Recipe: Beet Cured Salmon

1. Place a 3’ square piece of cheesecloth on a prep table and place salmon, skin-side down in the center.

2. Dry the salmon flesh using paper towel, checking to ensure all pin bones are removed.

3. In separate sauté pans, toast the juniper berries and the peppercorns.

4. Once cooled, grind them to a fine powder.

5. Place all ingredients in a stainless steel mixing bowl and mix together.

6. Place in a covered, nonreactive storage container away from direct sunlight. Label, date and refrigerate until needed.

7 Brush 2 fl. oz. of gin on the flesh of the salmon.

8. Sprinkle the spice mix over the salmon so there is less seasoning on the thinner parts of the flesh. This helps the fish cure evenly.

9. Press gently so the cure mixture adheres to the fish.

10. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth square over the salmon so that it is tightly wrapped and fully covered.

11. Place a 2″ perforated hotel pan inside a 6″ hotel pan.

12. Place the wrapped salmon, skin-side down, into the perforated hotel pan.

13. Place another hotel pan on top of the salmon, pushing down slightly. Weigh down the top pan using 4 #10 cans. Refrigerate 3 days to cure.

14. Once cured, rinse under ice-cold water to wash off excess salt and cure mixture. Pat dry with paper towels.

15. Place salmon, skin-side down, on a roasting rack fitted inside a sheet tray.

16. Brush 2 fl. oz. of gin on top of the flesh of the salmon. Place in a cooler, uncovered, for 4 hours.

17. Wrap salmon and place in a covered storage container. Label, date and refrigerate until needed.