Smoking salmon requires care and patience to keep the delicate meat from drying out during the long, smoking process. Marinating the fish in a salt and sugar solution known as brine locks in your salmon's moisture while allowing for longer periods of exposure to flavor-enhancing hardwood smoke. With proper attention to detail, the flavor of smoked salmon prepared on a backyard barbecue grill or smoker rivals that of any commercially-produced smoked salmon.
Brining the Salmon
Step 1
Mix salt, sugar and 1 gallon of water in a large plastic bowl until the granules dissolve.
Step 2
Submerge the salmon fillets in the solution. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or an airtight lid.
Step 3
Refrigerate the fish in the solution overnight prior to smoking.
Smoking the Salmon
Step 1
Dump the wood chips into a large plastic bowl and submerge in water. Soak the chips for at least an hour prior to smoking time.
Step 2
Place four or five large handfuls of natural hardwood charcoal into the chimney starter, and place two balled up sheets of newspaper into the lower compartment of the starter.
Step 3
Open the grill and remove and set aside the cooking grate. Open all vents and chimneys wide.
Step 4
Place the chimney starter on the coal (lower) grate, and light the newspaper with a long butane grill lighter. Allow about 20 minutes for the coals to completely ignite.
Step 5
Lift the chimney starter out of the grill by its protective handle, dump the lit coals into the side firebox, then shut the firebox hatch. Place the foil roasting pan on the lower grate, then place the cooking grate back into the grilling chamber.
Step 6
Remove the fish from the brine and place the fillets -- scale side down -- on the cooking grate above the foil roasting pan. Close the grill lid.
Step 7
Open the firebox hatch, toss a handful of wet wood chips directly atop the coals, then close the hatch. Adjust grill vents to maintain a smoking temperature of between 250 and 300 degrees, and add a handful of coals and wood chips every 30 minutes to maintain the fire and smoke.
Step 8
Remove the fish from the cooking grate carefully after about 1 1/2 to 2 hours of smoking. Use a long-handled spatula to move the fish from grate to plate, and lift the salmon carefully so it doesn't fall apart.
Tips and Warnings
- The best flavor is derived from using wood that generates milder smoke. This is alder wood or wood from fruit-bearing trees, such as cherry or apple. Heavier flavor tones from hickory or oak can overpower the fish.
- Always handle hot grill lids, vents and hatches wearing protective grilling gloves to prevent burns.
Things You'll Need
- 2 to 3 salmon fillets
- Barrel-style barbecue grill with side firebox
- 2 lbs. alder or fruit tree wood chips
- Large bag natural lump charcoal
- Charcoal chimney starter
- Long butane grill lighter
- 2 sheets newspaper
- 2 large bowls
- Plastic wrap
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 gallon water
