Cured Salmon

Published 5:30 am Monday, March 14, 2022

There is some delicious science at play when fish meets up with a salt cure, an age-old technique that came from a need to preserve seafood in a safe yet still flavorful manner. A basic salt-based cure draws water out of microbial cells via osmosis, reducing the opportunity for spoilage and transforming the fish’s texture in the process.

This recipe from Stephen Bukoff, executive chef of The Langham, Boston, combines salt-curing with sugar, herbs, aromatics and plenty of time to turn a plain side of salmon into a culinary masterpiece.

Cured Salmon

Yields: One side of salmon

• 1 side salmon (skin on), approximately 3 lbs
• 1/2 cup SalterieOne Classic Sea Salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thinly
• 1/2 medium lemon, sliced thinly in rounds
• 1/2 lime, sliced thinly in rounds
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped roughly (stems included) 

In a large bowl, create the curing mixture by combining salt, brown sugar, fennel, lemon, lime and parsley. Put salmon skin side down in a deep baking dish and rub a generous amount of the curing mixture on top. Place baking dish with salmon in refrigerator and chill for 6 hours. Turn fish over, so that the skin side is up and continue to chill the fish in the refrigerator for an additional 10 hours.

When you’re ready to serve the salmon, remove the dish from the refrigerator, and rinse the fish to remove the curing mixture. Pat dry with a cloth or paper towel. Rub both sides of the salmon thoroughly with olive oil. To serve, slice thinly. Salmon will keep for up to a week, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator.