Tea Cured Salmon - How to infuse salmon with tea flavors

Do you ever have dreams where ideas come to you that seem magical but you have no idea how they will turn out? This tea cured salmon is one of those ideas, and my family and friends were blown away by the results. I am very excited to share this special recipe with you...and I highly recommend trying it out with your favorite tea.

What kinds of tea do I use for tea cured salmon?

You can cure salmon with any tea as long as it is loose leaf: herbal, green, black, or a blend. As you can see in the photos, I have cured salmon in many different teas, and haven't found a flavor infusion I didn't like. I have tried smoky, sweet, and floral teas...they all come out great!

STEP BY STEP:

First, mix your sugar, salt, and tea in a bowl.

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Take a large piece of foil and lay it over your workspace. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper. Place your salmon skin side down on the parchment paper. Coat both sides of your salmon filet in the entire mixture.

Pour the vodka over the filet.

Wrap the salmon in the parchment paper and wrap the parchment covered salmon in the foil.

Place your wrapped salmon filet on a baking sheet, and cover with another baking sheet (see photos below). Put weights, cans, or books on top of the salmon and refrigerate for 3-4 days.

After 3-4 days, remove the wrapping and rinse the cure off of the salmon. Rinse very well.

Pat dry, slice, and serve. Keeps in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How do I use the tea cured salmon?

Add the cured salmon on a bagel with cheese, on top of hash browns, in a salad, in spring rolls, or anywhere else you'd use lox or cured fish.

My favorite way to eat the cured salmon is to poach it in olive oil. Just delicious!

How long does it take to cure salmon?

The cured salmon needs to cure for 3-4 days. This makes it the perfect make-ahead dish for your next brunch!

What kind of salmon do I use?

I am using Copper River coho salmon. When curing raw fish, it is a food safety requirement to make sure it has pin bones. Please remove the pin bones before curing.

Check out my Tarragon & Fennel Scotch Cured Salmon for another spin on cured salmon!