Graved Salmon

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1,300 g salmon fillet(s)
• 150 g salt
• 100 g sugar
• 50 g black pepper, ground or crushed
• 1 bunch dill, fresh
• 60 g mustard
• 60 g sugar
• 10 g mustard powder
• 1 tbsp vinegar (wine vinegar)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 4 days; Total time approx. 4 days 30 minutes

with a delicious dill and mustard sauce

I buy half a skin-on salmon from my trusted fishmonger, ready for processing. Ideally, the salmon should be scaled and boneless. I mix salt, 100g of sugar, and pepper, and cut the aluminum foil to the length of the salmon, leaving an extra 20cm. The dill is plucked or chopped; if fresh dill isn’t available, frozen or dried dill can also be used. I then place the salmon fillet on the aluminum foil and spread the seasoning mixture evenly over it. I then sprinkle half of the dill over the fish, setting the remaining dill aside; it will be needed for the finished cured salmon. I then roll the salmon into a roll, wrap it tightly in the aluminum foil, and close both side openings. Visually, the fish looks like a roulade, which I place in a bowl with one of the side openings facing up. The bowl is then refrigerated for 96 hours. During this time, the roll is turned every 12 hours so that the other side opening is facing up. This allows the brining liquid to infuse the salmon thoroughly. Once the 96 hours are up, the salmon is ready. Don’t throw away the brining liquid that has collected in the bowl; it will be needed for the mustard sauce. The brining mixture is rinsed off the fish with water, and the fish is then patted dry. I then sprinkle the remaining dill on the salmon fillet, leaving some dill for the sauce. If I now thoroughly mix the mustard, mustard powder, vinegar, sugar, a little dill, and 3 tablespoons of the brining liquid, I have a delicious dill and mustard sauce. I can now cut the salmon into thin slices for my guests with a knife and serve it with bread and the sauce. The cured salmon freezes well and is also very easy to slice while still semi-frozen. If you have a vacuum sealer, you can seal the salmon in a long, long piece of film for curing, which replaces the aluminum foil and the bowl!