Yes, the Spice House has pink salt.
The product locator on the Morton's website will tell you stores that stock Tender Quick.

Homemade gravlax to bring to a birthday party.



Eat

And it was sensational - I would have been happy to curl up in the corner with that plate (and its accompaniments) and shoe people away. And it was gorgeous too!

BR wrote:And it was sensational - I would have been happy to curl up in the corner with that plate (and its accompaniments) and shoe people away. And it was gorgeous too!

It was definitely a looker.

Photo of me slicing of Cured Loch Etive Salmon Trout recently for JB Pritzker's big annual Texas Hold 'em high stakes Poker Game/ Benefit for 175 ppl. I learned this cure recipe of salt, sugar, dry mustard and white peppercorn from a former Chef. Rather than dill, he used rough cut scallion, mint and cilantro.

We served it that evening on crisp "everything" bagel chips, with Boursin and pickled shallot.

That's some good looking fish, Ronnie. It makes me wish I could afford the buy in for that game.

20K to get in the door, Steve, but quite the production. Something for everyone!

Ronnie,

I've gotta be in awe of that slicing job! Dang! the slice is totally see-through! What's the blade??
Hell's bells, you could work at Fairway or Russ & Daughters with that kind of skill!

Geo

Thanks, Geo...lots of practice. Wusthof flexible blade salmon slicer. I have two of them and and a Petrossian salmon slicer also.

Evil,

Beautiful presentation, looks delicious and you do have amazing slicing skill! Love the idea of everything bagel chips and Boursin, totally stealing. (Thanks)

CORN RYE BAGEL CHIPS! ( Already stolen.)

OK, my turn to show some lox-i-ness, now that I've *finally* re-figured out how to use flikr yet oncet again...
So I got c. 2lbs of farmed Atlantic salmon at the Price Chopper, rubbed in a Tbs of pink salt, liberally applied dried dill weed, smacked the pieces together, wrapped in Saran wrap, and put in the fridge for 4 days, weighted with a brick.

1lox by Geo, on Flickr

Then I put them in my new smoker (alongside a brisket-destined-for-pastrami), and gave them 3 hours of apple smoke at approximately 65°F.

2smoking by Geo, on Flickr

Yesterday (Sunday) morning breakfast: my lox (? maybe "nova lox," or is only "smoked salmon" the appropriate term?)

3lox by Geo, on Flickr

Nothing near as elegant as Evil Ronnie's, nor as pretty as Gary's, but it sure is tasty! And I much prefer the texture I get with pink salt as compared to the salt+sugar traditional method.

Geo

Looks delicious, Geo. Nice job!

Geo wrote:Yesterday (Sunday) morning breakfast: my lox (? maybe "nova lox," or is only "smoked salmon" the appropriate term?)

Looks fantastic, really nice, but that smoker is Way too clean!

I know, Gary, I know! I was almost embarrassed to post a pic of such a sparkling clean smoker–but my only excuse is that I've only had it for c. a month.... (which, I know, is hardly an excuse at all, for Real Smokin' Fools like you and the other LTHers!!)

I'll catch up, really I will!

Geo

Pretty much my now standard prep of gravlax. Tasty as ever. New Years Eve.



Gravlax, count me a Fan!

Its not a holiday dinner without gravlax.



Happy Holidays!

Homemade beet hued gravlax on Kaufman's Bagel & Delicatessen
corn rye bagel with pickled red onions.

click to enlarge





Gravlax, count me a Fan!

G Wiv wrote:Gravlax, count me a Fan!

That looks really nice. How long did you cure it?

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:That looks really nice. How long did you cure it?

Thanks! About 55-hours with a few flips under pressure. Turned out nice.

All dressed up for a small socially distant (6-people) get together with neighbors.

click to expand




Gravlax, count me a Fan!

Beautiful. Funny thing is, the last place I worked in NYC as the pandemic hit, the cheese department was expected to carve Nova and Scottish to order. Now, I have strong knife skills, I seriously turned my nose up at carving salmon. Like, I'm kinda ambidextrous, mainly left-handed, I could never figure out the most comfortable position to hold the salmon blade. I'm a cheesemonger for christsakes! The thing is, this hundred year old company cultivated idiots who thought they were getting extra special attention if the salmon was carved just for them WHEN it was the exact same product every other specialty market used, relabeled(like everyone does) and hung on pegs. ACME from Brooklyn. We employed a guy famous for his smoked fish skills in our tiny department. My recently deceased friend/manager/legend in the cheese world, he used to work with this maestro at Balducci's 30 years ago. He said if I could learn to slice salmon from him, I could slice salmon anywhere. Unfortunately, high end salmon is not something you can just practice on. And, I sucked at it. And, I honestly had zero interest. When it was just me running the department and these pissy UES'rs would come in demanding salmon, I would blithely point them to the 12 different varieties pre-packed right next to me. Anyway, beautiful looking stuff.

I recently took advantage of the dirt cheap price on salmon at Jewel to make my inaugural batch of homemade gravlax. I cured it with black peppercorn, lemon peel, Kosher salt, and sugar. I started it on Saturday. Had it for dinner tonight. Wow!

Aside from Ronnie’s lox/gravlox Dirk’s is the best I’ve had. I make a mean gravlox. Mine pales in comparison. Truly delicious.

G Wiv wrote:Aside from Ronnie’s lox/gravlox Dirk’s is the best I’ve had. I make a mean gravlox. Mine pales in comparison. Truly delicious.

[img]https://iili.io/HSX9vr7.md.[img][/img]jpg[/img]

GWiv
I had your beet cured salmon at Barn and loved it!

My dream retirement gig would be slicing lox at Zabar’s.
Irish Loch Etive trout.
FYI, this recipe was passed down to me:

Spice: salt, sugar, Coleman’s mustard, freshly ground white pepper


Herbs: Rough cut scallion, cilantro and dill

Evil Ronnie wrote:GWiv
I had your beet cured salmon at Barn and loved it!

Thanks, that does turn out nice.

I've never had the pleasure of trying your gravlox, though I imagine it's terrific.

Ronnie_S's gravlox, which I've had any number of times is delicious! And, like I said, Dirk's is also wonderful.

Ronnie_s gravlox


A few pics of my gravlox are in this thread.

Gravlox, count me a Fan!

G Wiv wrote:

Evil Ronnie wrote:GWiv
I had your beet cured salmon at [Barn and loved it!

Thanks, that does turn out nice.

I've never had the pleasure of trying your gravlox, though I imagine it's terrific.

Ronnie_S's gravlox, which I've had any number of times is delicious! And, like I said, Dirk's is also wonderful.

Ronnie_s gravlox


A few pics of my gravlox are in this thread.

Gravlox, count me a Fan!

Chef’s treat. Fatty belly scraps cured for just 30 minutes and finished with a
bit of ginger, sesame seed, sesame oil and avocado, wrapped in butter lettuce.

My forays at Gravlox have been ok.
Cold smoked salmon have not been successful at all.
I have some Scottish smoked salmon and pickled lox coming from Russ & Daughters for Mothers Day.
When I make my annual trip to Dirk’s for soft shells, Gravlox will be on the menu. Last year Dirk’s told me they didn’t order any soft shells because of the price.
-Richard

budrichard wrote:My forays at Gravlox have been ok.

Here is my recipe technique, if you wish to give it a go. Often I add grated fresh beets to the mix.
Dirk's currently has softshell crab, though you may wish to call.
=--=

Gravlax (Swedish Sugar and Salt Cured Salmon)
Gary Wiviott

2 salmon fillets striated with fat, with skin
left on.
2 cup sugar
1 cup coarse salt
15 coarsely crushed white peppercorns
2 large bunch of dill
2oz Pernod, aquavit, or any type of high proof liquor on hand

Remove any small bones from the fillets with a pair of tweezers or
needle-nosed pliers. Mix the sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover the
bottom of a baking dish with 1/3 the dill and rub half of the sugar-salt
mixture into the first fillet, on both sides, and lay it skin side down on
top of the dill. Cover with 1/3 of dill. Prepare the other salmon fillet in
the same way, and cover with the remaining fillet, skin side up, with the
remaining dill on top.

Cover in plastic wrap, place a cutting board or anything that fits inside the baking dish with some heavy weights on top
and marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
discard accumulated juices.
Rotate and refrigerate another 24 - 48 hours draining and rotating every 8 - 10 hours (48 - 60 total hours)
rinse
Scrape off marinade and slice paper thin.

If desired layer grated fresh beet in middle of salmon fillets for interesting color contrast.

=x=x=x=x=x=x=

Red Pickled Onions

2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 whole clove
3 whole allspice
3 large red onion -- very thinly sliced

Put vinegar, sugar, salt, clove, and allspice in a large nonreactive
saucepan.
Place over high heat and bring to boil.
Put the onions in a large, nonreactive bowl and pour the boiling pickling
liquid over them.
Toss well.
Allow to sit, tossing occasionally, until cool.
Onions will wilt and turn pink.
Let sit for 3-4 hours before using or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Thank you very much for the recipes and assistance!!!
-Richard