Beet- and Horseradish-Cured Salmon

Name: Beet- and Horseradish-Cured Salmon
Total time: 3 d 30 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 6 ounces horseradish, grated fresh, or prepared, well drained; 1 salmon fillet, about 3 pounds, skin on; 1 pound red beets, raw, peeled and grated, juice included; 1 large bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped; 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons/5 ounces granulated sugar; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/6 ounces kosher salt (See note.); 1/4 cup/1 ounce cracked black pepper

Recipe from Brian Polcyn

Adapted by Ian Fisher

Beet- and Horseradish-Cured Salmon — Benjamin Norman for The New York Times

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus 3 days' curing
Rating: 4(256)
Comments: Read comments

This is a good first foray into curing because the process is simple and relatively quick and the reward considerable. Thanks to the beets, the color on the outside of the salmon is a deep, rich fuchsia. And don't be afraid to use fresh horseradish if you can find it; just be careful. —Ian Fisher

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

6ounces horseradish, grated fresh, or prepared, well drained
1salmon fillet, about 3 pounds, skin on
1pound red beets, raw, peeled and grated, juice included
1large bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
½cup plus 2 tablespoons/5 ounces granulated sugar
1cup plus 2 tablespoons/6 ounces kosher salt (See note.)
¼cup/1 ounce cracked black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
If using fresh horseradish, peel, cut into chunks and process in a food processor, using the steel blade. Do not grate it by hand; the fumes will be overpowering. Drape the food processor with a damp towel and carefully crack the lid, under the towel, to absorb the fumes.
Step 2
Remove pin bones from salmon and set aside. In a large stainless steel or glass bowl, combine horseradish and remaining ingredients, wearing gloves to avoid turning your hands purple.
Step 3
Choose a nonreactive pan that is just large enough to hold the salmon fillet or line a pan with plastic wrap. Drizzle a little of the beet mixture on pan and place the salmon, skin-side down, on top. Cover the flesh with remaining beet mixture, making it thinner on tail and belly section and thicker everywhere else.
Step 4
Cover with plastic wrap, place another pan on top, and weight with cans. Cure in refrigerator for 3 days.
Step 5
Gently scrape off beet mixture and discard. Cut salmon in thin slices and serve. Whole fillet, well wrapped in plastic, will last 1 week refrigerated.

Tip

Kosher salts are made through different processes, and as a result differ in weight. The kosher salt tested was Diamond Crystal; Morton weighs almost twice as much, so use less, about ⅔ cup.

Ratings

4 out of 5

256 user ratings

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Comments

Joyce7 years ago

I've been making a simpler version of lox for a while now, usually a one pound piece cut from the middle of the fillet so it's of equal thickness throughout. 1 cup sugar and 1 cup salt distributed as in this recipe, then fronds of dill on top. Wrap in plastic wrap and cure as above. Once cured, after rinsing, remove the skin (very yummy roasted separately) and leave the rewrapped salmon in the fridge for another day. It dries out a bit more and makes slicing on the diagonal easier.

Mollyo7 years ago

The fattiness of the salmon in the photo makes me think it's Atlantic salmon (the standard for lox in NYC), which is softer and lighter in taste and color than Pacific, and nearly always farmed. Thanks for posting this; I would have tried it with wild Pacific salmon (I live in Seattle) but will probably stick to my usual gravlax recipe (salt, sugar, dill, pepper & allspice, similar to what others have mentioned here).

Oded Kishony7 years ago

interesting recipe-I like the striking visual! However lox isn't lox unless it's been cold smoked (IMHO)

There is a simple way to cold smoke using a barbeque grill.

fill zip lock bag with water and freeze, place bag in pan and fish over the ice

Google image of 'tin can cold smoker' for simple smoke generator,

place in closed grill as far from fish as possible. One hour of smoking is usually sufficient.

Andrew1 year ago

Depending on the thickness, three days is on the long side for this. The longer, the more cured and harder. For softer, try 2 days or even 36 hours.

OUTSTANDING recipe!4 years ago

I used Yukon River Keta salmon from Alaska with this preparation and it was so incredible! This will definitely be a family holiday tradition! Excellent recipe!

PSP7 years ago

I'm also in the PNW. I did this with steelhead. It worked OK but I don't think the beets added much besides color and the mess and effort involved with using them (both before and after) wasn't worth it. It was pretty for sure. The salt was too heavy after scraping the cure away, but rinsing it in cold water and patting it dry loved the problem.

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