How to Marinate Salmon

Lemon Marinade:
Serves: 1 to 2 people
Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Marinating Time: 15–30 minutes.

• 450g salmon fillet
• 1 yellow lemon or 2 green limes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 fresh sprigs of thyme

Soy Sauce Marinade:
Serves: 2 people
Preparation Time: 30 minutes.
Marinating Time: 30–60 minutes

• 450g salmon fillet
• 60 ml olive oil
• 45 ml soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Glaze for brushing on the salmon:

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
• 1 tablespoon (5 ml) soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon (2.5 ml) chili sauce or more for extra richness

Gravlax (Sugar and Salt Marinade):
Serves: 6 people
Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Marinating Time: 24–72 hours

• 750g fresh salmon fillet (skin on)
• 85g sugar
• 120g salt
• 8 tablespoons dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground white pepper

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Swedish or German mustard
• 1 tablespoon (5 ml) Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon (5 ml) vinegar
• Salt to taste
• White pepper to taste
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) canola oil or rapeseed oil

Start 30-60 minutes before serving. Salmon only needs to marinate for about 15-30 minutes. Begin the marinating process 1 hour before eating, or less, depending on your cooking method.

• Cooking methods will be discussed later.

Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl. Place the lemon on the cutting board and cut it in half. Squeeze both halves of the lemon into the bowl.

Add the other ingredients. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil into the lemon juice bowl. Then, add 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme and stir the mixture with a spoon.

• You can also replace thyme with dill for this marinade if preferred.

Pour the marinade into a large dish. Choose a dish that’s large enough to comfortably fit all the salmon fillets. You can use additional dishes if you’re doubling or tripling the ingredients.

• Alternatively, you can use a resealable plastic bag instead of a dish.

Marinate the salmon. Place the salmon fillets in a dish with the marinade. Turn and flip the fish several times to ensure all sides are evenly coated with the sauce.

• Food safety experts recommend not washing raw salmon or other raw meats before preparing. Cooking the meat will effectively kill any bacteria, but washing it could spread bacteria to your sink or other areas in the kitchen.
• Be sure to wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds after handling raw meat.

Remove the fish from the marinade. Transfer the salmon to a clean dish and discard the marinade. If you wish to use the marinade as a sauce, remember to cook it first to kill any harmful bacteria from the raw meat.

Cook the salmon. After marinating the salmon, there are several ways to cook it. Two popular methods are baking the salmon in foil or roasting it in the oven. For both methods, cook the salmon at 200ºC for 15 minutes. The fish is done when you can easily flake the flesh with a fork.

• Remember to flip the salmon when baking it in foil to ensure both sides cook evenly.

Prepare the flavorful ingredients. Peel a tablespoon of ginger and two garlic cloves, then finely chop them along with three spring onions.

• You can freely add other spices. For instance, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds will complement the other Asian ingredients perfectly.

Combine with other marinade ingredients. Mix the chopped ingredients with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of olive oil and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of soy sauce.

Marinate the salmon. Place the marinade in a resealable plastic bag or bowl and add the salmon fillets. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, occasionally flipping the fish to ensure even marination. If you marinate for too long, the fish will spoil.

• Since the marinade is used to flavor the raw fish, be sure to discard it afterward, or cook it if you plan to use it as a sauce.

Prepare a sauce to brush on the fish (optional). If desired, you can make a sauce to brush on the salmon for added flavor during cooking. To create a suitable sauce for this marinade, combine 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of honey, 1 tablespoon (5 ml) of soy sauce, and 1/2 tablespoon (2.5 ml) of chili sauce. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to your taste. However, the sauce will taste richer when eaten with the salmon than when tasted alone.

Cook the salmon. Pan-sear both sides of the salmon at a temperature of 50-60ºC. If you don’t have a food thermometer and want to avoid burning, you can fry the skin side first, while heating the flesh for just 15-30 seconds until the salmon becomes opaque but still moist.

• You can choose to eat the salmon skin or discard it after cooking.
• Alternatively, you can cook the salmon by wrapping it in foil, baking, grilling, or poaching after marinating.

Sử dụng công thức này để giữ hương vị cá sống. Gravlax hay còn gọi là gravid lax là một cách chế biến cá hồi truyền thống của vùng Bắc Âu bằng việc ướp muối và đường. Ngoài ra, món này có sử dụng nhiều loại rau thơm để tăng hương vị cho cá hồi, phổ biến nhất là tiêu trắng và thì là, cá hồi sẽ được ăn sống sau khi tẩm gia vị.

• Lưu ý: vì cá hồi sẽ không được làm chín nên bạn phải giữ cho khu vực sơ chế và các dùng cụ chế biến luôn sạch sẽ trong quá trình thực hiện.

Sử dụng cá hồi tươi. Tốt nhất là chọn loại cá hồi chất lượng cao từ nguồn cung cấp đáng tin cậy. Việc này sẽ giúp bạn tránh được một số vấn đề về sức khỏe và an toàn thực phẩm. Bạn có thể tránh nguy cơ nhiễm ký sinh từ cá sống bằng cách đông lạnh cá hồi và sau đó rã đông.

Lóc xương và làm sạch vảy cá. Dùng nhíp hoặc dao nhỏ và nĩa để lấy xương và làm sạch lớp vảy. Để lại phần da có màu tối dưới lớp vảy trên toàn bộ phần thịt.

Cắt nhiều vết nông trên bề mặt da. Những vết cắt này sẽ làm cho gia vị ngấm vào thịt cá để có mùi vị đậm đà và bảo quản lâu hơn.

Mix the dry ingredients together. Finely chop a handful or 8 tablespoons of dill and crush 1 tablespoon of white pepper. Then, add 85 g of sugar and 120 g of salt. Experienced chefs making Gravlax often adjust the ingredients to suit their taste, but the large amount of sugar and salt is crucial for properly curing the salmon.

Season the fish. Place the salmon fillets into the spice mixture, turning and flipping the fish to ensure all surfaces are evenly coated with the seasoning.

Place a weight on the fish. Put the fish in a glass or stainless steel bowl, ensuring the flesh is in contact with each other, not the skin. Cover the fish with a plastic bag, and then place a weight on top, such as a rolling pin.

Leave the fish at room temperature for 6 hours. During this time, the sugar and salt will dissolve and infuse into the fish, enhancing its flavor. If you are concerned about handling raw food, you can refrigerate the fish immediately to prevent bacterial growth.

Chill the fish for 1 to 3 days. Place the fish in the refrigerator, keeping the weight on top. The longer you leave the fish, the more intense the flavor becomes, and it will dry out less. Taste the fish every 24 hours to check the flavor.

Remove the fish from the bowl. Once the fish has reached the desired flavor and texture, take it out of the bowl. Shake off the excess seasoning and discard any liquid that has accumulated during the marination process.

Serve with dill mustard sauce. This pairing with Gravlax is commonly seen in Nordic food shops. However, you can also prepare it yourself using the ingredients listed in the "sauce" section below the Gravlax recipe. Start by mixing mustard, sugar, and vinegar, then slowly add oil while stirring. Once the mixture reaches a creamy consistency like mayonnaise, add finely chopped dill and season with white pepper and salt to taste.

• Peanut crackers or rye bread are popular accompaniments to Gravlax.

• For a smoky flavor, add a bit of liquid smoke to the marinade.

• Do not marinate the salmon at room temperature, except for the first few hours while preparing the Gravlax.

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Plate (or resealable plastic bag)
• Measuring spoon