Filet your sockeye and remove the pin bone and skin. Trim off the brown flesh. Traditionally, gravlax is made by brining the fish in a mixture of 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and a cup of fresh dill. I replace the sugar with 1/2 cup of maple syrup and add a 1/2 cup of good booze, like bourbon or cognac, even a single malt scotch. Refrigerate. Remove the fish from the brine after 24 hours and pat dry. Completely coat the fillets with salt and wrap them in paper towels. Put the wrapped fillets in a ziplock. Use something heavy, like a rock or a #10 can and two deep sided roasting pans. The wrapped fillets go in one pan. Put the other pan on top with the rock in it, and refrigerate. I salt and wrap it for 2 days, changing the wrap every 12 hours and resalting each time. When done, use a dry paper towel to brush off any salt left on the surface.
When it's done, you end up with a texture that's somewhere between raw salmon and gummy bears. Traditionally, it's sliced very thin on a bias and served with a dill and mustard sauce. But we like it on bagels with cream cheese, capers, red onion, and chopped tomatoes, like smoke salmon. It'll last in the fridge for a couple of weeks but you won't let it go that long! Enjoy.
