Mesquite Smoked Salmon Food

MESQUITE SALMON

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix the first eight ingredients. Add wood chips to grill according to manufacturer's directions. , Place salmon on oiled grill rack, skin side down. Grill, covered, over medium heat 7 minutes. Spoon mayonnaise mixture over salmon. Grill, covered, 7-10 minutes longer or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork.

HOT SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• The night before serving, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, the peppercorns, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a large flat ceramic or glass dish. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the salmon. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• At least 1 1/2 hours before you plan to cook the salmon, soak the wood chips in water.
• Thirty minutes before you¿re ready to cook, heat the charcoal. Place a double layer of coals on one side of the grill, light them, and allow them to burn until the coals are gray on the outside. (I use a charcoal chimney to light the coals.) Sprinkle half the soaked wood chips on the hot coals (you will see lots of smoke). On the other side of the grill, place the foil pan and pour in 1 cup water. Place the cooking grate over the coals and the pan.
• Scrape most of the sugar mixture off the salmon and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place the salmon skin-side down on the side of the grill directly over the foil pan. Put the lid on the grill, making sure the top and bottom vents are open. Smoke the salmon for 10 minutes. Add the remaining wood chips directly on the coals and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, until it's firm to the touch and barely cooked. Don't overcook the salmon or it will be dry!
• Transfer the salmon to a clean platter and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, if desired, and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold with the Fresh Dill Sauce.
• Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, scallions, dill, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for a few seconds, until well mixed. Add the cucumber and puree for another few seconds, until combined. Pour into a container and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.

SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together salt, sugar, brown sugar and peppercorns. Spread extra-wide aluminum foil a little longer than the length of the fish and top with an equally long layer of plastic wrap. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the plastic. Lay 1 side of the fish skin down onto the rub. Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub onto the flesh of the salmon. Place second side of salmon, flesh down onto the first side. Use the remaining rub to cover the skin on the top piece. Fold plastic over to cover then close edges of foil together and crimp tightly around the fish. Place wrapped fish onto a plank or sheet pan and top with another plank or pan. Weigh with a heavy phone book or a brick or two and refrigerate for 12 hours. Flip the fish over and refrigerate another 12 hours. Some juice will leak out during the process so make sure there's a place for the runoff to gather. Unwrap fish and rinse off the cure with cold water. Pat salmon with paper towels then place in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator) until the surface of the fish is dry and matte-like, 1 to 3 hours depending on humidity. A fan may be used to speed the process. Smoke fish (see Note) over smoldering hardwood chips or sawdust, keeping the temperature inside the smoker between 150 degrees F and 160 degrees F until the thickest part of the fish registers 150 degrees. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Cook's Note: Trout, mackerel, and bluefish also smoke well.

MESQUITE-SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Combine chopped cilantro, wine, soy sauce and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• Whisk in oil a little at a time.
• Place fish in a nonaluminum pan.
• Pour marinade over; refrigerate salmon 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
• Remove fish from marinade and place on rack 30 minutes to dry.
• Pour marinade into smoker's water bath.
• Spread mesquite chips on rack of gas or electric smoker.
• Add onion and bay leaves to water bath and fill with water.
• Fill fish cavity with 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems.
• Oil smoker rack and set fish on rack.
• Cover smoker;set heat on high.
• Smoke salmon until fish is just opaque, about 1 hour.
• Cool 15 minutes.
• Discard skin and grey meat from fish.
• Set fish on platter;surround with cilantro and lemon slices.
• Serve at room temperature with Cilantro Sauce (Recipe #232006).
• To smoke fish in a covered barbeque, prepare medium-low coals in barbeque grill. Push coals to sides.Place marinade,onion and bay leaves in 7x11-inch disposable aluminum pan. Place in center of coals and fill with water. Spread mesquite chips over coals. Oil grill rack. Set fish on rack, cover and smoke,turning once and cooking until opaque, about 1 1/2 hours.