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2 disappointing cooks - steak and salmon
Today I did smoked salmon. I did a simple brine of 2 quarts of water + 1/2 cup salt + 1/2 cup sugar. I think the brine is important to keep the fish moist while in the egg. I brined the fish (about 2.5 pounds of filets) for a few hours, then washed the fish with water, patted them dry and shacked on salt and pepper. I had the egg at about 250 and it took about 1.5 hours indirect to get the fish to about 145 degrees. The fish came out moist, but it was too salty! Ugh! Okay, now I know to not salt the fish after brining in a salt solution. Also, I think next time I'll pull the fish at about 140 degrees and then cover with foil for a few minutes. Live and learn ...
Comments
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Don't worry, pretty soon the heat on your arms problem will be a distant memory. Every cook is a learning experience no matter how long you have been cooking with the egg. Soon there will be many more successes then failures, I promise.
I raise my kids, cook and golf. When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. -
Thanks -- yep, I'm learning more each time
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Try skipping the brine on the salmon. One of the great things about the Egg is how moist it keeps your food. Try it once without the brine. If it still isn't moist enough for you, brine away!
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Why was it tough on your arm with the steaks? I do mine around 600* for two minutes a side, then flip again and shut everything down (top and bottom vent) and let them sit for another 2-4 minutes depending on wanted doneness. This method has turned out the best steaks we've ever made.
LBGE
Cedar table w/granite top
Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack
Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer
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I agree with the other poster, no need to brine salmon on the egg. As far as the steaks go, get some long welding gloves and show those steaks whose the boss.
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Brining fish makes it taste better. That's why it's so commonly done. I think the biggest improvement the average person can do to improve their fish isn't brining, it's not overcooking. Fish is done at 130-135. People regularly cook it past 160F. Brining helps keeps it most if you overcook it, but the main reason is it makes the meat more tender and helps keep the muscle from denaturing and loosing moisture as it cooks.
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
KennyLee said:Why was it tough on your arm with the steaks? I do mine around 600* for two minutes a side, then flip again and shut everything down (top and bottom vent) and let them sit for another 2-4 minutes depending on wanted doneness. This method has turned out the best steaks we've ever made.
because the steaks were so close to the coals, there were flare ups. I had to move the steaks to get out of the fire and that's when it got very hot on my arm. how do you deal with flare ups.
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Try reverse searing for the steaks- also some longer tongs will help with the heat issue. Good luck you will figure it out soonGreensboro, NC
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I cook a lot of salmon. I don't brine. You said smoked salmon. If that meant salmon for dinner with smoke flavor here is a good way to try. Cook on a hotter fire, 300 or 350 with a chunk of alder wood. It will be done in approx 15 minutes with a nice flavor. I usually use DP raging river with a little maple syrup. When you see that milky white ooze on top it will be done.
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I've had tremendous success with salmon direct cooking at ~375 on cedar planks with a dusting of raging river.. if you get frustrated experimenting with slow smoking the salmon give the planks a try.. it's a weekly meal for my family and they love it!XL BGE - Baltimore, MD
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Brining also keeps the albumen from leaking out of the fish (the "white stuff").
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
Hang in there @n2wdw I feel your pain. I absolutely ruined 2 perfectly good steaks for Father's Day. Therefore, any steak guidance I would provide is useless. However, my wife says Salmon is far and away the best thing I have done on the Egg. For me raised direct, at 400* on a cedar plank is almost foolproof.
I simply rub the salmon with kosher salt and pepper. About 25 minutes and it has turned out really well on three occassions.
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I ruined two steaks a few weeks back after doing several other cooks. I am going to try the reverse sear next and will let you know how it goes."Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes............. Well, he eats you"
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I second KennyLee's advice. Been doing ours that way since 1998 and never had a fail.
Large BGE
Greenville, SC -
n2wdw said:KennyLee said:Why was it tough on your arm with the steaks? I do mine around 600* for two minutes a side, then flip again and shut everything down (top and bottom vent) and let them sit for another 2-4 minutes depending on wanted doneness. This method has turned out the best steaks we've ever made.
because the steaks were so close to the coals, there were flare ups. I had to move the steaks to get out of the fire and that's when it got very hot on my arm. how do you deal with flare ups.
LBGE
Cedar table w/granite top
Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack
Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer
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Flare ups usually only happen when the dome is open, and often when you are flipping or moving the steaks and the grease hits the fire. So, it's sort of a loosing battle to try to move them away from the fire. Just try to be quick about flipping them and don't worry about the flare up, and get the dome closed as quickly as possible. You can see a nice flare up in my avatar . That steak actually turned out with very little char...I was a little disappointed I didn't get better grill marks!Long tongs or a BBQ glove definitely help in this situation .Which came first the chicken or the egg? I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg.
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Yes, as SmokeyPitt says, flare-ups mostly occur when the lid is open. Namely, your dampers are limiting the fire, when you open the lid, you let in an abundance of air. However, if you have the dampers fully open and fuel is limiting your fire, not air, you can get flare-ups with the lid closed. It's all about having what we chemists call a "reducing" fire - one where the oxygen is limiting the fire, not the fuel.
______________________________________________I love lamp.. -
"flare ups only happen when the dome is open" ... which is exactly how I had it, as I was treating the egg like a grill ... okay, I've got alot to learn
still, I'm ordering the AR combo ... more toys to play with
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With Salmon:
Wash,
salt&pepper
brush with EEVO ( non skin side only)
Sprinkle liberally with Paprika, sprinkle with garlic powder, litely with dill weed.
Direct raised grid ( to the felt line) 350-400.
Non skin side down - 5-7 minutes until grill marks and browning occurs.
Flip, finish with skin side down. I watch for the foamy stuff to start coming out, and for the piece to start to separate when pushed on with spatula. If the skin sticks a little bit, no biggy.
Always works, very simple and fast. I don't see a need to brine, this will be moist enough that juice is running on your plate.
Cookin in Texas -
One more thing - sometimes I put cheddar flavored popcorn salt on instead of regular salt.
Cookin in Texas
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