Directions

  1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and the 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the salmon and let stand 10 minutes.
  2. In a dry skillet, toast the caraway and the coriander over high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a spice grinder and process until ground finely.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together salt, coconut sugar, caraway, coriander, and white pepper.
  4. Remove the salmon from the water bath and pat dry with paper towels. Turn the salmon skin side up and sprinkle with half of the salt mixture, rubbing in with your fingers.
  5. Arrange half the dill in a baking dish (large enough to hold the salmon flat). Place the salmon skin side down on the bed of dill. Rub the remaining salt mixture over the top and sides of the salmon, and top with remaining dill.
  6. Cover with plastic wrap pressed down onto flesh of salmon and top with a weight, such as a plate. Refrigerate for 1 day.
  7. Unwrap the salmon, and flip skin side up. Redistribute the bed of dill and the cure and dill on top. Re-cover in the same fashion and refrigerate for 2 more days.
  8. Unpack the salmon and scrape of the dill and cure mixture. Using a very sharp knife, cut the salmon on the bias into thin slices. Serve cold or at room temperature. May be kept wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for 5 days after the curing is complete.

Health Benefits

Gravlax can feel like a luxurious treat, and making it at home is much more accessible than many cooks think. Taking the 30 minutes to prepare a couple pounds of salmon can prep you for having a quick protein-packed treat on hand at any time. Not only is salmon a source of high-quality protein, but it is also loaded with heart-healthy omega 3’s. Of the wild salmon varieties, King packs the highest content of omegas (almost twice as much as Coho or Sockeye), but all are still excellent choices.