gravlax formula

Equal parts salt + sugar (combined) 50% of the weight of the salmon. Coat, leave 24 hours for lightly cured, 36 hours for medium (this is what I do) and 48 hours for hard cure.

The biggest problem with gravlax recipes is that they are usually far too salty!

Homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax is arguably the easiest luxury food to make at home at a fraction of the cost of store bought! recipetineats.com

What does gravlax taste like?

Gravlax tastes like a cross between salmon sashimi (imagine it with the addition of seasoning from salt plus fresh herb flavour), and the smoked salmon slices you buy at stores – but minus the smokey flavour (because smoked salmon is made by smoking salmon).

This Cured Salmon Gravlax recipe is perfect. It’s not too salty, the flesh is not overly cured i.e. still nice and moist. But it’s cured enough to be easily sliceable into thin pieces (which is virtually impossible with raw fish). It’s salty enough that you’ll want to eat the slices plain, but not too salty that you’ll need to guzzle a glass of water with every bite. <- Problem I’ve had in the past!

Homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax is arguably the easiest luxury food to make at home at a fraction of the cost of store bought! recipetineats.com

Difference between gravlax and smoked salmon

Smoked salmon and gravlax are actually quite similar in flavour and texture in that they both have a moist, silky texture that is “raw-like”, rather than hard like jerky or cooked. But the big difference is that smoked salmon is made by smoking raw salmon at a low temperature which infuses the salmon which smokey flavour which gravlax does not have.

Other than the smokey flavour, they are actually quite similar! In fact, you can use this homemade gravlax in place of smoked salmon in all my smoked salmon recipes, including Salmon Quiche, these Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites and this Smoked Salmon Dip!

Homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax is arguably the easiest luxury food to make at home at a fraction of the cost of store bought! recipetineats.com

Salmon Gravlax FAQ

Can you make gravlax with frozen salmon?

Yes you can, as long as you use high quality salmon (ie don’t use vac packed salmon from the supermarket that’s been sitting around for days or box packet frozen salmon from Costco or Aldi). Freeze it yourself to -10°F / -23°C for at least a week, or use commercial frozen salmon from a reputable fish monger.

How long does gravlax keep?

It depends on how much you cure the salmon. I would not keep lightly cured salmon (24 hours) beyond 36 hours at most (just to be safe). Medium cured salmon (36 – 48 hour cure) for 2 days to be safe, but 3 should be fine. Hard cured salmon (3 day cure) can be kept for 5 days.

Can you freeze cured salmon gravlax?

Yes you can, just like you can freeze store bought smoked salmon slices. I keep frozen seafood for up 2 2 months, but 3 months should be fine. Do not freeze gravlax if it was made with previously frozen salmon.

What do serve with gravlax?

It’s typically served on crackers or pumpernickel bread with a sauce. I like using toasted baguette slices with a mustard cream sauce (recipe provided below) with extra fresh dill for serving!

Once you get your hands on fresh salmon, it requires less than 10 minutes effort to prepare salmon gravlax – then just leave it in the fridge!

Homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax is arguably the easiest luxury food to make at home at a fraction of the cost of store bought! recipetineats.com

Why make your own Cured Salmon??

Making your own Cured Salmon Gravlax costs a fraction of store bought. But regardless of the savings, the thing with store bought – even from the really good speciality stores – is that it just doesn’t have the same fresh dill flavour and it’s usually too salty, presumably to increase shelf life.

Homemade is always best. And in this case, store bought is truly incomparable!

You can get sashimi-grade salmon at most fish mongers here in Australia (at least in the coastal areas). That’s the single most important requirement for this recipe.

Once you have your salmon, it’s 5 minutes of effort.

That’s it. And you’ll have your very own incredible homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

Cured Salmon Gravlax recipe video! (You’ll be amazed how easy it is!)

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Homemade Cured Salmon Gravlax is arguably the easiest luxury food to make at home at a fraction of the cost of store bought! www.recipetineats.com

Cured Salmon Gravlax (it's so easy!)

Author: Nagi
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Party Food, Side Dish
4.97 from 65 votes
Servings10
Tap or hover to scale
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Homemade Gravlax is so much cheaper and it tastes BETTER than store bought because store bought is usually too salty and you can never get that real fresh dill flavour. It's so crazy easy to make, this is going to blow your mind! The key to nailing gravlax is: cure time, salt type and sugar vs salt ratio. More food-nerd info in the notes - including how to make this with smaller fillets (don't just use the servings scaler function please!) Recipe video below.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp white peppercorns (whole) (Note 1)
  • 1 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (1 big bunch)
  • 250g / 8 oz rock salt (Note 2)
  • 250g / 8 oz white sugar (Note 3)
  • 1 kg / 2 lb salmon, sashimi-grade, bones removed and skin on (Note 4)

Mustard Cream Sauce

  • 1/2 cup / 125 ml heavy / thickened cream
  • 1/3 cup Dijon Mustard (or hot mustard if you want a kick)
  • 2 tsp Mustard Powder
  • Salt and pepper

To Serve

  • Rye bread slices or other bread/crackers (Note 5)
  • Lemon wedges
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  • Crush peppercorns with the side of a knife (or roughly grind using mortar and pestle).
  • Combine peppercorns with salt, sugar and dill.
  • Place 2 large pieces of cling wrap on a work surface, slightly overlapping. Spread half the salt mixture in the shape of the salmon.
  • Place salmon on salt, skin side down. Top with remaining salt mixture.
  • Wrap with cling wrap. Place in a large dish. Top with something flat (like small cutting board) then 3 x 400g / 14oz cans ("Weights").
  • Refrigerate for 12 hours. There will be liquid in the dish. Turn salmon over (will be gloopy/wet)), then replace Weights and return to fridge. After another 12 hours, turn salmon over again, replace Weights. After another 12 hours, remove salmon from fridge. 36 hours total for Medium Cure - Perfect Gravlax to my taste (See Note 2 for description and more curing times).
  • Unwrap salmon, scrape off salt then rinse. Pat dry. If time permits, return to the fridge for 3 - 12 hours uncovered (dries surface better, lets salt "settle" and permeate through flesh more evenly).
  • Sprinkle over the 1/4 cup extra dill - for garnish and flavour.
  • Slice thinly on an angle, do not cut through skin (i.e. don't eat skin). Serve with toasted bread, Mustard Sauce, extra dill and lemon wedges.

!Mustard Sauce

  • Mix ingredients, making sure to season with salt and pepper. It should taste like a creamy mustard - a touch of tartness, but mostly to add moisture to the dish. You can add lemon juice and/or zest if you wish - I like to serve with wedges so people can adjust to their taste.

Recipe Notes:

1. White pepper is slightly spicier than black but has a slightly more milder flavour. The main reason I prefer white over black is so I don't end up with black specks on the salmon = prettier! But black peppercorns or even ground black pepper is fine. If using ground pepper (white or black), use 2 teaspoons.
2. SALT TYPES & CURING TIMES
Salt roughly falls into 4 categories (smallest to largest) - table salt, kosher / coarse cooking salt, flakes and rock salt. Rock salt cures salmon more evenly from the surface to the centre.
DO NOT use table salt (grains too small, makes salmon crazy salty) or iodised salt of any type (can turn salmon brown, packet label should say if it is iodised).
* ROCK SALT: 36 hrs cure time per recipe = Medium Cure. 3 days = Hard Cure
* COARSE SALT / KOSHER SALT: 24 hours = Medium Cure, 36 hours will be between Medium and Hard Cure, 48 hours+ will be Hard Cure. Surface will be cured more (ie firmer, drier surface) than using Rock Salt because finer grains penetrate more. Highly recommend resting minimum 12, preferably 24 hours before serving - saltiness will distribute more evenly.
CURING STRENGTH:
* Medium Cure (my preference) = surface is fairly firm and not too salty, inside is lightly cured, still moist (but not raw, it’s cured). Seasoned enough to eat slices plain.
* Hard Cure = surface is quite firm (like a soft jerky) and quite well seasoned, inside is slightly firmer and pretty well seasoned. Contrast between surface and inside more prominent. I find this a touch salty for my taste but is still way less salty than store bought.
3. Sugar, like salt, draws moisture from the flesh and cures it but makes it sweet rather than salty. Using normal sugar rather than superfine / caster sugar ensures that the salmon doesn't get too sweet (i.e. caster sugar penetrates salmon quicker). The right salt and sugar combination is key to controlling the saltiness of Gravlax while still achieving the "cured" effect and without making it too sweet!
4. Please ensure you use SASHIMI-GRADE salmon. I always ask, even if the sign says that! Nowadays in Australian coastal areas, sashimi-grade salmon is quite common at local fish mongers. 
Skin-on salmon means that the skin side is cured slightly less, however, for me, I prefer skin-on for this exact reason plus it's easier to carve.
SMALLER FILLETS: The beauty of this recipe is that a little goes a long way! So you don't need to use a whole side of salmon, you can make this with a small fillet. However, if you get one smaller than 500g/1lb, then you'll need to increase the salt/sugar ratio to the weight of the salmon to ensure there's enough to cover the surface area. For a 300g/10oz piece, rather than using 150g/5oz combined salt/sugar, use around 210g/7oz (this is what I measured when I did a test using a smaller piece).
I don't recommend going smaller than 300g/10oz because the width of the salmon will become too narrow and it will probably end up too salty.
5. Rye bread is the classic type to serve with Gravlax but it suits any bread or plain crackers. While some recipes recommend Pumpernickel Bread, I personally find that the flavour overwhelms the salmon.
6. EXTRAS: Some Gravlax recipes use lemon. Just add the zest of 1 - 2 lemons to the salt cure. This recipe is a classic one that doesn't use zest.
7. STORAGE: With the 36 hour cure, this salmon keeps for 3 days. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
8. SERVINGS: A little goes a long way with this recipe! It will comfortable serve 10 people as a starter. That's generous!
9. Nutrition is difficult with homemade Gravlax because I have no way of determining how much salt is infused into the flesh. So I've used a store bought Gravlax nutrition which is no doubt saltier than this recipe makes!
10. Recipe adapted from salmon curing guidance courtesy of Chef Massimo Mele. With my thanks for enduring my endless questions!!!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 100gCalories: 206cal (10%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Life of Dozer

Fishing for salmon. Not. (There was a stick floating in the water. 🙄 And also a twig hanging off his privates???!!?)

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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244 Comments

  1. Haldiram Franchise says

    August 13, 2021 at 2:05 am

    5 stars
    Thank you for this lovely recipe – uncomplicated and yet allows me to serve up some posh nosh to guests!

    Reply
  2. Michael says

    July 3, 2021 at 7:54 am

    I have been making gravlax for years. I keep the cure mixture in my cupboard at all times. To make the gravlax. I just cover the salmon with a layer of about 1/8 inch. After 2 days in the fridge, I rinse the fish and taste it. If it is too salty, I place it in a pan, in the sink and run cold water in the pan (not on the flesh of the fish) for about 15 minutes or more, which washes away excess salt. Taste again and repeat, if necessary, until reaching the desired degree of salinity.

    Reply
  3. seta says

    June 19, 2021 at 11:23 am

    made this recipe! easy to make.
    unfortunatley it came out too salty , i scraped the salt & rinsed the salmon , we’ll see tomorrow ?? serving it with the mustard sauce

    Reply
  4. Lisa says

    June 13, 2021 at 7:14 am

    5 stars
    As there are only two of us most Gravlax recipes that use whole filets wouldn’t work. This formula does. Couldn’t find fresh dill so only used sea salt and muscovado (unrefined) sugar, with a sprinkle of ground white pepper. There was a piece of the flatter stomach side to make a flesh to flesh skin side out bundle after rubbing in curing mixture. First taste – after 40ish hours then rinsing off – seemed salty but put back in fridge for another 6 hours and now it’s fabulous!! Might end up eating it all by slices before getting it on a bagel.
    Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
  5. Haldiram Franchise says

    June 11, 2021 at 12:44 pm

    5 stars
    I love gravlax and I love your recipes and was excited to make this. Thanks nagi….

    Reply
  6. Églantine says

    May 2, 2021 at 6:27 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi!

    Thank you for this lovely recipe – uncomplicated and yet allows me to serve up some posh nosh to guests!

    I realized my salt was the iodised type at last minute but I’m happy to report it didn’t turn my gravalax grey – perhaps it was also because I cured it for only 24 hours.

    Fantastic recipe which I will certainly be using again and will experiment with other spices for flavour!

    Reply
  7. Beatrice Lawson says

    April 18, 2021 at 4:01 pm

    Hi Nagi, quick question about freezing the salmon after it’s cured (which to me means it is now gravlax): in the recipe you state that it can be frozen, but in the comments, on July 30 2018 Vikas asked whether it can be frozen after curing and you answered no… so now I am utterly confused. Did I misread something? There’s no way our small family can eat a kg of gravlax in a few days and with our current lockdown it will be a long time before we can have company over to enjoy it:-) please help!

    Reply
    • Christina Grey says

      October 22, 2022 at 2:09 pm

      In the article Nagi said the gravlax can be frozen but not if the salmon that was used to make the gravlax had been previously frozen. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  8. Ginny says

    April 15, 2021 at 6:36 pm

    I love gravlax and I love your recipes and was excited to make this. I tried it with a fillet of sashimi grade salmon I ordered online, When it was delivered, it was really thin – maybe 2cm. I only cured it for 24 hours but it ended up quite “tough”. Should I have skipped the weights? Or shortened the curing time? Or aborted because the fillet was just unsuitable due to its thickness? What would you say is the ideal thickness for a salmon fillet for this recipe?

    Reply
  9. Vic says

    April 14, 2021 at 7:23 am

    5 stars
    Honestly, I never thought I would one day cure my own salmon !! We will only be able to taste it in 36 hours, but regardless of the result, the experience in itself is so exciting. Thank you very much for making it so accessible 🇨🇵🇦🇺

    Reply
  10. Ruotsi says

    April 2, 2021 at 6:13 am

    My store only had smaller salmon filets, so I got two 1-lb pieces instead of the 2 ob in your recipe. I made 2 batches of the curing mixture and did each piece separately. It’s in the fridge now but I’m wondering if it makes any difference that I had more of the curing mix on the pieces? Next time I’d make one batch of the mix and divide it between the 2 smaller pieces, I think.

    Reply
  11. Jonathan Eves says

    March 21, 2021 at 9:33 pm

    I adore Gravlax, though during the final third phase after rinsing i may cover the salmon in dill and sometimes sprinkle a little spirit ie Gin, Vodka, or Whisky. then refrigerate for 24 hrs.I love the result!
    Any comments welcome.

    Reply
  12. Akit Kumar says

    March 19, 2021 at 10:56 pm

    thanks,i was loving it till the last,keep it up

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 20, 2021 at 3:07 pm

      That’s great to hear Akit, thanks so much for letting me know!! N x

      Reply
  13. Anne says

    February 23, 2021 at 1:40 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is fantastic, the key is the ratio of seasoning to weight of salmon, something no other recipe gives. I felt super confident making this first time for a dinner with friends. Naji’s recipes never fail.

    Reply
  14. Harry says

    February 16, 2021 at 4:24 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi,
    A health concern: If sashimi grade is unavailable, how safe is it to consume this very gravlax using store bought fresh farmed salmon?

    What would be your best practical advice for salmon free of parasites prior to the curing process?

    Reply
    • MRM says

      February 22, 2021 at 6:00 am

      I’ve made gravlax almost exclusively with regular fresh atlantic farmed salmon. I’ve probably made over 100lbs. No problems at all. I eat the same salmon raw dipped in shoyu and in sushi rolls.

      Reply
      • Harry says

        February 25, 2021 at 10:13 am

        Thank you.

        Reply
        • job says

          May 24, 2021 at 12:54 pm

          5 stars
          thanks,i was loving it till the last,keep it up

          Reply
  15. Charleston Nguyen says

    February 14, 2021 at 9:53 am

    Hi Nagi. How sweet is the finished product? If I am to achieve the fresh, briney, and savory taste of well cured grav laks, what is the recommended sugar and salt ratio? Thank you.

    Reply
    • steph says

      April 2, 2021 at 3:53 am

      I think it’s a matter of personal taste. I prefer less sugar so the ratio I used for 1lb of salmon was 175g salt to 150g sugar. It was still on the sweeter side so I will be experimenting further. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  16. YuP says

    February 4, 2021 at 3:43 pm

    5 stars
    so delicious! i cured sashimi-grade scottish salmon for about 45 hours, and added a bit of smoked maldon salt to himalayan rock salt in the mix. turned out perfect. thank you for this simple and beautiful recipe! will try adding juniper berries next time

    Reply
    • Raju says

      May 14, 2021 at 2:50 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Nagi!

      Thank you for this lovely recipe – uncomplicated and yet allows me to serve up some posh nosh to guests!

      Reply
      • franchise idea says

        October 2, 2021 at 4:04 am

        5 stars
        Thank you for this lovely recipe

        Reply
  17. Willow T. says

    January 18, 2021 at 2:56 pm

    Thank you. Love this equally proportional recipe. Used wild Alaska salmon, and added some crushed juniper berries. Served with a dusting of Meyer lemon zest and wedges on side, ooh la la! Your recipe is delicious.

    Reply
  18. cooper says

    January 10, 2021 at 7:22 am

    5 stars
    Excellent result first time!

    Reply
  19. John says

    December 27, 2020 at 11:42 am

    I used your recipe to make grav lax, but the end product was not salty enough. I have some left and want to “rescue” it. Can you help me?

    Reply
  20. Paula L Ceder says

    December 27, 2020 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    Love your take on gravlax!

    My secret tip for weighting is to buy a 10 lb barbell weight. They are round and cover the salmon well and are much easier to remove for turning than several heavy cans.

    I make gravlax twice a month so this purchase made sense for me-perhaps it will as well for some of your readers.

    Thanks!

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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