This easy salmon lox recipe is the classic cured salmon recipe. Homemade lox salmon takes 6 simple ingredients and tastes better than any store-bought lox salmon!
Bagels and lox are a brunch favorite in my house and with this incredibly easy recipe, they will be popular in your home too. Wouldn't marinated mozzarella balls pair so beautifully with this recipe?
Homemade Lox Ingredients:
- salmon filet, bones removed and skin on
- peppercorns (whole) - crushed with a mallet - I use a mix of different peppercorns for layers of different flavors but if black is all you have, that will work.
- dill - fresh is best, roughly chopped. Look in the produce section of your deli or grocery store.
- vodka - this is used in the traditional Scandinavian recipe so we are going to use it.
- salt - I use coarse kosher salt but other flake salts will work as well.
- brown sugar - will add a lovely hint of sweetness to balance out all the salt.
Substitutions
- Substitute gin for vodka
- Add juniper berries, lemon zest, orange zest for another layer of flavor.
Can I use frozen salmon?
If you have access to fresh, high-quality salmon, that would be ideal, but frozen can work well too. While fresh salmon might give slightly better results, using frozen salmon can still produce delicious homemade lox. The key is to use good quality salmon and follow the curing process carefully.
That being said there are a few in mind if you opt for a frozen side of salmon:
- Texture may be slightly softer in the final product.
- Higher moisture content can affect curing.
- Frozen salmon requires proper thawing before starting the curing process.
- Using a frozen salmon may alter final product quality slightly.
If you do use frozen salmon:
- Ensure it's high-quality, vacuum-sealed frozen salmon.
- Thaw it completely in the refrigerator before starting the curing process.
- Pat the salmon dry thoroughly before applying the cure mixture.
How to make homemade lox salmon
- First, crush the peppercorns with a mallet or by hitting them with the back of a skillet.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the crushed pepper, salt, brown sugar, and the vodka, stirring to combine and the mixture is of wet sand consistency.
- Place a cooling rack on a rimmed cookie sheet.
- Then place the raw salmon, skin side down, on the rack.
- Start by pressing ½ the salt mixture on the meat of the salmon.
- Add ½ the fresh dill, followed by the second ½ of the salt mixture and finishing with the last of the fresh dill on top.
- Wrap tightly the entire tray, pan, rack, and salmon in several layers of plastic wrap. (make it as tight as possible.)
- Allow the salmon to rest, in the refrigerator with something pressing down on it and refrigerate for 2-3 days. (yes DAYS) I will place a second baking sheet on top of the wrapped salmon and something heavy like a couple of jars of diced tomatoes, another heavy object or even a brick. No need to flip the salmon.
- Once the days of curing is complete, unwrap the tray of salmon fillet, drain any liquid that has been extracted during the curing process and remove all of the herbs and sugar/salt crust. Rinse salmon by running it under cool running water to cut down on too much of a salty taste. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Slice the lox with a long sharp knife and it is ready to serve with your favorite accompaniments.
Seasonal Favorite
This is the best homemade seedless black raspberry jam recipe made with fresh or frozen black raspberries.
How to serve cured salmon aka gravlax:
- Lox and bagel with cream cheese - toast the bagel spread on softened cream cheese and add garnishes such as capers, shaved red onion, chopped boiled egg or cucumbers.
- Chaffle - substitute out a bagel and use a gluten-free, low carb, keto-friendly waffle. Kind of like a salmon sandwich.
- On deviled eggs
- In a salmon spread
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips about salmon lox
Choose a filet piece of salmon that comes from the thick belly section or the salty, fatty middle section of the fish.
Atlantic salmon, sockeye salmon or king salmon are all great to use when you want to make your own home made lox. I look for salmon that is wild and sustainably caught and I avoid fish that is marked as 'colors added'.
Lox, or cured salmon, also known as gravlax, is not cooked in the traditional oven method sense but more of a curing or chemical reaction of cooking. Salmon is cured by being brined in salt and it is a delicious way to enjoy one of my favorite fish. The salt and sugar mixture, along with any other flavors, will penetrate through the fish infusing the fish with flavors and cooking the salmon through an osmosis process. 
What is the difference between lox vs gravlax vs smoked salmon?
Lox, gravlax, smoked salmon, and nova are all recipes that call for fresh salmon but each recipe is just a little bit different.
Lox come from the Yiddish word for salmon, laks, and is salt-cured. Before there was refrigeration, salt curing was the method used to preserve the salmon.
Gravlax comes from the Scandinavian word gräva/grave "to dig" and after the salmon has been preserved you 'dig' it out of the salt crust.
Smoked salmon is a side of salmon that has been cured and then cold-smoked. Nova lox is smoked salmon that has a more intense salmon smoky flavor and a deeper coloring, almost orange.
Homemade Lox Tips:
- My lox is cured on a cooling rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish, the excess moisture from the salmon will have a place to collect without making a mess in the refrigerator. The raised surface of the cooling rack will allow the liquids to drain off easily.
- Collect the liquid that is collected in the pan and use it in seafood sauces or add it to seafood stock.
- Try and choose a piece of salmon that is the same thickness from edge to edge for a more consistent brine flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon sashimi-grade, bones removed and skin on
- 2 Tablespoon mixed peppercorns whole, crushed with a mallet
- 1 Cup fresh dill roughly chopped
- 3 Tablespoon vodka
- 4 Ounces rock salt coarse and flakes work too
- 4 Ounces Brown Sugar
Instructions
- First, crush the peppercorns with a mallet or by hitting them with the back of a skillet.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the peppercorns, salt, brown sugar, and the vodka, stirring to combine and the mixture is of wet sand consistency.
- Place a cooling rack on a rimmed cookie sheet.
- Then place the raw salmon, skin side down, on the rack.
- Start by pressing ½ the salt mixture on the meat of the salmon.
- Add ½ the fresh dill, followed by the second ½ of the salt mixture and finishing with the last of the fresh dill.
- Tightly wrap the entire tray, pan, rack, and salmon in several layers of food wrap. (make it as tight as possible.
- Allow the salmon to cure, in the refrigerator with something pressing down on it for 2-3 days. (yes DAYS) I will place a second baking sheet on top of the wrapped salmon and something heavy like a couple of jars or even a brick.
- Once the days of curing is complete, unwrap the tray of lox, remove all of the dill and sugar/salt mixture by running it under cool running water.
- Slice the lox with a long sharp knife and serve with your favorite accompaniments.
Nutrition
Notes
- By curing your lox on a cooling rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet, the excess moisture from the salmon will have a place to collect without making a mess in the refrigerator. The raised surface of the cooling rack will allow the liquids to easily drain off.
- Collect the liquid that collected in the pan and use it in seafood sauces or add to seafood stock.
- Try and choose a piece of salmon that is the same thickness from edge to edge for a more consistent brine flavor.
I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Melisende says
The recipe worked but the end result was too salty for my taste. Maybe the problem was that I had it in the brine for 3 days, so next time I'd use less salt or only brine it for 2 days.