Quick Cured Slow-Roasted Salmon With A Twist

Quick Cured Slow-Roasted Salmon With A Twist
3.6 (5 ratings)
Aromatic gin is the secret ingredient in this tasty salmon dish, imparting its distinct flavors of thyme, juniper, coriander, and fennel and complementing the rich salmon perfectly.This recipe, written by Adonija Tienou of Chicago, is courtesy of Sitka Salmon Shares.
Servings
2
Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup coarse sea salt
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • zest of 1 lemon (roughly 1 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (stripped and rubbed)
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon gin (the author highly recommends death's door gin)
  • two 8-ounce salmon fillets
  • 1 -3 tablespoons neutral oil (rice bran, grape seed oil, etc.)
Directions
  1. Mix together salt, sugar, lemon zest, thyme, and pepper. Add gin. The mixture should resemble wet sand.
  2. Rub salmon fillets with the cure, using approximately 1 tablespoon for every 8 ounces of fish.
  3. Wrap fillets tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
  5. To prepare for cooking, rinse off fish and pat dry with paper towel.
  6. Rub lightly with a high-quality neutral oil, such as rice bran or grape seed oil.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
  8. Begin to check fish at about 20 minutes. Be careful to not overcook (i.e., the fish should not be leaching white proteins).
  9. Serve immediately when done!
  10. Notes:The finished dish is best enjoyed immediately, but the rubbed fillets may optionally be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day before cooking. The rub can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for at least one week, and it also works great on grilled lamb chops!