My gravlax has a fishy smell. Any advice about the cause? Can it be corrected?

[eugenep]

I dry brined it in salt, gin, dill sugar for about 3 days. 

 

Texture changed to dry on outside and moist inside. 

 

A lot of recipes online are all the same. 

 

That's okay that it was uneven etc. on the dry texture but my biggest irk is that it has a fishy smell. Like strong fishy stinky smell. Not rotting and unsafe but stinky stinky fishy oil smell. 

 

Some guy said in a comment that wet brine will result in no fishy smell. 

 

You guys think this will work? Does yours stink as well? If yours doesn't, do you know why mine stinks? I tried the get fresh etc. as I can from my fish monger (but it's not like I could trace the veracity of the supply chain etc.). 

 

I checked out this thread but couldn't find or do a narrower search re the stink smell at 

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2018 by Smithy
Spelling, grammar, punctuation adjusted. (log)

[gfweb]

I use Costco salmon for gravlax all the time. 

If there's dark meat on the fish it will be fishy...carve that stuff off. 

 

I give it a good salting...sugaring...whatever spice...and put it dry into a zip lock bag...place it on a dish...put a flat bottom plate atop...place I big can San Marzano tomatoes atop that...in the fridge....turn daily . 

 

Its never dry outside. Was it in plastic?

 

 

Edited October 2, 2018 by gfweb (log)

[Okanagancook]

I agree with taking that dark meat off.  Very nasty.

I have only made gravlax from fresh caught salmon off Vancouver Island...so  it is fresh.

[eugenep]

Oh. I wrapped it in a plastic bag and did the draining but not flipping and pressing.  

 

Thanks for the tip about the dark meat. I cut pieces of those off and tried it again and it didn't have that gross fishy odor. 

 

I heard that the bloodline of the salmon will be super fishy in smell and aroma and is too be avoided but I guess that applies to all dark parts - including the light brown color flesh?? 

[Okanagancook]

I take all brown meat off...just lovely salmon coloured meat left.

[jmacnaughtan]

Three days sounds like a lot though - that might explain the dryness.  I do two, then rinse and dry, and leave for another day in the fridge to rest.  It seems to improve the texture.

 

But otherwise, yeah, I'd listen to @gfweb and @Okanagancook.  Get rid of the dark meat.

[scubadoo97]

Agreed.  I’ve done both wet and dried brined.  Prefer the wet.   I often do a cold smoke on it before resting in the fridge for a day or two