Homemade Gravlax Recipe- Cured Salmon, Sugar Free

I definitely wasn't planning on posting or sharing this recipe originally. This blog is about money saving, and when I splurge and make something expensive for myself, I don't necessarily want to announce that to the world that I just spent so much money on something...
For my birthday, I really wanted to make some gravlax. It's Nordic cured salmon, meaning that it is eaten raw, but it undergoes a process that changes it from plain old raw salmon into something special, and akin to lox. This pregnancy, I've been very nauseous from so many foods, and therefore when it comes to protein, been stuck pretty much with just legumes, meat, and chicken, and I really wanted to change things up. Plain cooked fish makes me nauseous, but raw fish, for some strange reason, does not.

I saw a friend posted a picture of her homemade gravlax, and it made me salivate, so I said I just "have" to make that. And since I am not in the habit of just buying and making expensive things "just because", I decided to wait until my birthday to have that, a little birthday present of sorts to myself.
So, I made it once, and it was delicious, and I posted pictures of it on facebook. And everyone wanted to know the recipe, if it was on my blog, etc... And I said "No way! This isn't frugal!" but they told me to compare the cost of the gravlax to its store bought similar counterpart- smoked salmon, aka lox, and see if it is still "unfrugal".

Well, making it from high quality, sushi grade salmon, it works out a little more expensive than store bought lox. But then I learned that because of the curing process that the salmon goes through when making gravlax, it is perfectly safe to use non sushi grade salmon for this, making it even cheaper, and therefore cheaper than lox. It still isn't a cheap dish, but if you're craving a lox type dish, this is definitely cheaper, not to mention healthier.

But still, I didn't have the recipe- just guestimated amounts the first time I made it, and wasn't planning on making it again just to share the recipe with you, since, even though it is cheaper than lox, it is still more expensive than not making it at all...
Then my friend who was craving gravlax after seeing the pics that I posted, asked me to make some for her that she'd buy off me... and so I had another excuse to make gravlax, and this time I measured everything so I could share the recipe with you.

It seriously was delicious! The taste of gravlax is a cross between lox and sashimi. I didn't make mine so salty, but if you like things salty, you can increase the salt in this recipe by adding another tablespoon or two. I also made mine with coconut sugar to keep it healthier, but feel free to replace that coconut sugar with sucanat or white sugar or xylitol or any other granulated sweetener, whatever floats your boat in terms of health or cost.

Homemade Gravlax Recipe- Cured Salmon, Sugar Free

Ingredients:
300 grams salmon fillet
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh dill
A few turns freshly ground pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons vodka or aquavit

Instructions:
1. Start off with your chunk of salmon. You can make this either with salmon that still has its skin on, or with skin taken off.

 photo IMG_1790_zpsf17cd7e7.jpg

2. Mix your salt and sugar and spread all over your salmon, ensuring that all surfaces are covered.

3. Take your chopped dill and spread it over your salmon fillet. If using black pepper, sprinkle it on now as well.

4. Pour vodka over the salmon.

5. Wrap the salmon tightly in a cheese cloth, thin towel, or cloth napkin.

6. Wrap the wrapped salmon in plastic wrap, so you have a tight little bundle.

7. Put this bundle on a plate or in a container in the refrigerator. It WILL leak out of the package, even if you think it won't, so take precautions....

8. Every 12 hours, flip over the bundle. This allows it to fully cure on both sides evenly.

9. If using sushi grade salmon, you can eat this whenever you want, even after 12-24 hours. If using non sushi grade salmon, wait 3 days to eat.

10. To eat, remove the plastic, and then the cloth.


 photo IMG_1796_zps97dab08d.jpg

11. Rinse off the salmon very well. Trust me, don't skip this step...

 photo IMG_1797_zpsefd96c18.jpg
12. If you used salmon with the skin, carefully remove the skin, making sure to not remove too much of the flesh together with the skin.

 photo IMG_1799_zps7aa1a3db.jpg

13. Slice the salmon very, very, very thinly with a sharp knife.

 photo IMG_1802_zps004d7e4f.jpg

13. Serve as you would lox. I served this one time on my homemade gluten free pumpernickel bread, together with a homemade vegan cream cheese, cucumber slices, and fresh dill. Another time, I put it in rice paper wraps with lettuce, cucumbers, and alfalfa sprouts. It was out of this world. And worth every cent. A great birthday treat for myself.

 photo IMG_1788_zpsf7737e9b.jpg

Have you ever eaten or made gravlax before? If so, how did you make it, and how was it served? Does this look like a recipe you'd try, or too expensive and out of the budget, even for a special occasion?

Penniless Parenting

Mommy, wife, writer, baker, chef, crafter, sewer, teacher, babysitter, cleaning lady, penny pincher, frugal gal

9 Comments

Thank you for leaving a comment on your blog. Comments are moderated- please be patient to allow time for them to go through. Opposing opinions are permitted, discussion and disagreements are encouraged, but nasty comments for the sole purpose of being nasty without constructive criticisms will be deleted.
Just a note- I take my privacy seriously, and comments giving away my location or religion are automatically deleted too.

  1. Wow this sounds so easy that I have to try it!
    In my home country Gravlax isn't very expensive, but where I live now it's nearly unaffordable. I just bought one yesterday and it wasn't even good :(
    So I definitely will try it out!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is safe to eat during pregnancy? Lox isn't.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kelly K(@RNCCRN9706)March 22, 2014 at 2:43 PM

    Everything you do, doesn't HAVE to be frugal and you are definitely entitled to treat yourself once in awhile. Most ESPECIALLY on your birthday! Glad you enjoyed your treat!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello,
    Coconut sugar is SUGAR.
    Vodka contains sugar.
    This recipe is not sugar free.
    Please be correct.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2012/06/what-do-i-mean-by-sugar-free.html

      Delete
    2. I agree! Traditional gravlox was not made with sugar. And sugar is toxic to the nervous system plus is *the* cause of obesity in any form. Very disappointed.

      Delete
    3. Lox has always been made with sugar. The lox does not absorb the sugar nor vodka.

      Delete
  5. It's not sugar free if it has coconut sugar!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I make mine with xylitol instead of sugar. It tastes just as great!

    ReplyDelete
Previous Post Next Post