Hot Smoked and Grilled Salmon

Coho salmon cooks up fabulously with just about any salmon recipe you can throw at it.  We love to grill it, and the addition of a little wood smoke gives it that extra dab of fabulousness.   Start with a little brine, grill it slowly over indirect heat and get some smoke on it... yum!

6 to 8 oz. portions of salmon per person ¼ cup salt ¼ cup sugar 4 cups water Woodchips (presoaked in water) pepper Maple syrup (or barbeque sauce or other favorite salmon glaze!)

 

Mix the salt and sugar in the water and stir until dissolved to create the brine.  Add your salmon portions to the liquid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and no more than 8 hours).  Preheat and prepare your grill for indirect grilling (if you're using coals, sort of pile them to one side so you can easily slow cook the salmon).  Remove the salmon from the brine, pat dry and season with pepper or blackening.  Place your salmon filets on the lower heat part of the grill, and slow cook.  Periodically, (every 15 minutes or so) add a few woodchips to the grill heat and let it smoke!  Cook your salmon about 30 to 45 minutes depending on heat level and thickness (check for doneness by flaking apart at the thickest section).  Glaze at the end with your favorite sauce - we used maple syrup that was a gift from a friend from Vermont, and it was delicious!  

   

p.s. If you have a crowd to feed or a large piece of fish, cut it into individual portions - it will season up much nicer as a small piece!