Directions

1. Run your fingertips or the back of a knife over the fillet to check for small pin bones, removing them with tweezers. Cut the fillet in half crosswise into two pieces of equal length.

2. Lay a large piece of closely woven cheesecloth or butter muslin on a flat surface, then place the fillets, skin-side down, on the cloth, with two long edges touching and the thickest part of each piece at opposite ends.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, sugar, and pepper. Sprinkle half of the salt mixture on each fillet, gently rubbing it into the flesh. Cover one fillet evenly with dill, then place the second fillet on top, creating a sandwich of fairly uniform thickness with the flesh sides together. Pack any salt mixture that came loose around the salmon.

4. Wrap the salmon in the cheesecloth, flipping and pulling slightly on the cloth and tucking in the loose ends with every turn (see Note). Place the wrapped fish in a resealable bag, removing as much air as possible and folding extra plastic over the top of the salmon so that it is tightly enclosed. Place the bagged fish in a dish, ideally about the same size, and top with a second dish or other weight.

5. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 36 hours and up to 3 days, until the flesh feels firm with even color. Flip the bagged fish every 12 hours, taking care to keep the liquid in contact with the salmon.

6. Unwrap the fish and cut a piece from the tail end of one fillet. If this sample tastes too strong for you, rinse the fish under cold running water and then pat it dry.

7. To serve, use a sharp knife to separate the skin from the flesh, leaving the skin attached to any portion you won’t be eating immediately. Slice the gravlax as thin as possible on the bias. Store the remaining fish by folding the gravlax-free skin over the cut surface and wrapping the salmon in waxed paper before enclosing it in a resealable bag and refrigerating it. It will keep for about a week.