Ingredients
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2 2-lb (4 lbs total) Salmon
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¾ cup Granulated Sugar
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¾ cup Kosher Salt
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2.5 Tbsp White Peppercorns
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2 Bunches Fresh Dill
Directions
This Swedish specialty has been prized all over the world for many years and is at once very simple yet elegant and resourceful. Cured foods have been a means of sustenance across all of Scandinavia for many years; this is but one example of this technique.
Steps
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1
Done
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In a small mixing bowl, combine the sugar, salt, crushed peppercorns, and 1 bunch of minced dill, and set aside. |
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2
Done
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Place a sheet of plastic wrap in a full 2-inch hotel pan so that it covers the bottom. |
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3
Done
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Cut a sheet of cheesecloth 3 times the length of the salmon fillet, and lay one length of it in the pan; the bottom third of the cheesecloth should be in the center of the hotel pan, with the rest hanging over the edge. |
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4
Done
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Place a salmon fillet in the center of the cheesecloth, with the skin side down, and coat the cut fillet with about half of the sugar/salt/dill mixture (it will seem like way too much, but keep going). |
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5
Done
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Once that is coated, place the second fillet on a cutting board and coat the cut fillet side with half of the remaining sugar/salt/dill mixture; set aside. |
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6
Done
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With one fillet laid skin side down on the cheesecloth, place the dill fronds across the top of the fillet, and then place the other fillet skin side up on top of the first (thus, both cut sides of the salmon fillets are sandwiching the dill). |
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7
Done
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Cover the fillets with the remaining mixture of sugar/salt/dill. |
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8
Done
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Place the two fillets one on top of the other on the bottom third of the cheesecloth, and fold over the cheesecloth to wrap around the salmon pieces; tuck any excess under the fillets. |
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9
Done
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Secure the cheesecloth with butcher’s twine by tying the wrapping as if making a roast. |
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10
Done
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Once the salmon is wrapped and secured, place it in the center of the plastic-wrapped hotel pan and sprinkle the curing mixture that has fallen off of the fillets during the wrapping process back on the wrapped salmon. |
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11
Done
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Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the salmon, and place another hotel pan on top of the first. Put a couple of #10 cans on the top pan to weigh down the salmon fillets. |
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12
Done
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Allow the salmon to cure for 2 days before removing it from the refrigerator; rinse and dry the fillets, and slice them very thin for gravlax. |
