Cured Salmon Recipe (Lox)

This is how to make Lox, a dry-cured salmon fillet marinated in salt and sugar (gravlax) minus the smoking. Salting salmon preserves the fish and is much cheaper than store-bought smoked salmon! There is plenty of shavings from a single fillet for sandwiches and bagels.

 Homemade Bagels and Lox are one of my favorite Jewish Deli sandwiches! As Ukrainians, we love cured salmon, which can be eaten with any meal, such as Boiled Potatoes, mashed potatoes, or open-faced Bread slices. 

Salmon gravlax takes about 5 minutes to prepare at home with minimal effort and more for the buck. A two-pound fillet of salmon can yield 32 oz of cured salmon, that’s over $46 in savings! If you were to purchase the little 4-oz packages for $5 a pack. 

This cured salmon gravlax is a staple at my house. I’ve made it countless times, for gatherings, and my sister-in-law even catered a church function with this recipe. It always works and is a favorite.  The salt and sugar amounts are just right, and the fish isn’t overly salty when cured for just 24 hours. 

Cured Salmon Recipe

Cured fish was a food preservation technique my Ukrainian parents used on salmon, and one that they still use today for a smoked salmon dupe. 

Once properly cured, it is so good on its own, and it’s easy to make with plain salt and sugar. You can take the extra step and smoke it after dry-curing, but we think it’s so good as it is. 

I love to slice raw onions and add them to the lox slices with a little oil for a light snack.

Or if I’m hungry, I’ll smear some cream cheese on bread, top it with thin slices of cured salmon, and raw onions as a lox bagel (so delicious)! 

Which Name? Lox vs Smoked Salmon

Lox can be known by many names, such as salmon gravlax, cured salmon, Nova, and smoked salmon. All of them result from dry curing (salting).

However, Nova lox and smoked salmon are cold-smoked, whereas gravlax, lox, and cured salmon are traditionally unsmoked.  If you prefer that smoky flavor in lox but don’t have a smoker, you can add some liquid smoke to the salting process, like I did in this Smoked Salmon Recipe.

 Ukrainians serve gravlax at weddings as a cheaper alternative to smoked salmon. Making it yourself enables you to add spices of choice, like pickling spice, fresh dill, or peppercorns, which adds great flavor.

Ingredients for Homemade Lox: 

To make homemade gravlax, you will need three simple ingredients. 

• Fresh Salmon Fillet: You can use farmed or grade A wild-caught salmon. If you use frozen, thaw, wash, and pat it dry with paper towels. My recipe works for a 2 1/2- 3 lb fillet.
• Salt is the primary ingredient in the curing process. It removes some of the water and creates a firmer texture, making the salmon easier to slice. Use a high-quality sea salt that is ground fine or granular in texture. 
• Sugar- adding sugar reduces the harsh flavor of the salt. A good ratio is two parts salt to one part sugar. I use coarse organic cane sugar which works the same as regular granulated sugar (I’ve used both before). 
• Optional: 1 tbsp of Pickling Spice for extra flavor. 

How to make Cured Salmon: 

1. Clean the Fish: Make sure your salmon fillet is fully thawed. Leave the skin on (for easier slicing later). Wash and pat dry the salmon using paper towels. Transfer the salmon fillet to a large tray or a large steam pan. 

2. Combine the salt, sugar, and pickling spice (if using) into a small bowl. 3. For a hard cure, remove the skins and cut the salmon fillet into four equal pieces. Dredge each piece into the salt mixture, coating each side very well. Make sure to use up all the cure mixture for all those pieces.  4. Place the salted and seasoned fillets into a large container (preferably with a lid) and refrigerate for 12-24 hours before eating. 5. To serve, wash the fillet with cold running water. Wipe and remove any seasoning remnants. Lightly rub mild cooking oil onto the fillet and keep refrigerated up to 5 days.

Gravlax Variations: 

When dry-curing salmon, you can add many different seasonings and herbs to create a specific flavor profile. Here are some ideas; 

• Dill: Add (whole) fresh dill to the top of the salmon when curing to infuse the dill flavor. Discard the dill, and add additional chopped dill after oiling the fish if desired. 
• Cajun—For a little heat, add black coarsely cracked peppercorns to the cure with a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. 
• Pickling Spice is a very aromatic spice blend with bay leaves, infusing a brine-like taste similar to pickle juice. 
• Mustard Peppercorn Herb Crust: Add whole mustard seeds and black pepper to the curing mixture to infuse a nutty, warm flavor. 
• Lemon- zest two small lemons into the cure for a fresher taste and less seafood smell.  
• Smoked Salmon- add 6 Tbsp of liquid smoke to the cure for a smoky flavor. 

What To Serve With Gravlax (Cured Salmon):

We love to serve cured salmon as a tasty appetizer alongside a hearty piece of rye bread. 

• Make open-faced sandwiches with thin shavings of gravlax on top of a cream cheese spread or a garlic aioli sauce. I love to add crunchy cucumbers or onions on top for texture.
• Serve with boiled potatoes and fresh dill (yum)! Any potato dish goes well with gravlax in my opinion! 
• Bagels and Lox is a favorite. I love a lox with sliced purple onions. 

• Arrange the gravlax on a platter with sliced cucumbers, lettuce, or tomatoes for appetizing Hors d’oeuvres! Serve with a mustard and dill sauce for a light salad!