Food - Drink
Gravlax Vs. Lox: What's The Difference?
By STEPHANIE FRIEDMAN
Whether it’s served with capers, cream cheese, or scrambled eggs, lox is beloved in the U.S. as a brunch and bagel shop staple. However, silky and salty cured salmon is also common in many other countries, and Scandinavian gravlax is a delicious variety that looks very similar to lox, but has a few key differences.
Gravlax is formally referred to as "Gravad lax," which loosely translates to "salmon from the grave," since it was originally made by burying fish in sand. Today, gravlax is prepared by covering salmon in a thick blanket of salt, sugar, and dill, and other ingredients such as aquavit or juniper berries may be added to mellow out the flavor.
While lox is often cold-smoked, gravlax is usually not smoked at all, and is slightly less tender than lox with a more "raw" flavor that bears a resemblance to sashimi. However, both of these cured salmon preparations can be found in specialty delis, and are delicious at breakfast or as appetizers paired with crackers and pickled vegetables.