Share your favourite Salmon recipe

[TenMile]

The freezer is starting to get an inventory, so it's that time of year to start experimenting with different recipes. Let me start with my favourite and hopefully we can get a collection going here:

Terry's Cedar Plank Salmon

Start with a fresh salmon fillet (remove hootchie and hooks)
prepare marinade
- in a Pyrex glass dish mix:
- 1 cup of Crown Royal (actually 2 cups are better, but the second cup has an alternative use -- see below)
- handful of Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons of Kosher Salt
- fresh garlic (3 cloves)
- a whole squeezed lemon (the real thing, not the bottled juice)
- fresh ground pepper (or whole pepper corns -- but pound them with a mallet (or hammer) first,

Salmon fillet should marinade in this mix for 2-3 hours or more. If overnight do it in the fridge as you don't want the ick from the cleaning station growing big and walking away with your fillet(s).

Soak Cedar plank in water for a couple of hours (it's a good idea to start it soaking at 5:30am as you are headed out to the dock -- it's a confidence thing -- "I am going to catch fish today"...). Once you are ready, light the BBQ. Coat the plank with a sprinkle of Kosher salt. Lay Cedar plank on BBQ. Leave BBQ on High for 5-10 minutes until plank starts to smoke heavily (and last night's hamburger completely burns off -- totally ruins the taste of your salmon by the way).

Once you have a nice smoky BBQ, turn the heat down to Med/Low (this is the important part). Lay your marinated salmon Skin Down on the plank (not on the grill). Take your digital thermometer (that you got on sale at CDN Tire for $18 -- or better yet, used that WAD of CDN tire money stashed in your tackle box) and stick it into the thickest part of the flesh. Pour the remaining marinade over the top of your salmon, and, for effect (so your wife thinks you are a chef, as opposed to a regular dude), place the two halves (or three halves if you did something weird) of the squeezed lemon on top of the salmon fillets (get fancy here and add some fresh basil leaves too).

Now, take the second cup of Crown Royal -- mix yourself a "Fisherman's Friend" -- pocket the other end of your digital thermometer (yes, you splurged and purchased the wireless one Eddy). Set the alarm to tell you when the fish hits 130F (don't forget to coordinate your rice or potatoes or something green to finish at the same time... and yes, you should cook the whole dinner and be the hero since your honey had the kids all morning while you were "playing on the boat"). I have personally found that 130F is the optimal temperature for a nice moist salmon -- much higher than that and it dries out (and loses flavour).... Depending on your BBQ and the thickness of your fish, this will take 15-40 minutes (my HUGE salmon always take a long time and I have to mix at least one more "Fisherman's Friend" i.e. the Friend of the Fisherman's Friend).

This is a great meal to have with BBQ'd corn on the cob (soak Ears of corn for 40 minutes, and cook them in the husk along with your salmon -- you'll hate me while you peel the freaking burning husk off the corn, but you will never have tasted a better version -- trust me). Find a local green veggie and you can impress your flat-lander guests with the Vancouver Island 100km diet (stuff I got that is grown or caught within 100kms of where I live).

Anyhow...hope that's a good start and hope to see some better ideas!!! 6am tomorrow and I will be at the Victoria waterfront and I hope to catch my fillet (cedar plank is soaking...).

 

[scott craven]

I'll try that one Terry, sounds awesome...
good luck tomorrow, let me know if anything happening
on the waterfront

 

[wolf]

Here is a tip for your cedar plank soak it any time put it in saran or even a safeway bag after it is been soaking for a couple of days etc and put it in the freezer for when you want it next so it is always pre soaked for you for the times you didnt plan it out.

Wolf

 

[wolf]

Here is a recipe form my web site there are acople more there as well but one of my favorites.
Roy's Cream Cheese Salmon with White Wine

This is a nice change for doing salmon and makes it very moist!

This is a dish my friends all love. The sauce is what makes it taste so good. Serve with a nice bed of Basmati rice. It's a very simple and easy recipe.


Ingredients

1 Cup of Cream Cheese (soft) Salmon Filet (2lb. or more)
2 TBSP of Red Peppers (minced) 1 to 2 cups of your favorite White Wine (0 or 1 in sweetness)
1 TBSP of minced Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste.
1 TSP of Dill or Rosemary, or your favorite Herb.
Blend the above ingredients together and set aside.

Method

1. Take your filet of salmon and remove all of the skin and cut the filet in half.
2. Place half of the filet in a greased (Pam Spray) casserole dish which is a bit bigger than the filet. Gently place the cream cheese mixture on top of the filet. Now place the second piece of filet on top of the piece with cream cheese. Use tooth picks to hold it together.
3. Add your wine to make it cover the bottom of the dish about a 1/2 inch deep. The amount will vary depending on your dish. Now put your salt and pepper on.
4. Heat covered. Use foil or a lid and cook at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes per inch of fish.
5. Once cooked, place the fish on a platter and cover with foil. Place all the mixture from the casserole dish and bits of salmon in a Teflon fry pan and reduce the mixture down to a nice sauce. Place the sauce on the fish and garnish with parsley.

Now drink the rest of the bottle of wine and enjoy.

Roy Carver
Blue Wolf Charters

 

[oguard]

Mine is very close to Terrys but I add ginger to the marinade and use Appletons rum as my liquid.I also have one more difference I use my Charcoal Weber and add some alder wood chips to the coals.Now the bbq takes time to get going so this is a good time to have a couple beers or rums.About 35-40 mins. later you have some great salmon and the kids now think you are the greatest dad ever because they can now roast the marshmallows on the leftover charcoal.

Mike

 

[drhook]

One of my many favorites is the Gold Metal Grilled Tequilla Salmon from the Salmon Cookbook by Carol Ann Shipman.

Salmon fillets (skin on)
2 tbsp butter

Tequila marinade as follows:
1/2 cup olive oil
6 tbsp lime juice
6 tbsp tequila
1-2 jalapeno peppers (finely diced)
2 tbsp lime zest
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp coarse salt

Make marinade and let stand for 15 minutes for flavors to mix. Add salmon fillets flesh down in marinade and put in fridge for 2 hours.
Remove and lay on BBQ skin down on foil, close lid for 8 minutes, baste once with marinade and close lid for another 8 minutes.
In the meantime, take the remaining marinade and bring to boil on the stove in a small sausepan for 4 minutes. Add butter at end of boil. Serve sausey marinade with salmon.
Goes great with a rice so you can pour the marinade overtop.

 

[juandesooka]

Cedar plank salmon....mmmm.

A few variations I've found that work.

Plank: if you can get your hands on any green cedar round, split a shake size plank out of that. Probably makes no difference, but adds to that 100km effect.

Glaze: mix up a bowl full of soy sauce mixed with maple syrup (or brown sugar, microwaved to get it completely mixed in). Every 5 minutes or so, brush it over top. As it cooks, the sugar carmelizes, and when done the salmon has a sweet crust and a nice dark finish. For flavour, can also add minced ginger (use your garlic press), minced garlic, or crushed black pepper to the glaze.

Done: ain't got no thermometer, although I like the sounds of that, overcooking salmon is the worst. Actually overcooking halibut is the worst, but salmon is bad too. I usually give it 20 minutes for a medium size filet. If you are doing a big slab, cut it into serving size chunks to cook it faster -- also gives more surface to get that sugary glaze going. And assuming the salmon is fresh, a bit underdone in the middle is ok by me, tuna-style.

 

[juandesooka]

Here's another one. Came from Island Fisherman magazine. It is easy, but looks gourmet, tastes good too!

Salmon Roasted in Phyllo Pastry

You need:

8-10 ounce salmon filets, at least 1" thick and de-boned.
1/2 cup minced cilantro
1 minced green onion
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel (I substituted orange peel)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup olive oil
2 sheets of phyllo pastry per fish piece

You get phyllo pastry in the frozen foods, comes rolled in a box -- you need to thaw it out first, but don't let it dry out.

* Combine cilantro, green onion, and orange/lemon. Roll fish in it until lightly coated.
* Take out a sheet of phyllo, brush with oil/butter mix, then put another sheet on top and brush again.
* Put salmon piece onto phyllo, fold sides, then roll over to make a rectangular packet.
* Put packet on ungreased cookie sheet.
* Repeat for others -- for thin parts of salmon, like in the belly, you can stack two pieces together.
* Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes.
* The phyllo should be golden brown and crisp.

I tried this same recipe with halibut and it was excellent too.

 

[kippersnack]

butterfly salmon or just half a filet,skin side down on foil.Pour over equal parts teriyaki and soy sauce(about 1 tbsp each)Sprinkle with garlic salt, brown sugar,pepper(milled best). Sprinkle lightly with fresh lime juice or lemon.(Reallemon or Reallime works well also)(Lime seems better) add couple pats of butter. Place another layer of foil over the fish and seal. Marinade 4 hours or up to 24 hours in the refridgerator or cooler. Preheat BBQ at medium and cook for 10 minutes once the foil rises. After 10 to 12 minutes of steam cooking cut open foil and check for doneness.This is a good recipe over 20 yrs old and actually once was called...you guessed it.. "West Coast BBQ Salmon"...try it you won't be disappointed.. enjoy!

 

[Kisinana]

Ziplock bag a cup of Maple Syrup and a fillet overnight. Place fillet of salmon on a cedar plank on the BBQ and cook at medium to low heat for 25-35 minutes dependant on size. The only dressing is Maple Syrup. Nothing else.
Another favourite is 1/2 cup Renes Sesame Teriyaki sauce with a 1/2 cup olive oil and some pepper. Let marinade for about an hour in a ziplock bag and then wrap in tin foil and place on BBQ for 20 minutes on mediium heat and poach until just flaking with a fork.

 

[dog]

Not a recipe, but a tip from a really lazy dog with no filleting finesse. I have started cutting my steaks really thick. 2-1/2 to 3 inches. I used to do them much thinner. Thicker cooks up really nicely in the pan (usually too lazy to BBQ), and it is way faster for the cutter (me).

 

[Tsquared]

There are some good recipes here, boys! And here I thought the expertise was all on the water!The following is a hot smoked (kippered) salmon recipe for strips that many of us with Bradley smokers use. As long as you can control your heat level, it doesn't matter what kind of smoker you have. I use spring salmon all the time and it disappears very very fast.

Kummok's salmon strips
Step 1: PREPARE FISH
Filet salmon. Leave skin on. REMOVE ALL BONES (Very important for excellence!)

Step 2: UNIFORM STRIPS
Cut meat into uniform strips, 3/8 to 1/2” wide and 3-6” long, OR as long as your smoker racks can handle......the key here is to get uniform thickness cuts for uniform brining and smoking. The length is important only as far as your own packaging preferences. The strips will have a tendency to fall or sag through the larger grid racks.........I've switched to a small grid (1/2") teflon coated rack and now have no problem with meat falling through

Step 3: BRINING
Soak in your own brine recipe for 12 hours at refrigerator temps. For more complete brining throughout, place a stainless steel or wooden grate over the top of the meat to hold it under the brine. Stir fish a few times during the brining process. The following brine recipe is included to get you started, but you are encouraged to experiment with your own salt/sugar, maple, honey, peppers, seasonings to develop your own.
1 quart teriyaki (I use Kikkoman's}
1 cup pickling salt
2 Lbs brown sugar
2 Tbsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp cayenne pepper
Step 4: GLAZING
Place fish in a single layer on drying racks and ensure that the pieces DON’T touch each other. Dry in a cool, shady place until a hard pellicle forms. Fish will have a tough, shiny coat and will be slightly tacky to the touch. In the summer temps, it can typically take 3-4 hours for the fish to “glaze”. A fan can help speed the drying process. DON’T let the fish spoil from warm temps! Turn the fish over 2-3 times during the Glazing process to ensure more complete glazing. It is during the glazing process that you can sprinkle on certain spices (e.g. cayenne pepper) and/or visual enhancers (e.g. parsley flakes).I usually put on coarse ground pepper, fresh rosemary and crushed dried juniper berries.

Step 5: SMOKING
Smoke using the following guideline:
100°-120°F for 1-2 hours, then increase to
140° for 2-4 hours, then increase to
175° for 1-2 hours to finish

Use the longer times given for thicker/higher oil content fish. As a general rule, the higher temp you use or the longer you hot smoke, the more the meat cooks the oils out, HOWEVER, the meat becomes dryer/tougher in the process. If you get white “boogers” on the meat, you’re cooking too high/too fast.

Here's a pic of a smoker full.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y44/tsquared1/100_0411.jpg
EAT & ENJOY!![]

 

[Tanglefoot]

tsquared, can I ask where you got racks and do they fit the Bradley?

Thanks, Tom

"I've switched to a small grid (1/2") teflon coated rack and now have no problem with meat falling through"

 

[Tsquared]

quote: tsquared, can I ask where you got racks and do they fit the Bradley?

Urchin Yes they do. I ordered mine from a now defunct mail order house but you can get them at Island outfitter's here in Victoria. I think I've seen them at Crappy Tire too but they seem to be cutting back on their Bradley stuff so they may not carry them anymore.
T2

 

[Degree of Freedom]

simple and delicious...
equal parts soy sauce, brown sugar, water, oil.

sprinkle lemon peper on fillets, place fillets in the marinade for ~12 hours.
BBQ and enjoy.

 

[TenMile]

Made that Phylo Pastry recipe tonight but substituted sole instead of salmon. It's excellent and super-easy to make!!! I can see it even better with a nice thick piece of salmon as the fish taste would stand out. Would be good with some other veggies stuffed inside the pastry too (broccoli, cauliflower, turnip etc...).

 

[coriba]

This is an involved recipe, but we make it in bulk so it's not too bad. A bit of background, when my great uncle died in the 80s, we inherited his saltwater fishing gear, including "The Oregon Saltwater Fishing Guide", published in 1972, that includes this recipe. We call it "Cowboy Sauce".

"A Really Secret Way to Barbeque Fish.

So you caught a steelhead or salmon and have proudly flopped the dead fish on your wife's clean drainboard. As long as there are scales all over the kitchen and you still reek of the great conquest, why not put the knife to the fish and prepare it for a pleasant evening barbeque? If the barbecue party is a week or so away, con a cake pan from the woman you live with and place the fillets therein. Then fill the pan with water, covering all the fish. After the fish is frozen, pull the pan out and give it a sharp rap. Presto, you now have a cake of ice with the fish enclosed which may be easily stacked in the freezer.

Pull the fish from the freezer the night before B-day and lay in a supply of heavy aluminum foil and charcoal. Fire up the barbecue unit well in advance to insure that coals cover the entire bottom of the rig.

Make a dish of the aluminum foil the same size as the top of your barbecue unit, making a lip of about one inch all around so that all juices will be retained. Then cut the fish into serving pieces. Grease the grill on the barbecue unit, then place the fish, flesh side down, on the grill close to the coals. The idea is a quick sear job.

Sauce ingredients:
1/2 lb butter
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup tomato juice
1 tsp dry mustard
3/4 Tbsp sugar
3/4 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tbsp Tabasco Sauce
3/4 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp paprika
1/4 cup vinegar
1 grated onion
1 clove garlic

Thus far it has been all man work, but the gal should have been working in the kitchen all this time doing this: Madam will combine all ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. If madam is real smart she will make a double or triple batch while she is at it (freeze the surplus) because this is a helluva lot of messing around. But worth it! The above will make about one quart, enough for one large fish.

Are those chunks of fish browning nicely? OK, use a flapjack turner and place them, flesh side up, in the foil pan you've fashioned. Then raise the grill away from the coals and place the pan and fish back over the fire. Here comes madam with the Cowboy Sauce. Whoopee! The fillets of fish will have cracks from the sear-job. Start spooning the sauce into the cracks and all over the fish. Keep spooning.

Are you still on the sauce? Keep basting until the fish is ready to be served. If you have plenty of fish not much more will be needed, but you might serve fruit or tossed salad, corn on the cob, garlic bread and coffee, tea or booze.

And that, fellow anglers, makes tremendous eating. After your wife has tried it she may relinquish custody long enough for you to make another fishing trip."