Recipes › Dill › Classic Gravlax with Dill
Classic Gravlax with Dill
A whole side of salmon cured under a thick blanket of fresh dill, salt, sugar, and white pepper for two days in the fridge. This Scandinavian classic requires no cooking at all — just patience — and the result is silky, lightly cured salmon with a perfume of dill running through every slice. Serve with the traditional mustard and dill sauce.
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Ingredients
- 1 kg salmon fillet, skin on, pin-boned (one side)
- 1 large bunch (about 60 g) fresh dill
- 60 g coarse sea salt
- 60 caster sugar
- 1 tbsp white peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 3 tbsp Swedish-style mustard or Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (for sauce)
- 80 ml vegetable oil (for sauce)
Contains: fish, mustard, sulphites.
Method
- Mix together the salt, sugar, and crushed white pepper.
- Lay a large piece of cling film on a flat surface. Place half the dill sprigs on it. Lay the salmon skin-side down on the dill.
- Pack the salt and sugar mixture all over the flesh of the salmon. Lay the remaining dill on top.
- Wrap tightly in cling film, then place in a dish. Weigh down with a board and heavy tins. Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the parcel once halfway through.
- Make the mustard dill sauce: whisk together the mustard, honey, and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly, to form an emulsion. Stir in the chopped dill.
- Unwrap the salmon. Scrape off the dill and cure. Slice very thinly at a slight angle. Serve with the mustard dill sauce, rye bread, and lemon.
Tips
- Use the freshest, best-quality salmon you can find — sashimi-grade if possible.
- The cure times can be adjusted: 24 hours gives a lightly cured result; 48 hours gives a firmer, more intensely flavoured gravlax.
- Slice very thinly on a slight diagonal using a sharp, flexible knife.
Ring the changes
- Add 2 tablespoons of aquavit or gin to the cure for a botanically flavoured gravlax.
- Replace salmon with sea trout for a slightly more delicate result.
Keeping it
Keeps tightly wrapped in the fridge for 3 days after unwrapping. Slice as you need it.
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