Gravlax is a Scandinavian preparation of salmon cured with salt, sugar and aromatics, commonly dill and pepper. The fish is not cooked by heat; the curing process seasons and firms the flesh, producing a silky texture and delicate flavour. It is usually sliced thinly and served chilled, often with mustard-dill sauce, rye bread and pickled accompaniments.
Salmon portions are covered with a measured mixture of salt, sugar and aromatics, then held under refrigeration for a specified time. Recipes vary in salt-to-sugar ratio, cure duration and the use of spirits, citrus or additional herbs. The cure draws moisture from the fish and changes its texture, but it does not make the product equivalent to cooked salmon.
After curing, remove excess cure according to the recipe, dry the surface and slice the salmon thinly across the grain. Serve chilled with mustard-dill sauce, rye bread, lemon, pickled vegetables or fresh herbs. The degree of firmness depends on the cure strength, thickness of the fish and curing time.
Example: serve gravlax as a starter with mustard-dill sauce, pickled cucumber, rye toast and fresh dill.
Gravlax is cured with salt and sugar but is not smoked. Cold-smoked salmon is exposed to smoke at a low temperature and is not necessarily cooked. Hot-smoked salmon is exposed to heat that cooks the fish. These are different processes and should be identified correctly on menus.
Salt curing does not reliably destroy parasites or eliminate pathogens. Use fish that meets applicable parasite-destruction requirements for raw or undercooked service, maintain strict refrigeration and sanitation, and follow local regulations, supplier documentation and a validated HACCP process. Gravlax is a ready-to-eat fish preparation and must be protected from cross-contamination.
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