Gravad lax is a classic Swedish dish that blends simplicity with elegance. It consists of thin slices of raw salmon, cured with salt, sugar, and fresh dill, creating a perfect balance of flavors. Originally, it was made by burying the fish in the ground for preservation, but over time, the process has evolved. Today, gravad lax is made in the fridge with minimal ingredients, allowing people to enjoy this dish at any time. For the full Swedish experience, it's traditionally served with creamy mustard sauce, crispbread, boiled potatoes, and a shot of aquavit. It's not just food; it's a piece of Swedish culture and history.
Ingredients
- 2 skin-on salmon fillets, pin bones removed about 600g each
- 4 tablespoons sea salt
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar optional
- 2 tablespoons crushed white peppercorns
- Zest of one lemon
- A large bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon vodka or aquavit or extra depth of flavor, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the fish: Rinse the salmon fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. Use tweezers to remove any pin bones.
- Make the curing mixture: In a small bowl, mix together sea salt, white sugar, brown sugar (if using), crushed white peppercorns, and lemon zest.
- Layer the salmon: Place a layer of the curing mixture in the bottom of a shallow dish. Place one fillet, skin-side down, on top of the curing mixture. Then, cover the fillet with half of the chopped dill and sprinkle half of the curing mix over the top.
- Repeat the process: Place the second fillet on top, skin-side up, and cover it with the remaining dill and curing mix.
- Wrap and refrigerate: Wrap the salmon tightly in plastic wrap or place it in a sealed plastic bag. Place something heavy (like a cutting board with cans) on top to weigh it down. Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the salmon once halfway through.
- Finish: After 48 hours, remove the salmon from the wrap, rinse off the curing mixture under cold water, and pat the fillets dry. Slice the salmon thinly at an angle.
Notes
Gravad lax: how Swedes turn salmon into something special đ
If youâve ever tried smoked salmon and loved it, you might want to meet its Nordic cousin â gravad lax. This is a traditional Swedish way of curing raw salmon using just a few basic ingredients. Itâs not smoked, not cooked â just slowly cured in the fridge with dill, salt, and sugar. The result is soft, flavorful fish with a clean, herby taste and a slightly sweet finish.
Itâs the kind of dish that doesnât look like much, but when you try it, you understand why people have been making it for hundreds of years.
A bit of history: from fishing boats to family tables â
Back in the day â weâre talking centuries ago â Swedish fishermen needed a way to keep salmon edible without modern refrigeration. So they came up with a simple method: rub it with salt and bury it in cold ground or sand. This would preserve the fish and also start to cure it, slowly changing the texture and taste. The word âgravadâ means âburiedâ in Swedish, and âlaxâ means âsalmon.â That old-school method isnât really used anymore, but the name stuck. Nowadays, the burying part has been replaced by refrigerating, and fermentation is no longer part of the process â just gentle curing with herbs and spices.What goes well with it? đ˝ď¸
Swedes usually serve gravad lax cold, sliced thin, and paired with a few simple sides. Here are some traditional options:- A creamy mustard-dill sauce (hovmästarsüs)
- Rye bread or crunchy crispbread
- Boiled new potatoes with a bit of butter and dill đĽ
- Pickled cucumbers or onions for sharpness
- A shot of aquavit or a cold glass of dry white wine đˇ
Why itâs still a favorite â¤ď¸
Gravad lax isnât a showy dish. It doesnât have bold colors or spicy sauces. But it has something else: a clean, fresh taste that makes you slow down and really enjoy what you're eating. And thereâs something satisfying about making it yourself â curing it over a couple of days, then slicing into it and knowing exactly what went into it.
It's one of those traditional foods that has stayed popular not because it's fancy, but because it works â simple ingredients, handled with care, and shared with others.
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