Making your own cured salmon at home can seem intimidating when you try it for the first time. Don’t worry—it is going to turn out amazing. The trick is getting the salt level and cure time dialed in to your personal preferences. Some prefer salter, harder-cured salmon, while others prefer a softer, less cured and less salty product. Follow the simple steps outlined below to create your own home-cured, delicious salmon!
Home-Cured Salmon
Making your own cured salmon at home can seem intimidating when you try it for the first time. Don’t worry—it is going to turn out amazing. The trick is getting the salt level and cure time dialed in to your personal preferences. Some prefer salter, harder-cured salmon, while others prefer a softer, less cured and less salty product. Follow the simple steps outlined below to create your own home-cured, delicious salmon!
Ingredients
- 1 really fresh (ideally sashimi-grade) salmon fillet (bones removed, skin on, weighing roughly 4lbs)
- 1 lb white granulated sugar
- 1 lb plus 1 oz salt
- 1 cup chopped dill
- 4 Zest of oranges
- Cheesecloth (to wrap fish)
Instructions
- Mix together the sugar, salt, dill, and zest of 4 oranges.
- Cover both sides of the salmon with the mixture, leaving a generous amount on the surface of the fish.
- Wrap the salmon in cheesecloth and place in a large enough tray to accommodate the fillet.
- Place tray in the fridge for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, flip the fish over and place back in fridge.
- After another 12-18 hours, remove the fish, and use water to rinse off the excess salt mixture.
- Dry the exterior of the salmon after rinsing.
- To serve, slice thin with the sharpest slicing knife that you have.
- Top with extra fresh dill for serving, if you like dill.
Notes
The recipe above is intended for a single small filet of salmon weighing roughly 4lbs. You can do this process above for a smaller piece of salmon (e.g. 2lbs), but note that less time will be required to cure a smaller piece of salmon.
