When you make lox at home, not only do you get a final product that is 100 times better than what you buy in the supermarket, but it’s also several times cheaper. Awesome! You also get to connect with your Jewish fish-curing ancestors who had to preserve their food before refrigeration was invented.
Whether you need to make lox for a big group of people of just for yourself to selfishly hide in the back of the fridge in an unmarked container, this recipe is super easy to make and the fish can last over a week in the fridge. It freezes well too. It just takes a little patience and it will definitely pay off.
Serve with our homemade bagels.
Homemade Lox
Servings
6 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 450 grams fresh salmon – get a nice fatty piece of very high-quality salmon (not a frozen salmon!) without bones and with skin on
- ¼ cup salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- zest of 1 small lemon
- fresh dill small bunch chopped
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper – optional but recommended
Instructions
- Rinse your beautiful piece of salmon. Pat it completely dry.
- Place the salmon in a dish or on plastic wrap. Or if you’re feeling adventurous: on plastic wrap in a dish.
- Cover the fish with all the other ingredients on the top, back and sides.
- Wrap VERY well and leave for 48 hours in the fridge. We recommend to put it in a dish because it will drip. The salt pulls the moisture out of the fish. If you want it slightly less salty remove between 36-48 hours.
- Remove fishy and rinse well.
- Slice thinly across the top of the fish with a long blade. It’s finally ready! Throw it on a bagel with your favorite shmear and enjoy!
The brown sugar doesn’t color the fish but white sugar is for sure okay too. Keep it simple so your son will like it. Maybe avoid the top layer for him.
My child is a very picky eater, but likes lox. This recipe is appealing to try so as to save money on the store bought stuff, but the dark brown sugar… Will it color the fish? Maybe white sugar is also okay?