This delectable Beetroot Cured Salmon oozes beauty and sophistication. Cured for 48 hours in gin, orange zest, peppercorns & coriander seeds
Are you feeling a little extravagant?
YES, it’s going to get a little messy and perhaps your kitchen may look like a bloodbath. Hey, at least we’re fully prepared for Halloween as it is right around the corner! Trust me, this Salmon Cured Beetroot will be worth every stain. In saying that, it’s best not to wear your favourite outfit whilst preparing this!
The wonderful and modest root vegetable, beetroot. It has the potential to divide the nation because it’s loved or loathed. I’m on team beetroot all the way! They’re cheap, delicious, highly nutritious, and they provide a natural deep reddish-purple colour. If you’re not a beetroot lover, don’t despair because you can’t taste it on this Beetroot Cured Salmon.
Look how alluring this salmon looks, thanks to the beetroot! It’s like looking at fine art! People are just going to be wowed by the beauty of this dish.
For a sophisticated dish that would cost you a small fortune at the shops, the curing process is quite simple. We just need a little patience because the curing process takes at least 3 days so you’ll definitely need to take this into consideration when expecting guests.
So what should you expect after at least 3 days of curing? The salmon will firm up so it’s easier to slice. The texture and taste are very similar to smoked salmon, but instead of the smoky flavour, you’ll have hints of gin, orange and spices. You will have perfect, melt-in-your-mouth buttery salmon! Seriously, you’ll feel like an accomplished cook after it’s all done…even though you didn’t technically cook anything 🤪
Beetroot Cured Salmon
Last year we did a road trip through New Zealand. We bypassed Lake Pukaki, but had to stop by when we saw signs asking us to sample their local freshwater Alpine salmon. The best decision ever because their super fresh sashimi blew us away, so clean!
This was also the first time we tried beetroot cured salmon. We waited for our then 2-year-old Kai to go into a deep sleep before we indulged in wine, salmon, and caviar. Ah, it was magical! The joys of having silence have never been so appreciated when you have a curious toddler who loves talking and running around, causing chaos.
What does Beetroot Cured salmon taste like?
Beetroot cured salmon is very similar to smoked salmon in terms of taste and texture but without the smoky flavour. Instead, you have the subtle flavour of the earthy beetroot, gin, orange zest and the spices it’s cured with.
Is this cured salmon cooked?
Cured salmon is technically raw because there’s no heat involved. The salt, sugar and alcohol preserve the fish, which helps prevent bacteria from forming.
How long does it take to cure salmon?
For this recipe, we need to cure the salmon for 48 hours in the fridge with the beetroot mixture, then 24 hours to age after rinsing the mixture off. I’m paranoid when curing fish, so for me, the longer the better. It’s also good to age the salmon because it improves the flavour and makes the flesh firmer.
How to serve Beetroot Cured Salmon
Beetroot Cured Salmon is commonly served with dense rye bread and horseradish cream. Sadly, for us fresh horseradish is rare to find, so I made easy and delicious mustard dill cream (recipe included below)
What to do with leftover cured salmon
Think of it this way: how would you use smoked salmon? Bagels, process it in dips, throw it in salads and pasta.
More delicious salmon recipes to try:
Ingredients for Beetroot Cured Salmon
Salmon – You’ll need an entire side of salmon between 1.2 to 1.3kg / 2.5 to 2.9lb. Ask your fishmonger for the freshest salmon they have. It doesn’t have to be expensive sashimi grade, but it has to be fresh. Ask your fishmonger to remove all the bones and scales but leave the skin on. The skin makes the salmon easier to slice and serve.
Beetroot (beets) – You’ll need 500gm / 1.1lb of fresh raw beetroot, weighed without its stems, but not peeled.
Gin goes beautifully with orange rind, peppercorn and coriander seeds. I prefer gin to vodka when curing my salmon, however, you may swap for an equal amount of vodka. If you wish to omit the alcohol, just swap for equal amounts of water.
Salt – Use cooking salt or sea salt with finer granules. Don’t use table or iodised salt as it may discolour the salmon or affect the overall flavouring.
Subscribe to 3CatsFoodie’s FREE Newsletter
For the latest recipes and other fun stuff!
Watch how to make Beetroot Cured Salmon
Step-by-step guide with photos
For a nicer presentation, trim the salmon by slicing off the flat side. Freeze the small piece to use in another dish later. Place the salmon flesh side up on a large tray with sides or a container. Try to find something that just fits the salmon snuggly.
Roughly chop the beetroot into cubes and pulse a few times using a food processor, then blitz on high for 20 seconds or until it’s finely chopped. Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the coriander seeds and peppercorns.
In a large bowl, mix the beetroot with the gin, orange zest, coriander seeds, peppercorns, sugar and salt. The beetroot will break down, causing the mixture to look wet.
Place all the beetroot mixture, including the liquid over the flesh side of the salmon. Carefully, turn the salmon over with the skin facing up. Cover the salmon with cling/plastic wrap. Find a flat object that’s heavy to place over the salmon to press it down. I used a wooden cheese board. Place the salmon in the fridge and leave it to cure for 2 or 3 days. The longer the better!
48 or 72 hours later
Remove the beetroot mixture from the salmon, then rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear. Pat both sides of the salmon dry with paper towels, then place it on a large plate and cover loosely with cling wrap. Chill in the fridge for another 24 hours for the flavours to develop further.
Finely slice the salmon and serve with rye bread and mustard dill cream. For the mustard dill cream: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Have a taste and add more salt or pepper to your liking if needed.
Leftovers – This Beetroot Cured Salmon will keep for up to 3 to 4 days. Cover the salmon in the container or wrap it securely with cling wrap. Use your leftover salmon in salads, pasta or in a dip.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only. This calculation does not include the Mustard Dill Cream.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Beetroot Cured Salmon (beautiful gravlax)
Video
Ingredients
- 1.2 to 1.3kg / 2.5 to 2.9lb salmon fillet (skin on, bones removed) (NOTE 1)
- 500gm / 1.1lb beetroot (raw, peeled, chopped roughly) (NOTE 2)
- ⅓ cup (80ml / 2.5 fl oz) gin (or swap with water) (NOTE 3)
- 1 large orange (zest only, finely grated)
- 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- ¾ cup (165gm / 6oz) white sugar
- 1 cup (315gm / 11oz) cooking salt (NOTE 4)
- fresh dill to garnish
FOR MUSTARD DILL CREAM
- 1 cup (210gm / 7.5 oz) sour cream (not light)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp horseradish cream
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp finely chopped dill
Instructions
- For a nicer presentation, trim the salmon by slicing off the flat side. Freeze the small piece to use in another dish later. Place the salmon flesh side up on a large tray with sides or a container. Try to find something that just fits the salmon snuggly.
- Roughly chop the beetroot into cubes and pulse a few times using a food processor, then blitz on high for 20 seconds or until it's finely chopped. Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the coriander seeds and peppercorns.
- In a large bowl, mix the beetroot with the gin, orange zest, coriander seeds, peppercorns, sugar and salt. The beetroot will break down, causing the mixture to look wet.
- Place all the beetroot mixture, including the liquid over the flesh side of the salmon. Carefully, turn the salmon over with the skin facing up. Cover the salmon with cling/plastic wrap. Find a flat object that's heavy to place over the salmon to press it down. I used a wooden cheese board. Place the salmon in the fridge and leave it to cure for 2 or 3 days. The longer the better!
- Remove the beetroot mixture from the salmon, then rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear. Pat both sides of the salmon dry with paper towels, then place it on a large plate and cover loosely with cling wrap. Chill in the fridge for another 24 hours for the flavours to develop further.
- Finely slice the salmon and serve with rye bread and mustard dill cream. For the mustard dill cream: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Have a taste and add more salt or pepper to your liking if needed.
