Hot smoked salmon from Cooks Illustrated


 

Keri C

TVWBB Wizard
VERY tasty - recipe refers to using a kettle or a gas grill, but I use the WSM with great success. Since CI's recipe included the gasser info, I'm leaving it in order to maintain the integrity of their complete recipe.

Keri C, still smokin on Tulsa time


HOT-SMOKED SALMON

Serves 4 to 6

Alder wood is best for this recipe, but hickory or mesquite chips are also fine. The grill rack must be hot and thoroughly clean before you place the salmon on it; otherwise the fish might stick.

1 cup Diamond kosher salt (or 1/2 cup table salt, or 3/4 cup Morton Kosher salt)
1 cup sugar
1 skin-on salmon fillet (about 2 1/2 pounds),
pin bones removed with tweezers or needle-nose pliers
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1. Dissolve salt and sugar in 2 cups hot water in gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag, about 20 minutes. Add 5 cups cold water and salmon, seal bag, and refrigerate until fish is fully brined, about 3 hours.

2. About 45 minutes prior to cooking, open bottom grill vents and ignite about 4 quarts charcoal in pile on one side of grill; burn until completely covered with thin coating of light-gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, assemble wood chip pouch by wrapping 2 cups wood chips on 18-inch square sheet heavy-duty aluminum foil; seal to make pouch. Prick top of pouch at least six times with knife tip to allow smoke to escape; place on top of ash-covered coals.

3. Meanwhile, remove salmon from brine and blot dry completely with paper towels. Place fillet, skin side down, on 30-inch sheet heavy-duty foil; rub both sides of fillet, especially skin side, with oil. Dust fillet top with paprika and pepper.

4. Set grill rack in place; open grill lid vents and cover, positioning lid with vents opposite wood pouch to draw smoke through grill. Heat rack thoroughly, at least 5 minutes; clean with wire brush. Slide salmon off foil and onto rack opposite fire so that long side of fillet is perpendicular to grill rods. Barbecue until cooked through and heavily flavored with smoke, 1 1/2 hours.

5. Use two spatulas to remove salmon from grill. Serve either hot or room temperature, cutting through flesh but not skin to divide into individual portions and sliding spatula between flesh and skin to remove individual pieces, leaving skin behind. (Can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 2 days.)

HOT-SMOKED SALMON ON A GAS GRILL

Here is a way to mimic the indirect heat method of cooking on a charcoal grill. Since some gas grills require that one burner be ignited before the other(s), make sure that the foil tray containing the wood chips is placed over the burner that will remain on.

Follow recipe for Hot-Smoked Salmon, making the following changes: Soak wood chips for 15 minutes and drain. Make foil tray for wood chips and position on top of burner that will remain on. Turn all burners to high, close lid, and heat grill until chips smoke heavily, about 20 minutes. Turn off burner(s) without chips. Position salmon over cool part of grill and barbecue until cooked through and perfumed heavily with smoke, 1 1/2 hours. Serve as directed.
 
Theresa, I ran it at about 250 in the lid, taking the salmon to about 160. I think it took right at about 2 hours. The first few times I did salmon on the WSM, I had followed Chris's step-by-step on his adaptation of the Cardog's Salmon from this site, so I just kept the same time, temp, and fire treatment when I tried the Cooks Illustrated recipe. Worked great! I still like the Cardog-style salmon better, personally, but CI's was very nice, too, and got excellent reviews from those who got to try it.

Keri C
Smokin on Tulsa Time
 

 

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