salt-cured salmon

Curing salmon is one of the easiest things you can do at home, and the results are usually pretty stellar. It's a simple matter of putting a salmon filet in a plastic bag with some table salt, sugar, and whatever other flavors you want. A regular sized filet will take two days or so. You want to take it out when its firm to the touch. At that point, you'll have something that approximates smoked salmon. Salty deliciousness! I used pepper and bay leaves to keep the flavors pretty neutral this time around, but you could easily use fresh herbs (dill would yield Gravlax), or other spices - smokey chipotles come to mind. Then just eat it like you would smoked salmon. Perfect on a bagel with cream cheese, a quiche, or in pasta. Simple as that!

 

Cure Mix (for 1-1.25lb Salmon Filet)

50g (1.75oz) Salt*

35g (1.25oz or 2.5tbs) Sugar

Whatever else you want!

Directions

Buy a salmon filet that's pretty evenly sized (buy the middle of the filet, not end bit)

Mix salt, sugar and other herbs/spices, and rub on salmon

Place salmon filet in plastic Ziploc bag

Leave in fridge for 36-48 hours (depends on thickness of fillet), flipping once or twice to redistribute salt brine that forms.

It's ready when the salmon is firm to the touch (think smoked salmon or cooked salmon)

Rinse/pat excess salt off and serve cold! (will keep 1week refrigerated)

* Salt Guide

Measuring by weight is important with salt, but if you must use volume measurements, here's a rough conversion for this recipe:

1.75oz Regular table salt = 3tbs

1.75oz Morton's Kosher Salt = 4tbs

1.75oz Diamond Kosher Salt = 6tbs