Everything You Need To Know About Norwegian Gravlax

According to the famed chef Andreas Viestad, author of the Norwegian-focused culinary cookbook "Kitchen of Light New Scandinavian Cooking," gravlax means "buried salmon" because the fish is buried in a mixture of salt, sugar, aquavit, and herbs for curing. The first gravlax-style fish was wrapped in birch bark and buried in the ground for months, resulting in a nearly-rotten fermented fish that is now called rakfisk. While this is still crafted, the modern palate prefers gravlax's subtler flavors.

Norwegian salmon is considered a benchmark of quality, making it the perfect choice for gravlax. Before the advent of refrigeration, people needed ways to preserve food for long-term storage, particularly through the winter months. The purpose of curing is to preserve meats. The salt, sugar, and spirits draw out the juices from the fish, while the herbs add pleasant aromatic qualities elevating the flavors of the final dish.

There are eight types of salmon, and they all thrive in cold waters. Norwegian gravlax is most commonly made with Atlantic salmon, though if you were to prepare your own, you could use one of several varieties.

Atlantic salmon rarely appear in the wild due to centuries of over-fishing, but it is widely farm-raised for commercial purposes. There are three types of Atlantic salmon: Baltic, European, and North American salmon. Farmed salmon can often be fattier than wild Pacific salmon, making it better for Norwegian gravlax.

The Pacific Ocean has six species. King or chinook salmon is the largest and fattiest Pacific salmon, and it is also an adventurous breed. Its habitat ranges from Alaska to southern California. Sockeye salmon is a smaller fish than King salmon and is noted for its vermilion hue and pungent flavor. Native to Alaska, the fish is prized by gourmands when it is seasonally released each summer from June to July. Both breeds are perfect for gravlax.

Alaskan Coho salmon have delicate textures and flavors. They have silver scales giving them the nickname silver salmon. Alaskan coho is found in the waters near Alaska. Pink or humpback salmon and Chum salmon are low-fat, mildly-flavored fish.

PBS's "New Scandinavian Cooking" star, Chef Andreas Viestad, and author of "Kitchen of Light New Scandinavian Cooking," starts with a traditional gravlax recipe that includes salt, sugar, pepper, dill, and dill seeds. Alternatively, his spicy gravlax recipe adds aquavit spirits, caraway seeds, aniseed, juniper berries, red pepper flakes, and the necessary salt and sugar combination. The herbs and spices are ground with a mortar and pestle into a coarse dust and blended into the salt and sugar mix. Once the salmon filets are cleaned, washed, and patted dry with paper towels, the curing blend is gently rubbed into the meat. 

The meat is then drizzled with aquavit. Place one filet skin side down on plastic wrap and the other meat side down on top of the first. Tightly wrap the entire fish in plastic and place the fish in a heavy baking dish. Top the fish with a heavyweight (plates or a saucepan) and refrigerate it for four days, turning it every 12 hours. After curing is complete, carefully unwrap the gravlax and drain off any fluid before freshly wrapping the gravlax to freeze. To present the gravlax for a meal, the herbs and curing blend are removed, and the chilled fish is sliced paper thin.

New Scandinavian Cooking indicates that the salmon is cut lengthwise into filets and cleaned before the curing process begins. Gravlax requires a specific curing blend of salt, sugar, spirits, and herbs. The salt, sugar, and spirits are the impetus for curing the fish, thus preserving it. The curing process causes the salmon filet to lose up to 15% of its weight because the curing mixture draws the juicy fluids from the fish, condensing the meat and concentrating the flavors. (A similar denaturation occurs when using acidic juice to cure ceviche.) As the flavors concentrate, the texture of the fish changes, too, becoming slightly firmer. If left to cure too long or using too strong a curing blend, the fish can become rubbery.

Andreas Viestad, author of "Kitchen of Light New Scandinavian Cooking," suggests waiting to freeze the salmon until after it is cured to maintain its texture. Freezing fresh salmon breaks down some of its proteins, affecting its texture. Once cured, gravlax can be frozen for a week to ensure all parasites are eliminated.

Traditional recipes for utilizing gravlax include aquavit and dill, but with access to herbs, spices, and spirits from across the globe, why limit yourself? Create exciting gravlax recipes using complimentary flavors that you enjoy. Start with the spirit of your choice such as gin, whisky, or an anise-flavored liqueur (think Pastis), and add aromatic herbs and spices to create unique flavor profiles to match your tastes. 

You could incorporate everything from fennel fronds, tarragon, garlic, basil, chile, coriander, thyme, and peppercorns, to beets, dried edible flowers, tea leaves, and cherry juice, into your gravlax recipe. When it comes to gravlax, the choices are endless. Keep in mind that traditional gravlax is crafted specifically from salmon.

Look for house-crafted or packaged gravlax in fish markets, Jewish appetizing shops, some IKEA stores, and Scandinavian food markets like Willy's Products Scandinavian Food Store. Gravlax is also sold online directly by producers like John Ross and Markys. Look for gravlax brands from Norway, Scotland, England, Alaska, New England, and Canada.

Salmon is a healthy source of protein. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, touted as the answer for everything from shiny locks and improved skin to a healthy heart and brain. In a separate report, Healthline states that salmon might be one of the most nutritious foods of all. A 3 oz. portion of salmon has more than the daily recommended allowance of healthy omega-3 fats.

Wild salmon is richer in essential vitamins and minerals. Salmon is packed with B vitamins, including high levels of B12, necessary for energy and vitality. It is full of selenium, a trace mineral necessary for optimal endocrine function. It rivals bananas for potassium content, which is important for blood pressure stability and preventing edema. Salmon owes its red color to the carotenoid (carrots) antioxidant called astaxanthin, essential for preventing clogged arteries and heart disease. Additionally, wild salmon has more lean protein and slightly less fat, while farm-raised salmon tends to be higher in fats and calories.

While salmon is healthy, gravlax is salt and sugar cured and is still higher in sodium than fresh salmon. Keep in mind that wild and farm-raised salmon contain toxins and mercury found in polluted waters, and farm-raised salmon may contain antibiotics.