Cooking salmon

[fcnich]

Hi Syzygies,
Just a couple questions, do you cook this on foil and on what rack? My neighbor has quite a bit of salmon, (he fishes) and wants me to cook some on the kk, he had some pulled pork was shocked at the moistness of it. We dont eat alot of fish just some crappe and bluegill once in a while.

Thanks!!
fcnich

[MadMedik]

I just did some 'smoked salmon', huge fillets from Costco. Filled up both the main grill and the upper grill (4 huge fillets). I cooked low and slow...for me that is about 180 to 190 degrees, for about 3 hours or so...my goal being 145 degree internal temp or a bit higher if like it drier. Used deflector stone, 2 or 3 pieces of Alder Wood, home made marinade....very tasty. Cut up in 22 pieces, vacuum seal packages, freeze for another day.



The first time the fillets had skin on 1 side, so i just put Pam on grill, put skin side down and it did not stick at all. Cooked on the main grill. The last time, my fillets had NO skin, so i did put just enough foil down to match width of fillets. I also put Pam on foil. Used both grills. These did not stick either. My father did 1 huge fillet on his KK, forgot the foil, and his came off grill quite nicely...no sticking

As for cooking it for a fish dinner to eat as main course, i have not yet done Salmon this way. I only like salmon when smoked...

[fcnich]

Thanks MadMedik. Guess i wil take a stroll down salmon lane..... always fun to learn something new!! Thanks again!!

[bwright]

I just put king salmon (Scottish farmed so supposedly ecologically sound), steelhead (farmed by who knows) and rainbow trout (farmed again). I have cooked a lot of fish on the KK and smoked some from time to time. This time I am preparing for a xmas party and wanted a lot of smoked fish. I like pretty heavily smoked and fairly dry smoked salmon and trout. I have had a lot of success in the past with trout. So, instead of being smart and checking the forum before I started I did it my own way. Brined all of the fish overnight in just kosher salt and lots of water. Stuck them on the lil Isla, the salmon on the lower rack also filled remaining space with some of the trout. Steelhead and rest of salmon on top grill. Mostly cherry chunks but also some other stuff, probably lemon and guava under the heat shield. I did not leave the fish to dry before putting them on. But I am starting at a very low temperature (between 100 and 110 F) and hope this will dry it. It seems to be forming some pelliciles now. After consulting forum I added some lime juice (have abundance of Mexican limes on my tree). I intend to keep it at this temperature for as long as practicable, take some out and freeze it to destroy possible parasites) and up the temperature on the rest until I get it to at least 145 internal temperature.
Unfortunately, as I was putting this post together the temperature rose to 124 degrees and I can't seem to get it back down even by closing top draft and nearly closing bottom. Any suggestions about how to keep it lower?[img]http://wrightb.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/img_0047.jpg[/img]
Will report back when done. Hope I will figure out how to put in pictures by then.

[bwright]

[lee grabowski]

I have used the KK many times to smoke Salmon, and used the recipe from The Naked Whiz web site on how to smoke it and it is very good. This process is a low and slow cook. There is a post in this forum with pictures if you search smoked salmon it will come up.

You can also use cedar planks to cook it, leave the skin on the fish and place it skin down on the plank, the skin stays on the plank and all the fillet comes off. I will use only some Dill Weed for spices. Cook it at about 350 degrees dome temp., 20-25 minutes and it is done.

Other times just slice up a lemon and place it on the Salmon while on the cedar plank.

Salmon it is easy to cook. I usually take it off at about 145-150 degrees inside. You should thank your neighbor it is $8.99 a pound now.

Good Luck
Lee G.

[bwright]

I had some problems with the day because I had to leave. So after three or four hours I had raised the temperature only a little bit. When I came back I raised temperature gradually ultimately reaching about 240 in the kamado and 170 or so in the salmon center. I left it to cool overnight. When I tried to take in off the grill it stuck everywhere. I had not greased the fish but had oiled the grills. Suffice it to say that I lost most of the skin and thus the appearance I wanted. The trout were a bit overdone. Next time I will put something, maybe sorrel leaves from my very large sorrel plant. But it does taste pretty good. I might also leave it in the brine for a shorter time.

[Syzygies]

We did a very thick salmon steak last night, indoors alas. Brined four hours in half cup salt, quarter cup sugar to a gallon of water. Vacuum sealed with 1/2 cup of good olive oil, 134 F water bath for 90 minutes, and predictably the center only reached 124 F. Two slices would have been smarter, we were rather rushed.

I've been seeing this olive oil "confit" method in various recent cookbooks. The consistency at 124 F center was spectacular. We're having the leftover flakes and oil over fresh pasta with parsley tonight. When I smoke a salmon on the KK (as described earlier in this thread) I don't go much over this target temp.

[DennisLinkletter]

These were all mguerra's pineapple, soy sauce, brown sugar and cayenne recipe..
Thanks Doc..

And a chunk of Tuna that looked pretty..
I usually cook them a bit less but then again I'm a big fan of Maguro..

[EGGARY]

Cooking Salmon tonight. I saw a Post of doing it. 225 Temp for 90 minutes. My question is Direct or indirect ?

Is there a difference in using the Heat Deflector Stone compared to the Drip Pan that came with the KK ?

Any other suggestions would be helpful.

Thank you.

[mguerra]

I recently cooked some salmon indirect high up in the dome. I was cooking something else and just put it up there on the sear grill above the main. Came out best ever. I cook it until that white goo starts oozing out. It was probably a 350 degree cook.

[casebeag]

I've been fortunate enough to have fresh salmon for many meals recently. Our season here in the Monterey bay is off to a great start and we've gotten limits on a couple occasions. When it's this fresh, I simply use olive oil, salt and pepper. I've been cooking it skin down on the lower grate (not the sear grate) at about 500 - 550 degrees, direct. I don't flip it, just pull it when it 'seems' done. The skin acts as a mini heat deflector. Best thing in the world.

[slu]

This is fresh Monterey Bay salmon sent by Casebeag by private courier yesterday afternoon. It's the best. I don't think any other salmon has the richness that is found here. I grilled it as Matt suggested. The skin formed a crunchy bark on the bottom; it was consumed as well!

[db5000]

Sorry to post without pictures- but had a great cedar plank salmon tonight and thought I would share

soaked plank- seasoned for a couple of minutes prior to grilling

1 hour marinade with:
1 tbls melted butter
1 tbls olive oil
1 tbls brown sugar
1 tbls honey
1 tbls soy sauce
1 clove garlic

one pound of fresh salmon- skin removed
Grilled on lower grill with dome at 375 for 20 minutes with coco and one chunk of apple wood

best I have had

Derek

[fanie2200]

Trying mguerra's pineapple's recipe tonight, but with wild pompano(NOT salmon) and pineapple pieces on the side.
on the grill around 450F, I will cook 4 minutes on one side skin down.

Should be wonderful
Tomorrow smoking slab of scottish salmon(7 pnds),slow/low and sering snapper(3 pnds).
Brining them now as we type.

Good thanksgiving food with turkey.