If your grill has a smoker pan or insert, follow the manufacturer’s instructions rather than using the foil packet described below. To give the fish a stronger, more pleasing smoke flavour, we used hickory wood chips.
HANDS-ON TIME
30 minutes
TOTAL TIME
8½ hours
MAKES
8 to 12 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 cups boiling water
½ cup sea salt, kosher salt or pickling salt
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 onion, sliced
1 piece (2 inches/5 cm long) fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tbsp ground ginger)
4 cups cold water
8 sprigs fresh dill
1 skin-on side of salmon (about 1.35 kg)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely ground
1 tsp ground coriander
lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
In large heatproof glass measuring cup or bowl, combine boiling water, salt, brown sugar, granulated sugar, onion and ginger; stir until salt is dissolved. Add cold water; let cool. Add dill sprigs.
Trim 1 inch (2.5 cm) off thinner long edge of fish; remove any remaining pin bones along centre. Place fish, flesh side down, in large shallow glass or ceramic dish, folding over thin tail end if necessary to fit.
Pour in brine mixture to cover; weigh down fish with plate(s) to keep submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Remove fish from brine; rinse, pat dry and place, skin side down, on rack. Sprinkle with dill, pepper and coriander. Refrigerate until flesh is tacky to the touch, 1 to 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
Meanwhile, soak 2 cups wood chips in water for 1 hour; drain.
Set foil drip pan under 1 rack of 2-burner barbecue or under centre rack of 3-burner barbecue. Heat remaining burner(s) to medium-low.
Seal soaked chips in foil to make packet; poke several holes in top.
Place over unlit burner. (For charcoal grill, set drip pan under 1 side of grill and arrange hot coals on other side. Place packet directly on coals.) Close lid and let smoke fill barbecue.
Place fish, skin side down, on greased grill over drip pan; cover and smoke until fish flakes easily when tested, about 1¾ hours. (If skin sticks to grill, slide fish off skin onto platter.) Serve with lemon wedges.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, PER EACH OF 12 SERVINGS: about 160 cal, 16 g pro, 9 g totalfat (2 g sat. fat), 3 g carb, trace fibre, 46 mg chol, 520 mg sodium, 292 mg potassium. % RDI: 1% calcium, 4% iron, 1% vit A, 5% vit C, 11% folate.
