# Gravlax: Part 2

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravlax-part-2/520234>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 6, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravlax-part-2/520234 "2009-12-06T22:02:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gravlax-part-2/520234/1 "2009-12-06T22:02:00Z")

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In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=529733) I asked for advice for my first attempt at making gravlax. By way of recapitulation, this is what I ended up doing:

**Gravlax and Hovmästarsås**

Gravlax  
[ul][li]6 tbsp brown sugar[/li][li]4 tbsp kosher salt[/li][li]1 bunch fresh dill[/li][li]1 lb salmon filet[/ul][/li]  
Use two similarly-sized salmon filets, or cut one larger filet in half. Combine the sugar and salt, and completely cover flesh-side of the filets. Top with fresh dill. Put one filet on top of the other, skin-sides out. Wrap tightly in cling film. Put the ‘salmon sandwich’ into a baking pan and top with a weight. (I use a bacon press with a small, wrapped, anvil in it.) Put into the coldest part of the refrigerator for three days, turning every 12 hours. When cured, rinse the filets and slice on the bias.

Hovmästarsås  
[ul][li]¼ cup Dijon mustard[/li][li]½ cup vegetable oil[/li][li]1 tbsp red wine vinegar[/li][li]1 tbsp sugar[/li][li]Pinch each of salt and pepper[/li][li]3 tbsp fresh dill, finely-chopped[/ul][/li]  
Mix the mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper together well in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil. Stir in the chopped dill, adjust seasoning and serve chilled.

Smörgåsar  
Serve gravlax and hovmästarsås on a smörgås. Smörgåsar are open-faced sandwiches. Spread butter on rye bread. Top with Spring greens, gravlax, and hovmästarsås. Garnish with finely-chopped dill and thinly-sliced lemon. Eat with a knife and fork.

…

OK, now for the ‘Part 2’ part.

My second batch was a double batch, and I put half of it in the freezer for over two months). I didn’t unwrap it or anything. This morning I took it out to thaw, and I sliced it up a few minutes ago. Of course I had to sample it while I was in the process. 😃 It was more salty than the half I didn’t freeze; more salty than I’d like, but not so much as to ruin it. Anyway, it will be attenuated by the bread and the salad and the hovmästarsås. I think that I will increase the sugar ratio if I’m going to freeze it next time. But again, it’s fine as it is. It was still very cold when I sliced it, which made slicing it easier than when it just comes out of the fridge.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take the butter out of the fridge. So I’ll have to wait a bit before I can have my smörgås.  
.