Lesya 
With our recipe, you can make your own salted salmon within 20-24 hours. Salmon is not native to Ukraine. It is imported from other countries. However, the recipe for homemade salted salmon is well-known, and we decided to describe how we salt raw salmon. The taste of the salted salmon is even better than the taste of the bought in stores smoked salmon. You will be able to modify the saltiness of the fish, and you will spend much less money than on the purchased delicacy.
Preparation is considered safe as we suggest using frozen fish, and freezing kills bacteria. Salting also kills bacteria and is used in many culinary traditions. In Nordic countries, such as Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, fishermen have salted salmon to preserve fish since the Middle Ages. Nowadays, salted raw salmon is a popular Nordic dish, which is called Gravlax or graved salmon. The Gravlax recipe includes raw salmon, salt, sugar, and spices (dill and parsley). The Yiddish salted salmon is called lox, and according to this recipe, raw salmon fillets need to stay in a salty brine for three months.
In our recipe, the saltiness of the fish depends on how long you keep the fish in salt. Sixteen hours of curing will be enough for the low-in-salt salmon. To achieve a saltier taste keep the fish in salt for 20-24 hours. If it stays in salt longer than 24 hours, salmon becomes oversalted. We prepared a video to demonstrate this recipe, please feel free to check it out before you start:
Some cooks also use sugar in similar recipes, but we don’t; instead, we rub the fish with apple cider vinegar before salting. When the fish is ready, we suggest placing it in a glass container, sprinkling it with sesame or olive oil, and keeping it in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can put oil on top while you are salting the fish, as we show in our video. This is also a very good method and it gives good results!
Salted Salmon
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Plastic food wrap
- Glass container
- 1 Chef's knife
- paper towels
Ingredients
- 600 g wild salmon fillet frozen
- 3 tbsp coarse Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil for preservation
- Black pepper for seasoning
Instructions
- Unfreeze the fillet in cold water.
- Wash and rinse the fish under cold water. Absorb the water with a paper towel. Sprinkle the salmon with apple cider vinegar and rub it into the fish flesh. Wipe up the remaining liquid with a paper towel.
- Cover a cutting board with plastic food wrap. Place the fillet on top of it. Rub 1 ½ tablespoons of salt on one side of the fish and the same amount on the other side.
- Close the fish with the plastic food wrap and transfer it to the glass container.
- Put the container with the fish in the refrigerator and leave it there for 16 hours (for less salted fish) or 20 hours for a saltier taste. 24 hours is the maximum time.
- Remove the salted salmon from the refrigerator, unwrap and wipe the salt with a paper towel.
- Separate the skin from the flesh with hands or a knife.
- Slice the salted salmon. Sprinkle with olive oil, transfer to the glass container and refrigerate for future use.
- Serve cold.
How to serve salted salmon?
Serve the salted salmon cold on top of a piece of bread with unsalted butter, with brie cheese, or with soft cheese (How to Make Homemade Cheese), seasoned with black pepper or without. Instead of butter, you can use avocado spread. Use white or dark rye bread, or even crepes or pancakes – each will add a special overtone to the taste of your mini salmon sandwich. Decorate your salmon canapés with Italian parsley, cilantro, or a piece of lemon. You can also use the salted salmon with green salads, beet salads, or carrot salads.
Salted salmon is very versatile and will be a great addition to any festive menu. If you are looking for more interesting recipes for your easy starter menu, check out our recipe for the Ukrainian Salo Spread.
What kind of fish makes good homemade salted salmon?
You can use any good quality frozen or fresh raw salmon that is most common in your local stores. We use the frozen “Wild Sockeye Salmon Fillet” and then unfreeze it. We prefer frozen fillets as freezing kills bacteria. Also, working with fillets is easier because you don’t need to cut and clean the fish.
Where did the salted fish and salmon come from?
The tradition of salted fish came from Asia and Europe. In Asia, salted fish was known as “poor man’s food”. However, in Asia, they salt and dry fish in the sun. They knew fish salting in the Graeco-Roman worlds and ancient Spain and Portugal too. In Nordic countries, such as Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, fishermen salted salmon to preserve fish since the Middle Ages. Nowadays, salted raw salmon is a well-known Nordic dish and is called Gravlax or graved salmon. The Yiddish salted salmon is called lox.
What country has the best for salmon fishing?
Canada is recognized as one of the best places for Atlantic and Pacific salmon fishing. Alaska is home to several species of Pacific salmon, such as Chinook, sockeye, king, chum salmon, and coho salmon. Salmon was one of the key food products for Native Peoples in America. Nowadays, most of the Norway salmon comes from farms due to the decreasing habitat of wild salmon in that area.
Why is salmon good for your health?
Salmon is good for your health because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are so important for your overall health. Omega-3 essential acids balance your cholesterol and improve your cardiovascular and endocrine systems. Salmon also contains selenium, which boosts the immune system and has anti-cancer properties.
The homemade salted salmon is free from preservatives or food colorants. Make sure you buy wild salmon, free from antibiotics or hormones. Overheating destroys omega-3 fatty acids. Mackerel is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium. We have a great recipe for the Oven-Roasted Atlantic Mackerel with Tomato Paste.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, our recipe gives you a very simple method of how you can prepare your own salted salmon in just 20-24 hours. We have also created a video to help you understand the process better. The homemade salted salmon makes a great appetizer or snack, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. We hope that you will enjoy this recipe and share your comments with other readers and us. Thank you for visiting our recipes! Happy cooking!
