Barbeque Salmon

by Tony McRae
Barbeque Salmon

Cooking Excellent Barbeque Salmon

Smoked-salmonWhy barbeque salmon? We smoked barbeque meat fanatics need to think about cholesterol every now and then. That’s why barbeque salmon, with it’s Omega 3 fatty acids, is a great alternative.
Salmon, smoked to perfection, also happens to be delicious.

The Key Steps for Barbeque Salmon

  • Use a light brine.
  • Dry the fish thoroughly after
    brining.
  • Using a mild flavored wood for smoking.

It’s also important to use good quality fish when deciding to barbeque salmon. Frozen is okay. We’ve found that the
warehouse stores like Costco and Sams carry very high quality salmon that’s perfect for smoking. There is nothing worse than mushy, poor quality fish.

I want to point out this technique is “hot smoking” as opposed to “cold smoking”. Hot smoking cooks the fish while it is
being smoked. Cold smoking is the technique (at lower temperatures of about 150 degrees) more identified with Northwest Indian tribes and it characterizes more preservation than cooking.

 

 

    Follow these steps to cook a perfect smoked barbeque salmon:

  • The first thing the new cook should do is to brine the fish. Use a simple
    fish brining recipe and let stay in the brine for for no more than 2 hours. If stays longer you’re going to have saltier fish
  • Take the fish out of the brine and wash off thoroughly.
  • Pat dry and spread the fish out on a drying rack. Let the fish air dry for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Prepare your smoker with charcoal and stabilize the temperature in the range 210 to 220 degrees. Use a mild, fruity wood for smoking salmon. Apple, Alder, or Cherry wood are all good choices. Don’t forget to soak the wood at least one hour before placing on hot coals.
  • Use foil or a fish grill grate to place the salmon in the smoker. Be sure to use a little spray cooking oil like Pam to
    prevent the fish from sticking.
  • It doesn’t take long to hot smoke and cook fish. Cooking time works out to about 2 hours per pound. Monitor the
    internal temperature (a remote temperature probe comes in handy for this). When the internal temperature of the fish reaches
    165 degrees the fish is done.

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    If you smoked too much salmon (it does happen sometime)
    click here     for a great breakfast recipe using the leftovers.

    Sometimes your wife has a better idea than you do for using the smoked salmon
    click here     for a delicious salmon main dish.

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