Homemade Lox

Step 1

Prepare the following, adding each to a medium bowl as you complete it: Finely grate the zest of 1 large lemon (1 1/2 teaspoons). Finely chop 1 large bunch fresh dill (1 3/4 to 2 cups). Lightly crush 1 teaspoon allspice or juniper berries, if using, in a mortar and pestle. (Alternatively, place berries in a resealable bag and crush using a rolling pin, a mallet, or the base of a heavy pan.)

Step 2

Add 3/4 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper. Stir to combine.

Step 3

Make sure any pin bones have been removed from the salmon. If you have one large piece of salmon, cut in half crosswise into 2 pieces. Pat the salmon pieces dry on both sides with paper towels.

Step 4

Lay a sheet of plastic wrap about 2-feet long on a work surface. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the dill-cure mixture in the middle of the plastic wrap. Place 1 piece of the salmon (skin side-down) on top. Top the salmon with 1 cup of the dill mixture to completely cover, and rub it into the flesh.

Step 5

Place the second piece of salmon skin side-down next to the first piece. Top this piece with 1 cup of the dill mixture and rub it into the flesh. Lift the second piece of salmon and carefully flip it directly on top of the first piece of salmon so it is skin-side up. Sprinkle the remaining dill mixture onto the skin. Tightly wrap the salmon with a letter-fold to create a completely sealed package. Completely wrap the salmon in a second layer of plastic wrap.

Step 6

Place the salmon package on a small rimmed baking dish and place another small rimmed baking dish (or a heavy plate that will fit inside) on top of the fish. Weigh down with a couple of large heavy cans to ensure even pressure on the fish. Refrigerate for at least 36 hours (for a medium cure) and up to 72 hours (for a hard cure). Turn the fish over twice a day during the cure time, 8 to 12 hours apart. Pour out the accumulated the liquid in the baking dish, wash out the baking dish, and rewrap the fish with a new double layer of plastic wrap once a day, weighing down the fish again each time.

Step 7

After the desired cure time (36 to 72 hours), fit a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Unwrap the salmon and scrape the fillets gently with the back of a knife, leaving a little of the herb cure on the flesh for decoration and flavor. The texture should be dry and firm. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels and place on the wire rack in a single layer. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to overnight to dry out further.

Step 8

To serve, slice the lox on a slight diagonal into very thin slices (about 1/8-inch thick).