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Thread: Gravlox (cured smoked salmon aka 'lox, with keto version))

  1. #1
    Boolit Master BJK's Avatar
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    Gravlox (cured smoked salmon aka 'lox, with keto version))

    I'm always on the lookout for things I can eat in ketosis and 2 years ago I could have cream cheese and 'lox on a bagel, Today it's on my homemade low carb keto bread. But it'll work and give me something different for breakfast.

    Maine salmon was on sale today and while I don't much care for cooked salmon I love gravlox either plain or smoked. I should have bought 2 fillets, but I only bought one. Maybe I'll buy another in a few days. The one I have curing now will keep for smoking this weekend (4 days from now) if I decide to smoke them. If I do smoke them I'll use cherry and a cold smoke. But either way, smoked or unsmoked, it's delicious.

    How to use it? Very thin sliced and piled high on a generously toasted bagel, or in my case, a slice of toasted low carb bread. Why won't it work in an omelet? I intend to try that.

    Just be sure the pin bones are picked out of the fillet.

    I'm in ketosis so instead of using brown sugar I used Erythritol brown sugar 1:1 substitute.

    Gravlox
    SUBMITTED BY: Suzanne
    Modified and notes by Brian
    "Gravlox is a popular item in Scandinavian Cuisine. Some, like this one, are made with vodka."

    INGREDIENTS
    2 pounds salmon fillet, bones removed
    4 tablespoons coarse sea salt
    3 tablespoons light brown sugar (or erythritol brown sugar substitute)
    1 tablespoon pepper (or more... definitely more)
    1 bunch fresh dill, chopped (omit)
    3 tablespoons vodka (or gin)

    No smoker? Or weather doesn’t permit smoking it? See Brians note below.

    DIRECTIONS

    1. Drape plastic wrap over a glass baking dish. Cut salmon in half lengthwise, and place one half in dish, skin side down. Mix together salt, brown sugar and pepper. Sprinkle half of mixture over salmon in the dish, cover with the chopped dill, and pour the vodka over the whole mixture.
    2. Sprinkle the remaining salt mixture over the remaining half of salmon. Place over the salmon in the dish, skin side up. Fold the plastic wrap snuggly over the entire salmon. Place a board over the fish and weigh it down with a heavy object.
    3. Refrigerate fish for 24 to 36 hours (I’ve gone up to 6 days), turning every 12 hours. To serve, separate the filets, and carefully brush off the salt, sugar and dill. This where Suzanne and I disagree. All of the salt and sugar has pulled water out of the salmon and cured it, and there is nothing to brush off. If there are still salt granules on the filet give it more time to cure.
    4.Cut into very thin slices with a sharp knife. Cut on a diagonal through the thickness of the filet to give a larger slice.
    5. Of course the ‘lox can be served on bagels, but they’re just as good on toasted English Muffins with whipped cream cheese. Enjoy!

    Notes: It has been brought to my attention that the fish should be washed and soaked for 45 minutes, and then smoked. The other recipes I have don't do either of these, and when I've seen it done on TV (at least 3 times) that wasn't done either, but I want to make sure folks know that it's an option. Next time, if I like the product, I plan on smoking it since that's what I buy locally. Brian

    Definitely. Smoke it. The Gravlox isn't salty enough IMHO to require soaking before smoking though. My plan is going to be to rinse off the undissolved salt then cold smoke for maybe an hour or 2 at most. Use a sweet smoke, cherry or apple or another sweet smoke.

    I'll never buy lox again. The taste of this is much better than out of the plastic package and it really can't be easier to make. Looking at the pile of lox I wound up with- it would have been maybe 6-7 packages @ $5-$6 per package (15 years ago). The actual cost was $9 for the salmon and pennies for the other ingredients. It's nice to be able to pile it on.


    Note: Don’t have a smoker or the weather doesn’t allow for real smoke? I recently had a filet that had been curing for 5 days and while the weather forecast told me that I’d have a window in which to smoke the ‘lox, reality didn’t match the forecast. What to do? I added 1½ tsp of Wrights liquid smoke to the bag the filet was in. Next time I’d use 2 tsps, but add to your taste. Liquid smoke can get out of hand very rapidly. After adding the smoke to the bag of salmon and (natural brine as pulled out of the salmon) I waited 24 hours and sliced it. It wasn’t cherry smoke, but it was quite good.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy Landy88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BJK View Post
    Why won't it work in an omelet? I intend to try that.
    Oh, it works very well in omelets and as a substitute for Canadian Bacon in Eggs Benedict.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master BJK's Avatar
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    Thanks for the feedback. Oh yes, I intend to try it in an omelet.

    It's cured, but I'll keep it in the bag and wait for weather w/o rain forecast to smoke it. Or I'll dig into it and buy another one and cherry smoke the 2nd. I'm really anxious for something different for breakfast.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master BJK's Avatar
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    I cheated.

    I couldn't wait any longer. I cut off maybe 6" of the tail and sliced it thin, minus the skin of course, it takes a sharp filet knife and once that is obtained it's not difficult. So I know what's for breakfast tomorrow. I need to decide, lox omelet or toast with cream cheese and 'lox piled high. I won't know my choice until tomorrow.

    Showers are forecast for tomorrow and I just won't smoke in the rain even though I can, so I cheated and put into the drained curing bag 2 tsps of Wrights liquid smoke. Tomorrow I'll finish slicing it.

    I didn't buy a 2nd. We have salmon farms aplenty and it's sale priced often enough. I don't want it to spoil by getting lost in the freezer.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master BJK's Avatar
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    I had it piled high on a piece of toasted homemade low carb bread (<3grams/slice) and with chive/onion cream cheese. It was delicious.

    I also sliced the "smoked" salmon today. One package will go into the freezer.

    I don't much care for a piece of cooked salmon. The only way I had it and liked it I grilled it with a piece of black alder and that was good. But I love gravlox. Smoked or unsmoked, I prefer the smoked but I won't turn my nose up at unsmoked 'lox. Evenusing the liquid smoke was good. I'd forgotten how good the liquid smoke was on it.

    So there you go gents, anyone can make 'lox at home. No smoker required, just a poly bag to store it in while it cures and a sharp knife to cut it thin off of the skin. You want to cut it off the skin on maybe a 45° or 30ish° angle.

    Oh, and be sure the pin bones are pulled out of the fillet. If your fish monger hasn't done it it's easy enough to do. Run your hand over the flesh side in both directions lengthwise. If they're there you feel them best in one direction. Use a hemostat, plier, heavy tweezer, or a tool such as those to grab and pull them out.

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