Classic Lox Recipes

HOMEMADE LOX

Steps:

• Rinse salmon with water; pat dry with paper towels.
• Mix salt and sugar together in a bowl. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap. Pour half of the salt mixture onto the plastic wrap; lay salmon on top. Cover salmon with remaining salt mixture.
• Fold plastic wrap around salmon until secure; wrap a second layer of plastic wrap around salmon. Transfer to a 9x9-inch baking pan; cover with an 8x8-inch baking pan. Place a heavy object onto the smaller baking pan to weigh salmon down. Cure in the refrigerator until salmon's surface becomes silky, about 48 hours.
• Combine water and ice in a bowl. Mix water and 3 drops liquid smoke together in a bowl. Place salmon into liquid smoke mixture to rinse. Submerge into ice bath for 30 minutes. Repeat rinsing and submerging 2 more times, adding 3 drops of liquid smoke to the rinse water each time.
• Dry salmon with paper towels. Cut with a sharp knife staring from the thin edge of the salmon and cutting toward the thick edge.

CLASSIC LOX RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut the salmon in half across the fillet into two halves.
• In a bowl, mix the sugar, salt, peppercorns, juniper berries, dill, and optional chili pepper flakes , if using.
• Place one half of the salmon, skin side down, onto a long sheet of plastic wrap. Cover the flesh of the salmon with the sugar, salt, and pepper mix.
• Place the second fillet flesh side down on top to create a "salmon sandwich." Wrap the fish pieces tightly in plastic wrap.
• Put the "salmon sandwich" into a shallow baking dish, making sure the fish stands higher than the sides of the pan. Place a baking tray on top of the salmon and weigh it down with a heavy object such as canned beans, rice bags, or heavy books (covered in plastic wrap to avoid passing on fish smells).
• Put the fish into the refrigerator and leave it to cure for 3 to 4 days, turning the salmon twice a day or at least once every day. If there is any accumulated liquid, pour it out and change the plastic wrap.
• When ready to serve, remove the wrap, pour away any liquid and wipe away most of the sugar, salt, and peppercorns, leaving a little on the edges for decoration. Slice as desired: thin for bagels , thick if it's meant to be the main course.

PICKLED LOX

Steps:

• Cover lox with water, and soak in refrigerator 8 hours, changing water once.
• Cut lox into 1-inch cubes (you should have about 6 cups). Place in a large glass bowl, layering with onions.
• Stir together 5 cups water, the vinegar, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add seeds, allspice, bay leaves, and red-pepper flakes, then pour over lox. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate 4 hours at room temperature. Transfer to refrigerator, and marinate at least 48 hours and up to 1 week. Serve with sour cream sauce.

GRAVLOX

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• Refrigerate fish for 24 to 36 hours, turning every 12 hours. To serve, separate the filets, and carefully brush off the salt, sugar and dill. Cut into very thin slices with a sharp knife.