# Lox not smoked



## graywolf1936 (Oct 25, 2014)

Would like to make Lox(not smoked). Receipt on web said I can take two pieces of salmon, salt and sugar, coat, press together, wrap tight, and let is "cure" in fridge for 5 days, rinse, slice and eat "raw". Any body do that ? Thanks


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## brooksy (Oct 25, 2014)

I'm curious to hear if anyone has done this. I love sushi and lox so this is the best worlds!


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 25, 2014)

[h3]What You Need      This is what  the ingredients are, instruction were given I searched " how to make Lox"[/h3]
*Ingredients*
Fresh salmon (at least 1 pound, cut into two equal pieces)
1/4 cup brown sugar (per pound of fish)
2 tablespoons kosher salt (per pound of fish)
1 tablespoon smoked salt (per pound of fish)
1 tablespoon fresh cracked


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## atomicsmoke (Oct 25, 2014)

I've done lox. Yes, that's how you eat it. Is not raw, is cured. I recommend soaking it a bit in water after curing so it doesn't come out too salty. Then hang it for drying for a day or so.












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## mdboatbum (Oct 25, 2014)

graywolf1936 said:


> Would like to make Lox(not smoked). Receipt on web said I can take two pieces of salmon, salt and sugar, coat, press together, wrap tight, and let is "cure" in fridge for 5 days, rinse, slice and eat "raw". Any body do that ? Thanks


Yup that's the traditional method for gravlax. You can go 48 hours, no real need for 5 days. I usual put cure#1 in as well since I usually cold smoke, but for plain lox it isn't necessary.


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 25, 2014)

Thank you will try this week end. I always trust the info I get here rather on other sites.


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## venture (Oct 25, 2014)

As boatbum said, that is for Gravlax.

They are wonderful.

By memory I use about equal amounts of brown sugar and kosher salt mixed.  Throw a few sprigs of dill on top. It is easier if the salmon is of equal thickness for consistency of result.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

In a cake pan I put on a piece of wood and top that with a brick.

Into the fridge for about three days.

The time in the fridge you will experiment with to get them where you like them.

Rinse, slice thinly on the bias and enjoy what would have been a $25/pound treat!

I only slice what I plan to use and re-wrap the remainder for my next pig out.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## biggqwesty (Oct 25, 2014)

This sounds nice. 
For those who smoke it, what woods have you used?


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 25, 2014)

Venture, how long wiil it keep in fridge?. Thanks.


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## venture (Oct 25, 2014)

Wish I could tell you?

I do small amounts.

We can't stay out of it long enough for it to last?

Good luck and good smoking.


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## wade (Oct 26, 2014)

BigGQWesty said:


> This sounds nice.
> For those who smoke it, what woods have you used?



I usually use either hickory or oak. Both work well.


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## cmayna (Oct 26, 2014)

I'm getting ready to turn a few King Salmon tail pieces into cold smoked lox 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






.  Will follow my typical lox recipe, if I can remember where I put it, then if the weather is cool enough cold smoke it using apple wood chips or pellets.  If the weather is pretty warm, I will simply vacuum seal the lox and keep it in the fridge until the weather cools down but the way things are going around here, I'll smoke within 24 hours after I finish to lox recipe.

Once done, it get's vacuumed sealed and into the freezer it goes.  This gives me the ability to serve smoked lox year rounds to all my fishing buddies.


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 26, 2014)

Craig

 I see you have a smoker for only salmon, is that because of the lingering fish smell?


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## cmayna (Oct 26, 2014)

Probably just a wives tale, but yes.  The only meat smoked in both Big Chiefs have been fish (95% Salmon).   Today both the Big Chief boys did some Salmon Jerky for me.  Now they're resting back in the smoking shed until next weekend where they will produce some more Salmon Filet's.  After that, some Salmon Nuggets.  

I use my Masterbuilt gasser for all other meats which typically require a higher temp.  I also use the Masterbuilt without any heat to do some cold smoking for cheese, butter, salt, pepper, Lox.


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 26, 2014)

Made mine tonight. bowl on botton, one covered with foil, salmon rubbed and wrap with plastic wrap, now don't laugh. One site said to cut a corner so the water can run out, well I cut s corner and inserted a straw for the water to run out. oh, yes a brick on top. Looks like 













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'lunch on Friday.


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## brooksy (Oct 27, 2014)

graywolf1936 said:


> Made mine tonight. bowl on botton, one covered with foil, salmon rubbed and wrap with plastic wrap, now don't laugh. One site said to cut a corner so the water can run out, well I cut s corner and inserted a straw for the water to run out. oh, yes a brick on top. Looks like
> 
> 
> 
> ...


  Explain again what I'm looking at please. Looks like a baking dish then brick then fish then brick. I don't see a bowl. I do however see your straw.


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 27, 2014)

First a long green Pyrax glass dish, then a plastic dish covered with foil to keep fish out of the juice that will run off. then the fish, just about a pound for my first try in plastic wrap, then a clean brick also in foil to weigh it down.


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## atomicsmoke (Oct 27, 2014)

Have you had lox before?


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## brooksy (Oct 27, 2014)

graywolf1936 said:


> First a long green Pyrax glass dish, then a plastic dish covered with foil to keep fish out of the juice that will run off. then the fish, just about a pound for my first try in plastic wrap, then a clean brick also in foil to weigh it down.


  Thank you!


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 27, 2014)

atomicsmoke said:


> Have you had lox before?


Oh yes, From N.Y. to California. Some outstanding and some not so good. Being in the military for 20+ year I was able to sample food from a lot of different cultures.


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## chef jimmyj (Oct 27, 2014)

I have had great success using 3 : 2 parts Sugar to Salt. While rinsing the finished Gravlax is ok, do not soak the the salmon. The whole point of the Cure is to remove moisture. The suggestion to let the liquid drain is important, so is pressing. I also like to use the Dill. If you can find it, Scandinavian Akavit, made with Caraway Seed, is a good addition although any spirit will work, Whiskey, Grappa, Vodka, etc. One ounce rubbed over each fillet is good.The use of Vodka and sprinkling with a bit of Caraway Seed is a good substitute for Akavit...JJ


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 27, 2014)

Thanks Chef, I used 2T salt and 1/4 cup sugar, nice big sprig fresh dill, If I have a shot of Vodka when I eating it would that be the same? I will rinse a taste.


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## ctonello (Oct 27, 2014)

Ive been interested in making this for a while now, just havent pulled the trigger. Make sure to post some pictures at the end, Im really curious as to how this will turn out for you compared to the different ones youve tried.


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## atomicsmoke (Oct 27, 2014)

graywolf1936 said:


> If I have a shot of Vodka when I eating it would that be the same? I will rinse a taste.



Lol.

I am sure that would work too.


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## atomicsmoke (Oct 27, 2014)

graywolf1936 said:


> Oh yes, From N.Y. to California. Some outstanding and some not so good. Being in the military for 20+ year I was able to sample food from a lot of different cultures.


Then you are all set - with references to compare with. Friday can't arrive fast enough. 

P.s. I will take a package out the freezer too. It's probably the last one.


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## wade (Oct 27, 2014)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> I have had great success using 3 : 2 parts Sugar to Salt. While rinsing the finished Gravlax is ok, do not soak the the salmon. The whole point of the Cure is to remove moisture. The suggestion to let the liquid drain is important, so is pressing. I also like to use the Dill. If you can find it, Scandinavian Akavit, made with Caraway Seed, is a good addition although any spirit will work, Whiskey, Grappa, Vodka, etc. One ounce rubbed over each fillet is good.The use of Vodka and sprinkling with a bit of Caraway Seed is a good substitute for Akavit...JJ










  I also use either 3:2 or 1:1 Sugar:Salt depending on the type of salt and how I am finishing the salmon. When I cold smoke salmon I know when it is ready because of the moisture loss (weight loss) and as JJ says rinsing after curing does not result in measurable moisture re-absorbtion - soaking on the other hand does.

For gravadlax both dill and fresh fennel work well (especially fresh fennel seeds if you can get them). I am not keen on the Akavit though (I am just not that keen on caraway favour) but I find that Vodka or a good Gin do work very well.


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## venture (Oct 28, 2014)

That salmon on the bottom looks real thick.

I have never had a problem with liquid accumulating, but......

Can't wait for the finished pics!

Thanks for posting this up!

Good luck and good smoking.


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## ssorllih (Oct 28, 2014)

For salmon maple is my first choice and pear or apple is second and third.


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 29, 2014)

Venture, the salmon is the white package between the two foil wrap dishes and brick. It is 2 pieces, salted and placed face to face, that's what I read to do. Right now there maybe a 1/16 in of water accumulation in the green dish. Going to get my bagles and cream cheese tomarrow.  We shall see. Thank for looking.


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 30, 2014)

Well after about 3 1/2 days of curing I was able to enjoy my Gravlax. They really turned out good. I think that next time I want two even thickness pieces and for color I think wild caught would be nice.













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That was lunch, maybe another one for dinner. It will be on our Christmas eve buffet table for sure.


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## cmayna (Oct 30, 2014)

The tail end of wild caught is for me the perfect piece for lox.  I'm actually collecting tail pieces from all the King Salmon we caught this year to do a major smoked lox batch.  Belch!


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## rgautheir20420 (Oct 30, 2014)

These look great. I really love lox, so I'm thinking I'm gonna pick up a couple lbs of salmon from the store and give this a go. They've only got farm raised Scotland salmon though, but it'll have to do.


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## graywolf1936 (Oct 30, 2014)

cmayna said:


> The tail end of wild caught is for me the perfect piece for lox.  I'm actually collecting tail pieces from all the King Salmon we caught this year to do a major smoked lox batch.  Belch!


Cmayna, I am just learning, why is the tail piece best? is it the thickness? Thanks Joe.


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## cmayna (Oct 30, 2014)

Besides the belly pieces, the tail pieces have some of the finest flavors.   Yes the overall thickness of a tail piece is pretty uniform. I'll see if I can find some pics on my phone.


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## cmayna (Oct 30, 2014)

Here's some pics of some lox tail pieces that I smoked afterwards.


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## rgautheir20420 (Oct 30, 2014)

It looks to me like the skin is on in this picture. Is that right? If it is, do you remove the skin after curing or after smoking?


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## cmayna (Oct 30, 2014)

Not sure as to which pic you are referring to but all my lox pics above still have the skin on, even the bottom one.   When you slice thinly like the bottom pic, you go down to the skin but not thru it.  Keep repeating until you think you have enough.   Then you skin the piece by running your knife flat along the bottom of the meat and on top of the inside of the skin.


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## rgautheir20420 (Oct 30, 2014)

cmayna said:


> Not sure as to which pic you are referring to but all my lox pics still have the skin on, even the bottom one.   When you slice thinly like the bottom pic, you go down to the skin.  Keep repeating until you think you have enough.   Then you skin the piece by running your knife flat along the bottom of the meat and on top of the inside of the skin.


cmayna, very helpful. That's exactly what I was looking at. The last couple pics you just posted. For some reason I was thinking this process is undergone with skinned salmon, but if I don't have to skin in prior to curing and smoking, then that just makes the process even easier and now I really have no excuses not to do it. Thanks!


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## cmayna (Oct 30, 2014)

Couple pics of the finish products


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## atomicsmoke (Oct 30, 2014)

Cmayna,
Very nice smoked fish you got in the picture.

Those are tail pieces? LOL. I have whole filets that big (or small???).


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## venture (Oct 30, 2014)

Lots of nice looking salmon in this thread!

I like skin on.  I slice on a bias down to but not including the skin. The skin gets pitched.

As Chef JJ said, I would only rinse, never soak.

Good luck and good smoking.


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