Rooster Roaster's Smoked Salmon(Main)

Rooster Roaster

Ingredients

• 3 lb salmon fillet, preferably wild Atlantic, bones removed ( a pair of pliers works well for this)

• 2 handfuls alder chips, soaked

• 1 handful hickory chips/chunks, soaked

• Spray-on canola oil or Pam

• Plate setter

• Electric fan (if possible)

• 1 Quantity brine

• 1 Quanity glaze

Instructions

Step 1: Brining
For a 3 lb fillet, brining time is 5-6 hours. Adjust timing for different sizes as appropriate.
1. Combine all of the brine ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Stir well. Pour into a ceramic or glass container and leave to cool.
2. When cool, place salmon skin side up in non-reactive tray. Strain the brine over the salmon. Make sure the salmon is completely submerged; if not, weigh it down with a plate. Refrigerate.
3. Turn fish over half way through.

Step 2: Drying
1. Bring your BGE grid inside and spray it with canola oil or Pam. Raise it off the counter surface using e.g. four cups of the same size.
2. Remove the fish from the brine and pat dry with kitchen towel. You do not need to rinse the fish if it is a thick piece (e.g. 3 lb fillet), but smaller pieces should be rinsed lightly in fresh water before drying.
3. Place the fish skin-side down on the oiled grid. If possible, set up an electric fan to blow over the fish.
4. Leave to dry until surface is dry but slightly sticky to the touch. With a fan, this step is about one hour.

Step 3: Smoking
1. Light the BGE. Once burning put most of the wet chips in the center and the rest scattered around the edge. Add more charcoal on top of the chips in the center.
2. Put in the place setter, legs up, and add a drip pan or foil tray.
3. Close the lid and stabilize at 190°F.
4. Once stable, put the grid with the fish on it on top of the place setter and close the lid.
5. After 1 hour, brush the salmon with the glaze. Repeat after 2 hours.
6. Continue cooking until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of about 140°F. For a 3 lb fillet, this is around 3 ½ hours.
7. When done, (unless you’re going to eat the whole thing hot there and then), remove the grid with the fish on it, and place back in the elevated position you used for drying. Once the fish is cool (about 45 minutes), wrap well or vacuum bag and refrigerate. Delicious.

Notes

Number of Servings:

Time to Prepare: