Smoking/Grilling Salmon??

[buckshot]

Hi all,
I might be putting the cart in front of the horse a bit here but I want to be prepared in case things work out.
I am leaving Sunday morning for Lake Michigan salmon fishing for a couple days.....this will be a first time experience for me so I am fired up, I have heard the salmon are going pretty good out there.  I have been on Michigan numerous times...but always for walleyes never salmon or trout.

Just looking for advice on how to smoke and/or grill salmon.
Thanks in advance!!
JB

[BearGuide]

Smoked Cedar Plank Salmon / Trout

Brine
1 Salmon Fillet (3 Pounds)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste
1/8 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 TSP Salt
1 TBL Water

Soak the salmon fillet in a brine solution for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Also, submerge the cedar wood plank in water, placing a heavy object on top of it to prevent floating.

Preheat an outdoor smoker for 160 to 180 degrees F (70 to 80 degrees C).

Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse thoroughly under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the wood plank from the water, and lay the fish out on the plank. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Smoke the salmon for at least 2 hours, checking after 1 1/2 hours for doneness. The fish is done when it flakes with a fork, but it should also not be too salty. As the fish smokes, the salt content reduces. Adjust the cooking time and salty flavor to your taste. (Note: Smoking a fillet can take 2 to 6 hours depending on your taste, the size of the fillet, and the fat content of the fish.)

During the last 30 minutes of smoking, mix together the brown sugar and water to form a paste. Brush this liberally onto the salmon.

[JohnWester]

you'll have a blast out there... this is the beginning of the time of the summer when they really start to get going.  Are you chartering or going it alone?

anyway, as far as grilling salmon, there are a bunch of recipes on the net on different things to coat the fillets with, I like a brown sugar/orange juice one... but one thing is for sure, when ever you grill it, obviously put the skin side down, but cook them on tinfoil.  it will make your grill clean up A LOT more easier.  My first time I just cooked them skin down right on the grill and that skin was a pain in the arse to get off.

[buckshot]

Thanks for the info....both sound wonderful...I am more of a grill guy but I do like smoked salmon.   My folks have a smoker so I will probably try that as well.
I definitely want to try the grilling approach.

I am going with a friend of mine...he is friends with a guy that fishes out there pretty much every weekend and he got invited but they had room for another and I lucked out and got the call to take the empty 3rd seat.    ::
It is just going to be the 3 of us so we should have a really fun time....I am chompin at the bit to get out there.
JB

[thunderpout]

Hey Buckshot...My buddie and his girlfriend went to Alaska last year and brought home silver and king salmon, we did some up on the smokey joe on leech lake at the eelpout festival using the brown sugar brine. you can put the fillets skin down on the grill if ya spray a clean grill with Pam...The soaked cedar plank thing works good also in your oven at home but the coals/wood smoke really adds to the flavor...much better done grillin/smokin but smokin em sucks when youre hungry and you gotta smell that awsome smoke swirlin around for hours.....-thunderpout 8)