Gravlax is salmon cured in a mixture of salt, sugar and fresh dill. No heat is applied. The curing process draws moisture from the flesh through osmosis, concentrating flavour and transforming the texture from raw to firm and translucent over the course of two to three days. The word comes from the Old Norse grav (grave, or burial hole) and lax (salmon) — a reference to the medieval practice of burying salted fish in the ground to ferment.
The modern preparation does not involve fermentation. Contemporary gravlax is a cold-cure only: salt and sugar act on the fish in a refrigerator. The result is closer in character to cold-smoked salmon than to fermented fish, but with a fresher, more herbaceous flavour and a firmer bite.
Choosing the salmon
The quality of gravlax depends almost entirely on the quality of the salmon. The fillet should be bought from the skin side of a large fish — a centre-cut piece from a fish weighing at least 3 kg gives the most even thickness and the best texture after curing.
In Poland, farmed Atlantic salmon from Norway is widely available. Norwegian salmon has a high fat content, which carries the cure well and produces a rich, moist finished product. Look for a deep orange-red colour, firm flesh that springs back when pressed, and no strong odour. The fillet should have pin bones removed, or remove them yourself with fish tweezers before curing.
For home preparation, ask the fishmonger for a skin-on fillet with the pin bones already removed. In larger supermarkets, pre-packed fillets are sold bone-free. The skin is left on during curing — it holds the fillet together and is removed after.
Curing ratios
The standard ratio by weight of fish is: 3 parts salt to 2 parts sugar, applied at a total of around 6–8% of the fillet's weight. For a 600-gram fillet, this means approximately 20–25 g of salt and 15–18 g of sugar. The mix is spread over the flesh side of the fillet.
| Fillet weight | Salt | Sugar | Dill (fresh) | Curing time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 g | 18 g | 12 g | 20 g | 36–48 hours |
| 600 g | 24 g | 16 g | 30 g | 48 hours |
| 1000 g | 38 g | 25 g | 50 g | 60–72 hours |
Some preparations add white pepper, aquavit or lemon zest to the cure. These are regional variations. The core three ingredients — salt, sugar and dill — produce the canonical flavour.
The curing process
Mix the salt and sugar together. Spread a third of the dill on the bottom of a glass or ceramic dish. Place the fillet skin-side down on the dill. Spread the salt-sugar mix evenly over the flesh, then cover with the remaining dill. If you have two pieces of fillet, place the second flesh-to-flesh against the first, sandwiching the cure.
Cover the dish tightly with cling film. Place a flat weight on top — a chopping board with a tin on it works well. Refrigerate. Turn the fillet every 12 hours, spooning the collected liquid back over the flesh. The liquid is normal and expected: it is the moisture drawn out by the salt.
After the curing period, remove the fillet from the dish. Rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. The surface should feel firm to the touch. The flesh will have changed colour slightly — from bright orange to a deeper, more saturated shade.
Slicing
Gravlax is sliced on a bias: the knife held at a shallow angle to the cutting board, cutting long, thin slices from the tail end toward the head. A long, thin-bladed knife — a salmon slicer or a carving knife — is the right tool. The slices should be translucent and around 2–3 mm thick. The skin is held flat against the board and left behind as each slice is cut.
Serving
The traditional accompaniment is hovmästarsås (literally "headwaiter's sauce") — a mustard-dill sauce made from coarse-grain mustard, honey, oil and fresh dill. It is served on the side, not poured over the fish.
Gravlax is served on dark rye bread — the same rugbrød base as smørrebrød. It also works on crispbread (knäckebröd), which is available in Poland under Scandinavian brands. The combination of fatty cured fish, sour rye and sharp mustard sauce is the defining flavour of a Scandinavian cold table.
Cured gravlax keeps in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to five days after the curing period ends. It can also be frozen at this stage for up to one month, though the texture changes slightly after freezing.
Regional variations
In Norway, gravlaks is sometimes prepared with a small addition of aquavit — the caraway-flavoured spirit distilled across Scandinavia. This adds a subtle spice note without dominating the dill flavour. Norwegian aquavit is available in Poland at specialist spirits shops and some large supermarkets. Polish żubrówka is not a direct substitute due to its distinctly different herbal profile.
Swedish gravlax occasionally includes beetroot in the cure, which gives the flesh a deep magenta colour. This version — rödbetsgravlax — is more striking visually but identical in technique. Grated raw beetroot is mixed into the salt-sugar cure and applied in the same way.
Last updated: May 2026