Steelhead Trout Recipe: Gin & Herb Gravlax
A gin and herb gravlax that cures in your fridge, no cooking required, finished with a mustard, maple, and tarragon sauce. Elegant enough for a dinner party, simple enough that the fish does most of the work.
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What You'll Need
For the Gravlax
- 1 whole steelhead trout filet
- 3 tbsp coarse salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 oz gin
- 2 tsp dried rosemary
For the Mustard, Maple, Tarragon Sauce
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ½ cup neutral oil (grapeseed works well)
- 1 tbsp dried tarragon
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Gin & Herb Gravlax
- Cover the surface of the fish with salt, then sugar, then rosemary.
- Splash the gin evenly across the flesh.
- Cover the fish with cellophane wrap and place it skin-side down on a baking sheet, weighted down (a brick or two works well).
- Let it cure for 1 hour minimum, 2 hours maximum.
- Unwrap the filet and wipe it clean with a paper towel.
- Slice thinly and serve with the mustard sauce.
For the sauce: In a large bowl, whisk together both mustards and the white wine vinegar. Gradually whisk in the oil until it comes together into a smooth, homogeneous sauce, then finish with the tarragon, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
About Our Trout
This recipe starts with steelhead trout from Hudson Valley, raised on their own fish farm rather than sourced secondhand. It's the same operation behind their cold-smoked lox, so if this gravlax convinces you, there's already a shortcut version waiting.
Two More Names Worth Knowing
If this recipe has you thinking beyond fish, two more of our partners belong on the same table.
Traditional Italian-style curing out of Vermont: bresaola, fennel salami, capocollo. The kind of charcuterie that holds its own next to a cured fish course instead of competing with it.
The same mustard family as the sauce in this recipe, made in small batches in Rhode Island. Spicy yellow, smooth Dijon-style, or whole grain, all three are worth having in the fridge beyond this one dish.
More Lanes Worth Exploring: Foie Gras
Hudson Valley doesn't stop at fish. Their foie gras program is one of the most respected in the country, and it's worth its own moment here rather than being buried in a trout recipe.
Seasoned, gently poached, and rolled into a velvety cylinder.
Ready to sear and serve with fruit compote, brioche, or balsamic glaze.
Slow-cooked Moulard duck, shredded and blended with its own fat into a spreadable finish.
Smoked Trout & Fish Appetizers
If gravlax becomes a regular thing, Hudson Valley's cold-smoked steelhead trout lox is the shortcut version, hand-cured and cold-smoked, ready to go straight onto a board.
Wine Pairing for Trout Gravlax
Cured fish and a bright mustard sauce want acidity above almost anything else, richness isn't the goal here.
A dry Riesling or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc both cut cleanly through the cure and the mustard without fighting the gin's botanical notes. If you want to lean into the gin itself, a dry vermouth or a classic G&T alongside isn't a bad call either.
Is It Cured Enough?
Unlike everything else in this recipe series, there's no internal temperature to hit here, salt and time do the work instead of heat.
The flesh should firm up and turn slightly opaque at the edges by the end of the cure. One hour gives a softer, more delicate result; two hours firms it up further and concentrates the cure. Neither is wrong, it's a matter of preference, not doneness.
Tips for Perfect Gravlax
Curing rewards patience more than skill, but a few details matter:
- Weight it evenly. Uneven pressure cures the fish unevenly. A flat, heavy object across the whole filet works better than something small and centered.
- Pat it fully dry before slicing. Any leftover cure mixture left on the surface will make the slices too salty.
- Slice on a bias, thin. Thin, angled slices are what make gravlax feel refined rather than just "raw fish cut into pieces."
What to Serve With It
This gravlax works as a stand-alone starter, but it also opens a menu well ahead of something heartier, our steak with soy reduction → or pan-seared scallops → both make sense as a next course after something this light.
Recipe FAQ
Is gravlax safe to eat without cooking it?
Yes. Curing with salt and sugar draws out moisture and creates an environment that preserves the fish, it's a different process than cooking, not a substitute that skips food safety.
Can I use salmon instead of steelhead trout?
Yes, this method works with either. Steelhead trout has a slightly milder flavor and a texture close enough to salmon that the swap is seamless.
How long does gravlax keep in the fridge?
Wrapped tightly, it keeps for about 3–4 days after curing. The cure itself extends its life slightly beyond fresh raw fish, but it's not meant for long-term storage.
What's the difference between gravlax and smoked salmon?
Gravlax is cured with salt, sugar, and flavorings but never smoked. Lox and smoked salmon go through an actual smoking process. Different technique, different flavor, both start from curing.
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