I was wondering if it would be possible (and safe) to further preserve/store the finished product in oil? And if so, how long would this keep and what type of oil and container would be best? I have googled for answers but not found anything regarding storing the finished product other than freezing it... Many thanks :-)
cookessentials,
Feb 8, 9:15pm
Gravlax should never be frozen. It may be wrapped in cling film and refrigerated for 2-3 days. Putting it in oil would be sacrelidge. i have Norweigan heritage and there is a traditional way of doing it. Below is a link for you to follow from the Nordic recipe archive.
I don't know the answer to this and I'm interested - I make gravad lax often and it would be very useful to be able to keep a supply in the fridge.One of us should try it.I would use extra virgin olive oil as the storing liquid as I do not eat seed oils..I wonder if clarified butter might work - along the lines of potted shrimp and crab.
My homemade gravad lax keeps a least a week once cured, but I never have enough left over to experiment with.
ant_sonja,
Feb 8, 9:37pm
I grew up in Germany and remember being able to buy lax in oil so this is why I asked how I would go about safely doing this at home. It's not to store the whole lot, as most of it will be eaten in no time anyhow. I don't want to freeze 'leftovers' either so just looking at other options if there are any - even sacrilege ones :-)
Davidt4 - I was thinking a good quality olive oil also and yes, along the lines of a potted product is what I'm envisaging...will keep thinking on this and look forward to more input if anyone else has any ideas :-)
uli,
Feb 9, 1:53am
I use some sauerkraut or other fermented vege juice to start my lax. It has kept well for 3 weeks when I once forgot it at the bottom of the fridge (and had so many other good things to eat first). So even without oil I reckon you can keep it for a month in a cold fridge (=2 to 3 degrees).
ant_sonja,
Feb 9, 2:33am
Would it need a longer curing time in order to last that long? It's usually between 3-5 days (depending on which recipe you go by) and to be eaten within 1 to 2 weeks max - I'm going to try the Jamie oliver version for this one, have done all the shopping for it today, and his recipe says to cure for 48hrs only...maybe I should leave it a bit longer? Ah decisions :-)
davidt4,
Feb 9, 2:40am
ant-sonja, there are lots of different recommendations for curing times; I think the reason is that while the curing process was originally for the purpose of preservation, gravadlax is so tasty and versatile that it has evolved into a delicacy in its own right with the inevitable tweaks in the process.
I cure mine for five days in a mixture of equal parts of sea salt, caster sugar and dried dill tips, and I weight it heavily (I use a 1 kg jar of sauerkraut - pure coincidence) and allow the liquid to pool in the container.This method also works for other oily fish such as trevally and mackerel.
After the curing period I pat the fish dry but do not rinse, keep it covered in the fridge, handle very cleanly when cutting.
ant_sonja,
Feb 9, 2:49am
Cheers Davidt4 and yes, the recommendations are as varied as the different recipes out there. Have previously had success with a recipe very similar to yours (plus the Juniper/gin addition) hence I was wondering about Jamie's shorter curing time but none the less - I will stick to his recipe, more or less as I will leave out the booze and couldn't for the life of me find fresh dill today so dried it is! Once done, I will 'pot' a small amount in oil with extra herbs (and hopefully fresh Dill will be found by then!) and let you know how it goes - just because I'm curious now...the rest will be devoured as usual :-) Thanks again, Sonja
davidt4,
Feb 9, 3:36am
Do report in ant_sonja.I actually prefer to use dried dill tips in the cure - the flavour seems rounder, wheras fresh dill ends up with a slightly weedy taste.I use fresh dill (if I've got some) in a mustard and dill sauce to serve with the gravadlax.I've tried adding vodka to the cure but I think it toughens the flesh.
Good luck.
uli,
Feb 9, 4:50am
I weigh heavily too - but leave it in the brine until I actually eat it.
The fish - covered in salt, fermenting juice and dill etc - goes into one ice cream carton and then I put a second one on top and weigh the lot with Dick and Dave - my pet rocks.
I turn every day, so the inside goes out and vice versa as I most often use 2 of those small lax cuts where one side is thick and the other thin. So I put those two together and they are a sort of square then and easily weighed down.
ant_sonja,
Feb 9, 6:05am
My 1.5kg side of salmon is happily 'seasoned', wrapped and weighed now - I will turn it in the AM & PM until Friday afternoon which will be 48hrs. I may leave it longer...will see what it looks like and how long I can hold out :-D Mr Oliver's recipe called for a covering of grated beetroot as well, which will deepen the colour of the lax, will be interesting to see how much flavour it actually imparts.
ant_sonja,
Feb 11, 4:16am
just checked on my lax and had a little taste test - it has come out very good but I decided to add more of the cure mix and will leave it for anther day or two. The beetroot has given it the most amazing colour and the taste is very delicate and not overpowering at all. So far so good :-)
davidt4,
Feb 11, 5:35am
I've made that beetroot version ant_sonja.The colour is astonishing isn't it.It's actually a bit difficult to plate elegantly because it's so garish!Maybe you could serve it with Mai Tais instead of vodka for a technicolour extravanganza.
ant_sonja,
Feb 11, 7:29am
here I was thinking what other 'colours' I could infuse my next attempt with...Rainbow lax? Could be a thing ;-)
ant_sonja,
Feb 8, 9:01pm
I was wondering if it would be possible (and safe) to further preserve/store the finished product in oil! And if so, how long would this keep and what type of oil and container would be best! I have googled for answers but not found anything regarding storing the finished product other than freezing it. Many thanks :-)
davidt4,
Feb 8, 9:24pm
I don't know the answer to this and I'm interested - I make gravad lax often and it would be very useful to be able to keep a supply in the fridge.One of us should try it.I would use extra virgin olive oil as the storing liquid as I do not eat seed oils.I wonder if clarified butter might work - along the lines of potted shrimp and crab.
My homemade gravad lax keeps a least a week once cured, but I never have enough left over to experiment with.
ant_sonja,
Feb 8, 9:37pm
I grew up in Germany and remember being able to buy lax in oil so this is why I asked how I would go about safely doing this at home. It's not to store the whole lot, as most of it will be eaten in no time anyhow. I don't want to freeze 'leftovers' either so just looking at other options if there are any - even sacrilege ones :-)
Davidt4 - I was thinking a good quality olive oil also and yes, along the lines of a potted product is what I'm envisaging.will keep thinking on this and look forward to more input if anyone else has any ideas :-)
ant_sonja,
Feb 9, 2:33am
Would it need a longer curing time in order to last that long! It's usually between 3-5 days (depending on which recipe you go by) and to be eaten within 1 to 2 weeks max - I'm going to try the Jamie oliver version for this one, have done all the shopping for it today, and his recipe says to cure for 48hrs only.maybe I should leave it a bit longer! Ah decisions :-)
ant_sonja,
Feb 9, 2:49am
Cheers Davidt4 and yes, the recommendations are as varied as the different recipes out there. Have previously had success with a recipe very similar to yours (plus the Juniper/gin addition) hence I was wondering about Jamie's shorter curing time but none the less - I will stick to his recipe, more or less as I will leave out the booze and couldn't for the life of me find fresh dill today so dried it is! Once done, I will 'pot' a small amount in oil with extra herbs (and hopefully fresh Dill will be found by then!) and let you know how it goes - just because I'm curious now.the rest will be devoured as usual :-) Thanks again, Sonja
davidt4,
Feb 9, 3:36am
Do report in ant_sonja.I actually prefer to use dried dill tips in the cure - the flavour seems rounder, wheras fresh dill ends up with a slightly weedy taste.I use fresh dill (if I've got some) in a mustard and dill sauce to serve with the gravadlax.I've tried adding vodka to the cure but I think it toughens the flesh.
Good luck.
ant_sonja,
Feb 9, 6:05am
My 1.5kg side of salmon is happily 'seasoned', wrapped and weighed now - I will turn it in the AM & PM until Friday afternoon which will be 48hrs. I may leave it longer.will see what it looks like and how long I can hold out :-D Mr Oliver's recipe called for a covering of grated beetroot as well, which will deepen the colour of the lax, will be interesting to see how much flavour it actually imparts.
davidt4,
Feb 11, 5:35am
I've made that beetroot version ant_sonja.The colour is astonishing isn't it.It's actually a bit difficult to plate elegantly because it's so garish!Maybe you could serve it with Mai Tais instead of vodka for a technicolour extravanganza.
uli,
Feb 11, 6:37am
bump for another year
ant_sonja,
Feb 11, 7:29am
here I was thinking what other 'colours' I could infuse my next attempt with.Rainbow lax! Could be a thing ;-)
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