Help with first salmon

acegg77

Salmon for just 2 of us. We get a filet... with skin. Here is how we did it on the old gas grill. 

- season salmon (we like dill weed on it with salt and pepper, coated with some olive oil.)

- put salmon on sheet of aluminum foil (skin down!) and fold up the edges a bit.

- put foil/fish on gas grill as high as it would go (probably around 450)

- after 10-15 mins take spatch and lift salmon to plate. SKIN STICKS TO FOIL! (wife hates the skin!)

- throw foil away

Done this way for 20 years, always perfect. 

No way will wife let me buy a $15 piece of use-once wood to make fish on. I'll use foil.

Should I put foil on regular direct, raised direct, or indirect with my plate setter?

What temp? How long?

Am doing this tonight on my new large BGE so I hope someone has answers.

Thanks.

TexanOfTheNorth

Not sure where you're paying $15 for grilling planks (if that's what you were referring to) but I use them quite often and find that they add a great flavor to the fish (although I use filets with no skin on). You can put brown sugar or maple syrup on top (for a sweeter taste) or, a thin coat of whatever mustard you like topped with seasoning.

I cook them with the cedar planks directly over the coals for 15 minutes or so... depending on how thick the filets are.

GrannyX4

Raised, direct, 400 and cook to temp. I pull mine at about 135. Enjoy.... ;;)

Nature Boy

It may be time to look at new ways! No need for foil. I like to take the skin off so the seasoning is right on the meat. Cook direct on a clean grate. When browned it should release itself and flip easily. Cutting the filet into manageable sections helps as well. 375-400 degrees, raised grate, direct until well browned on each side ( a few minutes per side) and it's done.

Good luck!!

Chris

acegg77

Nature: Thanks for the post. I'll try "new ways" next time. I need to ger this "right" this time. Paying $1400 for Egg and stand and stuff means I need to establish credibility with wife/family for such an extravagance. I can't have a cooking failure tonight!

Texan: I believe my BGE dealer sells 2 maple or oak planks for $20... made/packaged by BGE. I saw some at Home Depot which were a bit cheaper. Not sure what wood they were... probably plywood!!!! :-)

GrannyX4... surprised you say raised direct. I thought foil on the regular grid height would insulate it from burning.

Thanks, all (this is such a good group on this forum... everyone willing to help newbies!)

SWVABeanCounter

I get my planks at Lowe's.  2 for $8.  You can get more than one use out of them.  I usually get 2 to 3 cooks out of each.  I've read on hear of someone who uses the plank and cooks indirect.  Seems you could get alot of uses that way, but I've yet to try it.  I will on my next new plank.  I like the dill weed suggestion, will also try that soon.

acegg77

SWVABeanCounter said:

I get my planks at Lowe's.  2 for $8.  You can get more than one use out of them.  I usually get 2 to 3 cooks out of each.  I've read on hear of someone who uses the plank and cooks indirect.  Seems you could get alot of uses that way, but I've yet to try it.  I will on my next new plank.  I like the dill weed suggestion, will also try that soon.

Thanks. I have a Lowes not too far away.

Remember... dill WEED... not seed. I made that mistake once... only once... wife still kids me about it. I'd get divorced... but she'd get my BGE... and everything else (after 31 years of marriage!)

damnedhooligan

GrannyX4 said:

Raised, direct, 400 and cook to temp. I pull mine at about 135. Enjoy.... ;;)

This!!! For thick filets I do it about 5 1/2 mins on the top and 6 mins on the bottom with the skin removed. It flips easily for me using spatula and my fingers. Please be aware this is on my XL and so many variables will change the cooking times. Cook to temp and decide if thats how you like the texture.

Kruegs

I buy 8 foot length of cedar from the lumber yard and cut them to length depending on the size of the cook.  It has been a lot cheaper than buying planks.  As far as I know they're not treated in any way...at least I haven't been sick yet.

tazcrash

For those who like cedar planks, try alder. Harder to find, but turned onto it here, wont go back.

TexanOfTheNorth

By the way, if you use wood planks, don't forget to soak them very well before using them!

SWVABeanCounter

tazcrash said:

For those who like cedar planks, try alder. Harder to find, but turned onto it here, wont go back.

Love the alder best also, I can get them locally at my BGE dealer, but they are like $15 for a pair.  I'm gonna get some and try indirect and see how that works.  I just wonder if you'll get the same flavor.

TexanOfTheNorth

My experience with the cedar is that indirect imparts much less flavor than direct.

double

I buy planks from Costco I seem to remember them being about $9 for a 6 pack.

henapple

maybe I'm wrong but bge is gonna be higher on most things... got mine at Kroger. I've heard of folks using cedar singles.

TUTTLE871

Kruegs said:

I buy 8 foot length of cedar from the lumber yard and cut them to length depending on the size of the cook.  It has been a lot cheaper than buying planks.  As far as I know they're not treated in any way...at least I haven't been sick yet.

I do the same thing and just use my saw and cut me off a section for cooking. I wont buy the ones in the package anymore, I feel like I am paying for them to cut it for me and package it.

GrannyX4

"GrannyX4... surprised you say raised direct. I thought foil on the regular grid height would insulate it from burning.".... I like the raised grate because I feel I have a more even heat circulation and I don't always have to flip the food. I want a crust and flavor on the food and not the aluminum foil. When I do salmon with a sugar base coating I will plank it and my new favorite planks are alder.

chris123stock

I use my planks multiple times just need to soak them. I get at least 5 to ten cooks on one. But I do use until thay are ash. I cook my salmon on the plank just like the foil, after your done just scrape the skin off, most stays on the fish but I just use a spatchula to take it off its not hard and I really dont know anyone who eats the skin? A bear mabey, and I dont know any of them. I cook it 350 direct until I see the white crap ozzing out of the meat thats about  25 to 30 mins. 

acegg77

Holy cow. The salmon was great. I added a handful of dry cherry wood chips just before putting the fish on. I've never had such good salmon in my life. I cooked it on foil, direct.

The only problem is that it took much longer than the gasser. I cooked it at around 350. I finally brought it up to 400 to get it 'done' (where you see the white stuff coming out.) I didn't expect it to take 25 mins. The gasser used to finish it is 12 to 15. 

Thanks for the info on the planks. I like the foil because the skin sticks to it... easy to spath the fish on to your plate without the gray skin. Is there any way to get the skin to stick to the plank? Oh... and I didn't know you have to soak the wood. How long?

Thanks for all your help. This is a great group... everyone willing to share. I LOVE this new BGE. Wish I'd bought one years and years ago when they first came to our area. Fish was GREAT... big success in our house last night.

TexanOfTheNorth

The directions on the wood planks say to soak them for an hour. I usually do that plus some. You'll need to have them fully submerged which usually means putting a plastic container, filled with water, on top of them to keep them from floating. The ones I use fit nicely in my kitchen sink but I have also used a rectangular shaped cooking dish. You really should give them a try!

chris123stock

Ya I soak the planks at least an hour if not more. I dont know of any way to have the skin to stick to the plank? I know what you mean with the foil, its easy clean up.yes it does takea bit longer onthe cook, but worth every minute.