Grill-Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

18 alder wood chunks (25mm x 25mm x 25mm)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 large fillets of salmon (about 2 lbs each)
Smoked Salmon Platter Sauce

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1. Submerge wood chunks in warm water and let sit during the entire preparation of the recipe.

2. Combine sugar and salt in a small bowl.

3. Set salmon fillets flesh side up on a large cutting board and remove pinbones with needle nose pliers or needle drivers.

4. Cut each fillet into 4 or 5 smaller fillets

5. Sprinkle exposed flesh of each fillet with the sugar/salt mixture evenly. Place on wire rack sitting on a cookie sheet, and place uncovered in refrigerator for an hour.

6. 15 minutes before salmon is finished in refrigerator, drain water from soaked wood chunks and place 9 wood chunks in cast iron smoker box, leaving space between each wood chunk. Place smoker box below grilling surface and on top of burners 1 & 1.5. Turn on burners 1, 1.5, & 2 and let grill preheat for 15 minutes.

7. Tear two sheets of tinfoil to be 48cm long. Fold each sheet in half lengthwise, shiny side facing in. Spray one side of each tinfoil with nonstick cooking spray.

8. Remove salmon from refrigerator and using a folded paper towel, blot off any moisture from fillets.

9. Turn off all burners except burner 1. Turn burner 1 to low. Place tinfoil sheets on cool side of grill (over burner 3) and space fillets on top of tinfoil, leaving about an 25mm between each fillet. Close grill and allow to cook for 30 minutes. Adjust burner 1 accordingly so that the grill maintains a temperature of 275°

10. After 30 minutes, take the temperature of the salmon. Salmon will be cooked when it registers 130°-140° in the thickest part. Try not to cook above 145°.

11. Remove fillets from grill. When the fillets are cool enough to handle, remove salmon skin from fillet. Serve warm or allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with platter sauce.

12. Serve warm or allow to cool to room temperature. Serve fillets with platter sauce.

Notes:
Serves 8-10