Lox, Mmmmmm -Making it from scratch

Lox is traditionally served on a bagel with cream cheese and topped with capers. I myself have many uses for this stuff. I just love it!!

Buying lox at your local butcher or grocery store can be very expensive. Why not make it yourself?? Believe it or not it is quite easy, all you need is a bit of time and patience. Oh, and a very good filleting knife.

Here is a step by step tutorial on how to make your own lox. 

This wonderful hunk of salmon was gifted to me by a co-worker/buddy. 
Thanks a bunch Bonnie. 

First off, you will need:

2 pounds fresh salmon fillet, skin on

2 tablespoons white wine

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

fresh ground pepper

1/3 cup sea salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 bay leaves

Place your fillet on a flat work surface and pat it dry with paper towel.

Remove all the pin bones with a clean, sturdy pair of tweezers or pliers; discard the bones.

Slice the salmon down the middle lengthwise.

Mix together the wine and liquid smoke; slowly pour this mixture over the flesh of the salmon making sure you pour over the sliced side also.

Lightly sprinkle with fresh ground pepper.

Mix together the sea salt and brown sugar and pat it over the top and sides of salmon fillets.

Add a bay leaf on each end of one sliced fillet or one at opposing ends of each slice. (So you have a bay leaf at each end when the fillets are placed atop one another)

Add one sliced fillet over the other and place in a large re-sealable plastic bag or slice cross-wise and place in 2 smaller re-sealable plastic bags.

Suck out as much of the air as you can with a straw and seal. (I vacuum seal mine with my electric sealer, so easy)

Place in a large bowl and put something heavy over the packaged fish. (I use a heavy cast iron Dutch oven. (This is so the cure is forced into the meat)

Place in the refrigerator for 48 to 72 hours, flipping over every 12 hours.

Remove from plastic bags, rinse and pat dry. With a very sharp filleting knife remove the skin.

Cut a slice along the thicker side of the fillet, this is to give you something to hold on to while you are slicing through the fish.

Slice into very thin slices.
Serve or freeze for future use.

I vacuum seal mine in 150 gram portions.