Hot Smoked Arctic Char From Nunavut Food

HOT SMOKED ARCTIC CHAR FROM NUNAVUT

Steps:

• DIRECTIONS FOR IN HOUSE:.
• Sprinkle top of char with salt and pepper; cover with lemon slices. Place, skin side down, on wire rack of smoker.
• Place 2 tbsp (25 mL) maple wood shavings in small pile in centre of smoker base. Place foil-covered drip tray on top of wood chips inside smoker base. Place wire rack with fish on top of drip tray. Place smoker over medium heat; when first wisp of smoke appears, close lid and start cooking time, about 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.) Serve with lemon wedges.
• VARIATION:.
• Barbecued Hot Smoked Arctic Char: Soak 7 cups (1.75 L) maple wood chips in water for 30 minutes; drain and place 4 cups ( 1 L) in foil pan. Set remaining chips aside. Remove 1 grill rack; place foil pan with wood chips on coals. Place foil drip pan on opposite side. Heat all burners of barbecue on high heat until chips smoke vigorously, about 20 minutes.
• Turn off burner under drip pan. Reduce heat of remaining burner to medium-low. Place fish on greased grill over unlit burner. Close lid, leaving fork stuck between lid and grate to help keep heat constant at 225°F (107°C). Smoke until char is moist and not completely dried out, about 2 hours, adding remaining wood chips as necessary.

ARCTIC CHAR GRAVLAX WITH APPLE-PECAN SALAD

Steps:

• GRAVLAX: In a bowl, mix the salt with the brown sugar, dill and juniper berries. In a spice grinder, grind the bay leaves with the peppercorns. Add to the salt cure and mix well. Spread half of the salt in a deep plate. Add the fish fillet, skin side down, and cover with the remaining salt. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Remove the fish from the salt and soak it in ice water in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Pat dry. Transfer the fish, skin side down, to a rack set on a baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight. (wrap tightly in plastic wrap and can be kept in refrigerator up to a week).
• SALAD: Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast for 7 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool. In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the honey and mustard. Add the oil and whisk until blended. Whisk in the garlic and thyme and season with sea salt and pepper. Add the apples and endive and toss, then add the pecans and toss again.
• Using a thin, sharp knife, thinly slice the gravlax on the diagonal off the skin. Mound the salad on plates, surround it with gravlax and serve.

HOT SMOKED KANGAROO

Steps:

• Place kangaroo fillets and shiraz in a freezer bag, wrap well and refrigerate for an hour or two.
• Drain shiraz and lightly dry fillets by placing down each side on a paper towel. Rub over pepper mix.
• Lightly spray a small single layer of aluminum foil with oil to prevent sticking and too much direct heat, place roo on top.
• Prepare smoker and start smoking for 15 minutes. I only used about a tablespoon of mesquite sawdust because I didn't want too much of a smoke flavour over the relatively long cooking time.
• Open lid, turn over fillets and smoke a further 15 minutes. After this there shouldn't be much smoke left, it's just to cook a little further.
• Rather than serving at once remove heat from the smoker and allow it to rest 5 minutes or so.
• Serve with a salad and remaining shiraz.

GOLDEN BROILED ARCTIC CHAR STEAKS

Steps:

• Place steaks on greased broiler pan.
• Mix onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper and tarragon with melted butter.
• Baste steaks with half the sauce, then broil 2 to 4 inches from heat.
• When browned, turn over, and baste with remaining sauce.
• Broil 10 minutes per inch.
• Sprinkle with paprika, garnish with parsley.

REAL TEXAS BRISKET (SMOKED) (SOUTHWEST)

Steps:

• Trim brisket leaving 1/2" layer of fat on top. Determine the direction of the grain of the meet and cut off a slice across the grain. This way when the meet is done, and covered with a dark brown crust, you'll be able to see which direction you should slice.
• Brush with 1/4 cup of lemon juice (bottle juice is fine).
• In a bowl, combine lemon pepper, oregano, celery salt, garlic salt, and seasoned salt.
• Rub brisket with 1/2 of this mixture, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• Remove brisket and let it come to room temp before cooking. Putting a cold piece of meat in a smoker is a sure fire recipe for disaster--the meet will be very bitter.
• Prepare your smoker according to the manufacturer's direction. Heat the smoker to 225°F at the cooking level.
• Place the brisket in the smoker, fat side up.
• Keep the temperature as close to 200°F as you can for the first 2-3 hours by adjusting the air intake, and adding small pieces of wood every 30 minutes. Do not adjust the out vent, it should always remain full open. You know your cooking properly when there is very little smoke coming out of the smoker, and the hot air coming out of the top vent is clear for the first foot, then it turns to a grayish white smoke. If smoke is billowing out of every opening, the smoke is cold and the air flow is too low--your brisket will taste like tar. You can let the temperature creep up to 225°F , but not much over that.
• In a small bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, and remaining lemon juice and rub mixture.
• Mop on the sauce every hour as you turn the meat. Be sure to turn the meat over and also rotate to ensure even cooking. This should be the only time you open the cooking area.
• Smoke 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours per pound, until the internal temperature is 190°F . If you go much past that, your brisket will not slice up, and you'll have pulled beef.
• Remove and wrap in aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for about 1 hour.
• Cut the point (the pyramid shaped portion) off following a natural fat layer between the point and the flat.
• Trim off excess fat.
• Slice the brisket across the grain, using the starter slice you should have done at the beginning as a guide. Slices should be 1/4" thick. If a portion of brisket is falling apart rather than slicing, don't despair. Save the shredded portions and the burnt ends. They will make the best BBQ beef sandwiches later, when chopped and mixed with BBQ sauce.