Cold smoked gravlax salmon

[Basher]

 

This has been one of my favourite summer flavours and is sooo easy, savoured in small doses, and lasts up to a couple of months in the fridge.... did I mention very popular with guests.

There are numerous variations to this recipe, however, it’s kinda like pizza where minimal flavours are best, in this case to enjoy the main ingredient.... raw salmon.

This is the main reason I wanted the cold smoker attachment to the KK so I could give this recipe a kiss of smoke. Don’t doubt that I have found other reasons to want the cold smoker. Traditionally for this recipe, smoke has not been required.

Traditionally this has been a Nordic method of curing fish to last on long Viking boat journeys and I imagine to survive long harsh winters. They salted, wrapped the fish in cloth and buried it deep in sand.

 

Ingredients:

2kg fillet of salmon with skin.( 4.5lb)

80 grams of salt( 4% of salmon weight)

80 grams of sugar

1 tablespoon of ground dry fried cumin seeds.( this is optional)

1- 2 caps of gin or vodka.

Minimum 40 grams of rough chopped fresh dill.

 

I picked up the ingredients today with intention to cold smoke tonight, however, the good wife came home with chicken drumsticks and wanted them cooked on the KK. I’ll jump at any request to fire her up. The hot KK is not conducive to cold smoking so I’ll provide more photos as I prepare tomorrow.

Here is a 2kg salmon fillet and dill.

The salmon was ocean caught off Tasmania yesterday and flown into Brisbane this morning.

 

Method:

Prepare cold smoker with chips. I’ll be using oak shavings from Pinot barrels and Pinot barrel pellets.

Thoroughly clean grills to rest raw salmon on.

Fire up the cold smoker and and cold smoke the salmon, I’ll give this an hour or so with a tray of ice underneath given we are now early summer.

Mix the dry ingredients- salt, sugar, cumin( optional)

That’s 100 grams of Himalayan rock salt with the sugar.

This is the complete dry mix.

 

Add gin or vodka to dry mix to turn it into a toothpaste like consistency.

 

Remove salmon and smother salt, sugar, cumin, gin on the flesh and a little on the skin. Thinner on the thin salmon edges around the belly and tail.

 

Pack rough cut dill onto the flesh side- spread evenly.

 

Vac seal and refrigerate for 7- 10 days. I used to put this into a long deep stainless tray and cover with glad wrap( Cling plastic film) to remove all air then place a weight(paver) on it. Vac seal will do the job and easier to move if required.

 

I expect there will be a lot of fluid in the bag after a few days as the salt draws the liquid out of the salmon.

 

After 10 days, remove salmon from bag and rinse under cool fresh water.

 

Refrigerate for another 24 hours exposed to create a pellicle.

Slice thinly on a 30 degree angle and run along the skin.

Numerous ways to enjoy this silky, tasty snack. On toast, bagels, in salads, with cold pasta. I prefer it straight with a glass of white wine and a few capers.

 

I’ll update photos as this cures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Tyrus]

Beautiful piece of salmon. What!, no purple crack. Looking forward to seeing the finished product

[Basher]

Cheers Tyrus. Yes, one of our best products and rarely spoken about. Thought about the purple crack and yes it would, so does beetroot and fresh horseradish. Wanted to keep this simple.

Here is the cold smoke set up. There’s a bowl of ice under the salmon. That fillet would be about 23 inches long!

 

Smoked for about an hour.

Then removed and applied the salt, sugar paste

Then added the dill.

 

Then vac sealed and back in the fridge.

There is a little salt on the skin side. Found the flavours can’t really penetrate the skin so didn’t bother coating it.

 

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[Tyrus]

Looks like someone removed the scales if I'm not mistaken.  Every weekend at game time the girls ask for salmon and obviously I oblige. Smoked salmon especially in Ireland at breakfeast is my favorite so this looks so fantastic..imagine that a salmon xmas tree, who woulda knew. Great job.

[Basher]

Correct Tyrus. Scales removed and bones tweezered out.

Have a go at putting this together and let me know what you think.... With purple crack it should provide a purplish hue across the salmon.

[Basher]

Check out the moisture drawn out of the fillet after only 10 hours.
I assume this is from the salt.



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[Basher]

After 10 days, this is out of the bag and rinsed.
Now back in the fridge to set the pellicle.


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[Tyrus]

I like it, you know I like it, yah.  Tomorrows Sunday and the girls want Salmon on the grill for the game and I'll make it the same way as I've done for eons. Tuff job you know.  That sure looks purdy

[MacKenzie]

Looks great to even a non fish fan.  

[tekobo]

Very nice looking indeed @Basher.  Definitely going to try this out.

[Bruce Pearson]

Ok nice job looks great, but how did it taste? 

[Basher]

Ok nice job looks great, but how did it taste? 

Best summed up by saying it tastes delicate. First the salt and dill flavours, then the subtle delicate flavour of the salmon lingers.

Very moorish and hard to have just 1 slice.
Can’t really taste the smoke or cumin. Maybe could use a little more of each


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[qundoy]

Basher, that looks good! I love smoked salmon, will have to try this soon. 

[Basher]

This gets better with age.

Dropped a bit into some pasta with just some basil and olive oil and a few olives.





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[Bruce Pearson]

Oh wow that looks deeeeeeeliciois! 

[Tyrus]

Yah, what Bruce said !  I'm speechless, that belongs in a magazine...you and Mac must have the same camera. It ain't fair