Can You Make Your Own Lox At Home With Store-Bought Salmon?

If you absolutely love salmon, you've probably cooked it at home many times. And there's a high probability you also enjoy eating lox (which is different from smoked salmon). But have you ever made your own homemade lox? When it comes to preparing raw seafood, even the most experienced home cooks sometimes shy away from the task. According to content creator and "Stacked" author, Owen Han, making lox at home isn't as intimidating as people think, and as long as you use the right kind of salmon, you have nothing to fear.

Han, who will be hosting the Perfect Sandwich Demo & Dine event at the upcoming South Beach Wine & Food Festival, told The Takeout, "For homemade lox, choose high-quality, previously-frozen salmon to reduce the risk of parasites, with wild varieties offering firmer texture and farmed ones providing a silkier bite. Opt for the freshest skin-on filet available, ensuring it has a vibrant color, clean smell, and no mushy spots."

Good quality salmon is widely available, whether you buy it from a trustworthy fishmonger, or a grocery store like Aldi, which offers both wild-caught and farm-raised salmon.

Lox isn't cooked via a heat source. Rather, the salmon is cured with just a few ingredients. During our conversation, Owen Han added, "When I cure lox at home, I personally use fresh salmon (skin-on), kosher salt, and sugar. You could also use seasoning like black pepper, dill, or even citrus zest." Technically, what Han is describing is gravlax, not lox, because it includes sugar (to make traditional lox, only salt is used for curing). In essence, it's lox done the Scandinavian way. In modern times, the two are treated as different variations of the same core concept. You can treat both the same way, whether incorporating them into deviled eggs, laying thin slices of the cured salmon on dark bread, or making lox sandwiches.

Han himself is a big fan of giving his lox the Jewish deli bagel sandwich treatment. He suggests, "You have to include the classics -– cream cheese, capers (I overload my bagel with them), red onions, cucumber, and tomato. [Want] something unexpected to really wow your taste buds? Try adding thinly sliced apples or pears for sweetness."

The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival is being held in Miami February 20-23. Learn more and buy tickets here.