Grappa‑cured salmon fillet — Classic Tuscan cure perfumed with citrus, fennel and a splash of grappa.

Ingredients (base mix)

This modernized list fixes typos & duplicates from the legacy page while keeping your flavor profile. Use the Cure Calculator below to scale by fish weight.

4 lb salmon sides, skin-on (one large side or two smaller)
2 lb sea salt (coarse)
3.5 lb granulated sugar
1 lb cane sugar (raw/turbinado)
4 celery stalks, chopped
4 oz bay leaves
2 orange peels (no pith)
2 large lemon peels (no pith)
6 oz black peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 fennel top (fronds), chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium onion, rough chopped
1 shot good Italian grappa
Optional: a splash of grappa to finish just before slicing

Cure Calculator: fish weight lb

Scaling uses the same ratios as the base list above. Adjust aromatics to taste.

Preparation

Fillet the whole salmon, skin on. Chill well.

Make a quick pre‑salt: pack the sides in coarse sea salt and cover with ice for 2 hours. Rinse under cold water and pat completely dry.

Mix the cure: both sugars + sea salt, celery, fennel tops, garlic, onion, peppercorns, bay leaves, and citrus peels. Splash in the grappa and mix.

Line a sheet pan with parchment. Spread a bed of cure, lay salmon skin‑side down, cover fully with remaining cure. Wrap tightly with foil, place another pan on top and weigh it down.

Refrigerate 24 hours. Unwrap, rinse off the cure gently, pat dry. Set on a clean rack or pan, cover loosely, and dry in the fridge another 24 hours.

Slice thinly on a bias. Optional: flick a few drops of grappa over the slices right before serving.

Serve it as: Cured Salmon Salad Contact Chef David