Beetroot Cured Salmon (Gravlax)
Beetroot Cured Salmon(gravlax) is a stunning way to serve salmon on special occasions! This purple hued salmon is tasty and easy to make!
Ingredients
Beetroot Cured Salmon
- 14 oz (400 g) 400g fresh beetroot, grated (see notes)
- 2 tsp white peppercorn whole (see notes)
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 cup (210 g) granulated sugar (see notes)
- 1 cup (270 g) rock salt (see notes)
- 1 cup about 1 bunch fresh dill roughly chopped
- 2.2 lbs (1 kg) salmon fillet, skin off or on (see notes)
To Serve
- Toasted bread
- Cream cheese
- Red onion thinly sliced
- cucumbers ribboned
- Crackers of choice
- Capers
- Extra dill to sprinkle chopped
- Pumpernickel bread
Instructions
Beetroot Cured Salmon
- Begin by adding the grated beetroot, crushed peppercorns, coriander seeds, dill seeds, lemon zest, white sugar and rock salt to a large bowl. Use a metal spoon to mix.
- Line a baking dish with two layers of plastic wrap with lots of overhand on the sides. Add the 1/2 of the beetroot mixture on top and spread around. Place the salmon skin side up (if using skin). Add the remaining beetroot mixture and spread evenly over the salmon, covering it completely. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap overhang. Place something flat and heavy on top and then place some canned food cans on top to weigh it all down. This will help the sugar and salt do its job by drawing out moisture from the salmon. Cure for 2-3 days in the fridge.
- Once cured, unwrap the salmon and run under a tap with cold water to wash away the beetroot mixture. Pat dry with paper towels. Use a very sharp knife to slice in thin ribbons.
- Serving suggestion - lightly toast some slices of baguette, spread some softened cream cheese, add some cucumber ribbons, cured salmon, capers, red onion and dill.
Notes
Beetroot - this recipe gets its purple hue from the grated beetroot. It’s optional but adds a delicious flavor. Make sure your fresh beetroot is peeled before you grate it. I’d recommend using gloves when grating the beetroot.
Peppercorns - white peppercorns are slightly spicier but have a more subtle flavor which makes it perfect for this recipe.
White sugar - I used regular white, granulated sugar for this recipe. Make sure you use granulated sugar and not superfine/caster sugar which will make this too salty.
Rock salt - can be bought at most supermarkets and will be labelled rock salt. It’s important to make sure you use rock salt and not any other type of salt, especially regular table or fine salt which will make your salmon way too salty.
What type of salmon to buy - It’s important to use really high grade, quality salmon for this recipe. Fresh fish will be firm to the touch and won’t smell fishy, it’ll smell like the ocean. Buying from a fish market is ideal as you will be able to ask the fish monger for fresh salmon that is suitable for gravlax. Sushi grade salmon is perfect for this recipe, but as long as it’s fresh salmon, it will work just as well. You want to avoid using vac packed salmon that is old and not suitable for this recipe. Some frozen sushi grade salmon is suitable as long as you know for sure that it was flash frozen after being caught. Thaw completely before beginning the process. To be on the safe side, buy from a fish market where you can ask for the right salmon. You can use skin on or skin off salmon. Skin off salmon will be slightly more cure. Skin off salmon will be easier to slice.
Storage
LIGHTLY CURED (36 hours) - can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 36 hours.
MEDIUM CURED (36 - 48 hours) - can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
HARD CURED (3 days) - can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To make smaller pieces of salmon - You can make this recipe using smaller pieces of salmon. Nothing smaller than 300g. The general rule is to use a combined weight equal to the weight of the salmon. So a 20oz / 500g piece of salmon would use 8 oz / 250g of rock salt and 8 oz / 250g of granulated sugar.
Can you freeze cured salmon? - Yes! Simply wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition - is based on per serving. This recipe serves 26. The salt and sugar content is lower because most of it is washed away once the salmon is cured.
A note on measurements - all ingredients in this recipe are offered in Australian cup measurements and weight measurements. Weight measurements are created by me, in my kitchen here in Melbourne Australia. The best way to get recipe success is to measure ingredients by weight, using kitchen scales.
Nutrition
Calories:95kcal | Carbohydrates:9g | Protein:8g | Fat:3g | Saturated Fat:0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat:1g | Monounsaturated Fat:1g | Cholesterol:23mg | Sodium:4735mg | Potassium:228mg | Fiber:0.3g | Sugar:8g | Vitamin A:169IU | Vitamin C:4mg | Calcium:16mg | Iron:1mg
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