Homemade Cured Salmon

How to make cured salmon at home– the perfect Shabbos fish when you want to serve something different yet still approachable.

You don’t need to be a crudo lover to absolutely fall for this salmon. If you are, chances are you already love this Salmon Crudo that’s been such a long time favorite on Between Carpools, it even made it into the original Dinner Done. You may have also tried this Tuna Carpaccio and you can read the inspiration behind it here.

But even if you haven’t been brave enough to try one of our other “raw” fish recipes, this one is different. 

This cured salmon aka gravlax recipe comes from my sister-in-law Chumie and I’ve already given out the recipe to so many and they love it. One of those people who I shared the recipe with was Ruchmy Schwartz, who told me that it must go on Between Carpools. 

Somehow, in this recipe, the curing process makes this salmon more of a “herring” (without the smell and the onion thing going on) experience and less of an eating-raw-fish-experience.

The best part?

It all gets prepared in advance and sits well in the refrigerator.

It’s the perfect Shabbos solution.

The quality of the fish is very important! Choosing the right salmon will make-or-break the fish.

Be sure you are using sushi grade salmon that can be eaten raw.

Start by seasoning the fish with the salt and sugar.

You can also do this entirely within the Ziploc bag, just make sure to toss it around to coat evenly. Otherwise, simply transfer the fish to the Ziploc and refrigerate overnight to cure. 

The next day, simply rinse it off under cold water and dry well with paper towels.

Your fish is now cured!

Dice it into small pieces.

Dice the rest of the ingredients if you haven’t already.

I also add a red onion sometimes, but we didn’t here. 

When it comes to seasoning it, start with just a ½ tsp of salt and taste. Only add more if you feel it needs it.

Finally, add the oil and mix to coat. 

Transfer the fish to a container and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Serve with crackers or sourdough bread or challah. This will last a full week in the refrigerator, so if you make it on Friday, you can have it for two Shabboses!