Copper River Salmon Spruce Tip Gravlax

Recipe by Christa Hoover

This method has been influenced over 20 years by many great recipes, methods, cooking shows and of course trial and error. If you prefer more salt or less sugar, more pepper or liquor, more or less spruce tips, customize and adjust this method to your liking. Cure anywhere from 1-3 days to your liking. Make it your own!

Ingredients

• 1 Copper River king salmon fillet cut in half, scales removed, skin on
• 1/3 cup sea salt
• 2/3 cup organic sugar
• fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen spruce tips, chopped
• 1 oz Aquavit or Gin

Instructions (read directions thoroughly before cooking)

Mix sea salt and organic sugar in a mixing bowl, add fresh cracked pepper to your preference

Place salmon fillets skin side down on cling wrap or parchment paper on your counter.  If you choose to use Aquavit or Gin on your gravlax, drizzle the liquid over both fillets. Spread half the mixture on each fillet, gently rubbing the cure mixture onto the fillets for full coverage. Spread the chopped spruce tips over each fillet

Sandwich the salmon fillets together, skin sides out, and wrap in cling wrap saving all the liquid and bits that are on the cling wrap. Place the wrapped fillets into a baking or roasting pan. Place clean rocks or cling wrapped bricks on top of the fillets as a weight. Place into the refrigerato

Refrigerate for 3 days, opening the cling wrap twice a day to baste with the salt, sugar, and Aquavit liquids that will seep out. Remove the cured gravlax from the cling wrap. Pat the fillets dry but do not rinse them. When using fresh wild salmon the gravlax must be frozen for safe consumption.  Vacuum pack or wrap well to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for 7 days at minus 20 C. (minus 4 degrees F). Alternatively, wild salmon can be frozen prior to curing 

Thaw, slice thinly on the diagonal and enjoy

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Copper River Salmon Spruce Tip Gravlax