30gramscoarse saltabout 2 Tbsps (do NOT use table salt or fine salt)
30gramssugarabout 2 Tbsps
½teaspoonblack pepper
10gramsfresh tarragonfinely chopped (about ½ cups loosely packed)
2TbspsGin
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.
Notes
Nutrition note: Values are per ounce of cured trout. Salt and sugar values may be overstated because it is difficult to tell how much is absorbed versus rinsed off before serving.