BARBECUED SALMON

WE WONDERED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO cook a whole side of salmon over low barbecue heat. Our goal was to produce a fish perfumed with smoke flavor (like smoked salmon). However, we wanted to cook the fish (not just smoke it), making it possible to serve the fish in large pieces as a main course.

When we first tried cooking a whole side of salmon over indirect heat, we liked the smoke flavor but felt that the salmon became too dry during the hour and a half cooking time. We tried brushing the salmon with oil and then with a moist sauce, but neither improved the texture of the fish much below the surface.

At this point, we decided to try brining the salmon. Gravlax (which is cured but not smoked) is brined. Of course, we know from previous experience that brining helps poultry hold onto moisture as it cooks.

We tested a simple salt water brine and felt that it helped the fish retain more moisture as it barbecued. We also tried a brine with salt and sugar and found that the sweetness worked well with the flavor of the fish. As for the timing, we found that the fish benefits most from three hours of brining.

The actual cooking process is ridiculously simple. The fish is placed over indirect heat and cooked just until the thickest part of the fillet will flake. We built a modest charcoal fire with 40 briquettes and found that the salmon was done after an hour and a half. There was no need to add any charcoal as the salmon cooked, making this a quick and easy way to enjoy barbecue flavor.

As with poultry we found that salmon cooked over charcoal was significantly drier than salmon cooked over gas. Charcoal-barbecued salmon is still delicious and plenty moist (thanks to brining), but the difference is readily apparent.