Gin and Tarragon Lox

Gin and Tarragon Lox made by you at home! It’s easier than you think and just as delicious to make cured salmon at home.

Gin and Jews (laiiiid back). I initially started writing this post all excited about homemade lox because it is SO EXCITING. But then something more exciting happened- my boyfriend and I got engaged!! He proposed to me overlooking the beach sunset on our balcony in Puerto Rico and I was SO surprised! Which was extra fun. No clue it was coming (though I certainly hoped!) We are so excited and he is just the BEST. He’s funny and smart and patient and an excellent cook and even the most mundane activity is better with him by my side. Totally the NJB Bubbe hoped for and more. YAY!

I’ll keep you updated on some of the wedding planning process, but I hope for it to be pretty chill. I would totally elope if we didn’t have so many wonderful family and friends that I want to celebrate with. It’s hard being popular. But also I could care less about table cards. But also we don’t want an ugly wedding. So tricky, you know?! I’d love to hear any wedding day tips from you!

Okay back to the lox. I’ve made homemade lox before. And a bourbon and beet cured lox that I love.

My boyfriend fiance (!!) loves gin so we always have some good quality floral gin on hand. It inspired this recipe I made before we got engaged, which is extra special timing!

Making your own lox is easy. Just brush with gin, for this gin and tarragon lox, then crust with herby, salty, sugary, peppery, lemony crust. Wrap. Be patient. And a few days later you are good to go!

Hi bebe.

After 36ish hours!

Bruch is served, amiright??? Plus, it pairs well with more gin. Gin: not just for lunch anymore!

Also a good way to serve this gin and tarragon lox (p.s. dill would be lovely too or half and half) is as a brunch board!

I made mine with all the accouterment. Cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, capers, schmear and avocado.

Guests (or just you, no judging) can make your own bagel sandwich of your dreams.
AKA my dreams. Can you serve bagels and lox at a wedding reception? Asking for a friend me.

Gin and Tarragon Lox

Amy Kritzer

Homemade Gin and Tarragon Lox is easier than you think and even more delicious too!

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 day d 12 hours hrs

Total Time 1 day d 12 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Jewish

Servings 6 -8 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 pound salmon fillet with the skin on
• 1/4 cup gin
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 bunch about 1/2 cup fresh tarragon, minced (half tarragon and half dill is nice too, or all dill)
• Bagels red onion, schmear, capers, lemon, tomatoes, avocado and dill for breakfast!

Instructions

 

• First, check your fish for any pin bones. Those are the tiny bones along the thick side of the fish. Your salmon may not have any, but if you do simply remove with tweezers or your hands if you are dexterous and have petite fingers like that.
• Brush both sides of the salmon with gin. Drink a little out of the bottle if you like.
• In a medium bowl, combine sugar, salt, black pepper, lemon zest and tarragon.
• Then, cover the salmon completely on both sides in the mixture by packing it on.
• Wrap your salmon tightly with saran wrap. Cut a slit in one end where the fish juices can escape.
• Now we have to refrigerate the lox for curing! I put mine in a roasting pan. Then weigh it down with a heavy object (I used a small cast iron pan) to promote those fish juices to flow (sorry I said fish juices.)
• Now you want to tilt the salmon curing contraption so the fish juices drain to one side. I used a towel top to prop up one side of the pan.
• After 24 hours check on your salmon. It should start looking like lox and some of the fish juices should be piling up.
• Drain the fish juices and put the lox back for another 12 hours.
• After 36 total hours unwrap the lox and wash it off well. The skin should peel off easily at this point. If it doesn’t, you can always filet it off with a sharp knife.
• Now just cut off small pieces against the grain on an angle and you’ve got lox!
• Serve with the above accouterments.

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