In a previous post, An Introduction to Smoking Foods, I covered the subject on how to hot-smoke food. In this post, I´d like to take a look at an alternative method of preparing food for consumption. An Introduction to Curing investigates the use of salt for food preparation.
I´ve chosen salmon this time, as I´ve always wondered whether cured salmon would rival smoked salmon in taste and texture. The answer to both is a resounding yes! My wife and I agreed that the flavour is better, being closer to the original, as it is not masked by a smoky taste.
Furthermore, the process uses only 2 ingredients: the raw food and curing salt. The salt both reduces the liquid content and preserves the food. The cherry on top? It´s simply so incredibly easy to do!
![raw salmon](https://jiminthekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Raw-salmon-scaled.jpg)
Ingredients for Cured Salmon
- 500 g salmon fillet (bone-free)
- 200 g curing salt
Method
1. Cover the salmon fillet on both sides with curing salt, patting it on to ensure it adheres.
![salted salmon](https://jiminthekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Salted-salmon-scaled.jpg)
2. Wrap the fish securely in plastic clingfilm and place it on a large, rimmed plate. The liquid will be drawn out of the salmon, so needs to be collected by the plate. Store the plate in the fridge for 48 hours.
![salted salmon wrapped in plastic](https://jiminthekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Salmon-salted-and-wrapped-in-plastic-foil-scaled.jpg)
3. After 48 hours, remove the salmon from the fridge. Remove the clingfilm and rinse well in cold water.
4. Pat the salmon dry, place on a clean plate, wrap again in clingfilm and return to the fridge for a further 48 hours.
5. Remove once more from the fridge, slice thinly and enjoy the delicious flavour!
![sliced cured salmon 2](https://jiminthekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Sliced-cured-salmon-2.jpg)
I hope you have found this introduction to the curing process motivational. Cured salmon is a perfect accompaniment to scrambled eggs.
![scrambled eggs and cured salmon](https://jiminthekitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Scrambled-egg-and-cured-salmon-scaled.jpg)