What's The Difference Between Gravlax And Lox?

Salmon is popular in kitchens around the world, from Japanese yakitori to Finland's creamy lohikeitto (salmon and potato soup) to salmon en croute, a classic of French cooking. Then there are the delicious preparations of the ray-finned fish rooted in Scandinavian cuisine and brimming with culture and history: namely, gravlax and lox.

Both sensational seafood dishes take advantage of salt curing, but there are some important differences that make them distinct — from each other, as well as from smoked salmon — and uniquely valuable contributions to the food world in their own rights. Lox is generally prized for its salinity and robustness; gravlax boasts nuances that highlight the salmon's mild sweetness. But while the end results and the way they're traditionally enjoyed (atop bagels or folded inside eggs, for instance) may differ slightly in some instances, each preservation method yields ultra-flavorful cured seafood with a smooth, buttery texture that is luxuriously tender yet delicate on the palate. Knowing the difference between the two will help you choose the right salmon for the job and potentially save you from committing a brined fish faux pas.

Gravlax dates to the Middle Ages, when 14th-century fishermen in Northern Sweden made a dish known as gravad lax, or buried salmon. They would cover whole sides of the fish in a mixture of water, spices, herbs, and its own blood to cure it, but as salt became more accessible, the process evolved to using salt, sugar, and dill. Today, it's still a mainstay in Scandinavian countries, but the raw fish dish is also enjoyed by foodies around the world who appreciate its silkiness and gently seasoned layers of flavor.

Modern chefs enjoy getting creative when making gravlax, using spices and other ingredients like coriander, white peppercorns, citrus zest, and even juniper berries and beets for a more complex, vibrant dish. Alcohol, traditionally aquavit, a Nordic distilled spirit that is often flavored with caraway or dill, is another common addition, favored for the way it intensifies the infusion and helps keep the fish intact; vodka also works during the curing process, which often lasts a few days.

Gravlax, like lox, can be served on bagels with cream cheese for breakfast or brunch, but it's equally great as a part of a coursed lunch or as a dinner starter. It pairs beautifully with crackers and crisps, as well as condiments like "hovmästarsås," or Swedish mustard sauce. The relatively delicate flavor of gravlax lends versatility to the fish, making it ideal in smørrebrød, Danish open-faced sandwiches that are typically paired with creamy spreads, plus refreshing cucumbers and dill. Gravlax also shines in salads featuring crisp greens or hearty potatoes for a satisfying side dish.

Lox is often confused with smoked salmon but, like gravlax, it isn't smoked at all. However, unlike gravlax, it spends more than a few days in salt. Instead, it's typically brined over a three-month period. While gravlax incorporates other ingredients in the preservation process, lox's salt-heavy cure results in its signature assertive salinity. Despite people's tendency to call any smoked salmon lox, the real deal stuff is exclusively made from the fish's belly (as opposed to the entire fillet used in gravlax), which is why it's often sold at fish counters and in appetizing shops as "belly lox". Using such a fatty cut naturally translates to a luxurious taste and mouthfeel.

Lox shares a storied history with gravlax, though belly lox was largely popularized by Eastern European Jews, who used the Yiddish word for salmon, laks, which became lox in the United States. It wasn't long before salmon met schmear, and the lox bagel became an icon in New York City and beyond. Complicating matters, however, is the existence of Nova salmon, which is also sold as Nova lox. This type of salmon is often but not always made with fish from the coastal waters off of Nova Scotia; it's brined and smoked, but only gently so, embracing a best-of-both-worlds approach. Of course, whether you opt for super salty lox, subtler gravlax, or lightly smoky Nova lox, you're in for a flavor-packed cured salmon experience.