Whisky Gravlax (Cold Cured Salmon)
An easy recipe for cold cured salmon using the classic salt, sugar and herb mixture and smoky whisky as the secret ingredient.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 293kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds salmon filet
- 2 tablespoons whisky as smoky as you can find, I used Ardbeg 10-Year
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried dill or one bunch of fresh dill
Instructions
- Place salmon filet skin side down on a large piece of plastic wrap. Drizzle whisky evenly over salmon filet.
- In a medium bowl, combine salt, sugar and dill. Pour over salmon filet and pack it on as much as you can (there will be A LOT of this mixture, and you’ll want to be sure to use it all!)
- Wrap filet in plastic wrap and place in a shallow baking dish in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours.
- Remove filet from the refrigerator and rinse off the excess sugar-salt-dill mixture. Slice thinly to serve.
Notes
- Wine Pairing Note: This Whisky Gravlax would pair perfectly with a lightly oaked chardonnay. The smoky flavor from the whisky will balance nicely with the soft buttery-ness of the oak, and salmon is a natural pairing for all chardonnay. BUT, if you’re serving the smoked salmon for breakfast, there’s no better way to pair this dish than with a mimosa!
- This recipe is based off of this one The Minimalist contributed to The New York Times in 1998.
- Use a smokier whisky to help mimic the flavor you get in traditional smoked salmon, such as Ardbeg.
- Be sure to purchase the highest quality salmon you can find for the best flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 11359mg | Potassium: 464mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 71IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg