Doesn't Gin Cured Trout sound intriguing?
I thought so! I enjoyed my Tarragon Cured Salmon so much I couldn't wait to try this variation on a theme.
The Gin makes this very savoury.
Trout is as mild and perhaps even milder than salmon. Serve it with cream cheese on crackers or on top of small gourmet potato slices with capers and/or sour cream.
You can put it on Eggs Benedict as well but I will say I found the Gin flavour to be a bit bold in that dish. If you are Gin lover that may be a good thing!
I cured 1 fillet with the skin on. If you want to cure two fillets then put the herb and gin mix on the flesh side of one fillet and top it with another fillet face to face. To ensure you get as much connection as possible of the open faces put the thick end of the top fillet on the thin end of the bottom fillet. That way the two fillets will balance each other out.
Gin Cured Trout
If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!
Save Print Pin FacebookIngredients
- 300 grams high quality trout 12 oz
- 30 grams coarse salt about 2 Tbsps (do NOT use table salt or fine salt)
- 30 grams sugar about 2 Tbsps
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 10 grams fresh tarragon finely chopped (about ½ cups loosely packed)
- 2 Tbsps Gin
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Mix salt, sugar, pepper, tarragon and lemon zest quickly in a blender or food processor. It should look like a loose paste.
- Spread the top side of the trout with the herbed salt/sugar paste. Drizzle the Gin over the top.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place on a rimmed plate with another plate on top. Weight the top plate down with jars or cans so the fillet has some pressure on it. Don't skip the rimmed bottom plate because it will release a lot of liquid.
- Turn the trout over every 8 hours. Cure 24 hours for if you want lightly cured, 36 for medium and 48 hours for a hard cure. (I did 36 and it was perfect for me.)
- When finished curing, drain the excess water, rinse the fillet. There should be no evidence of any salt or sugar left on it but some of the herbs will adhere to the trout. This is a good thing.
- Slice trout very thinly on a 45° angle. Angle the knife when you reach the skin so you are lifting the fillet piece away from the skin. Serve with fresh lemon wedges for drizzling, capers, salty crackers or dense pumpernickel squares.
- Trout will keep in fridge 2-3 days. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge overnight.
ralph hetke
This is a keeper!