[pnj]

wifes B-day is coming up and we'll be having a party.

I'd like to cook something in the bbq pit, but have no idea what. pork or chicken. we have a giant piece of salmon for the hippy vegitarians. that will cook on the gas grill.

it's either chicken or pork, but what? something other then the basic ribs and chicken breasts.

here is the grill incase you've never seen it.

 

[biggins]

that grill is bad ass

 

[Tenchiro]

Your doing a great disserviec to the salmon by cooking it over gas. Do it on Hickory and use this recipe. As for the monster, Grilled pork loin is always tastey.

Cure The Fillet
Here's the recipe for the brown sugar rub used to cure the salmon.

Dry Rub
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup non-iodized table salt
3 tablespoons granulated garlic powder
3 tablespoons granulated onion
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
1 tablespoon dried savory
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Place the salmon skin-side down on a non-reactive platter or in a glass baking dish. Pour all of the rub over the flesh-side of the salmon and spread it evenly over the surface, about 1/4" thick, as shown in Picture 1.

Move the salmon into the refrigerator and let it cure for 2-3 hours. I cured this salmon fillet for three hours.

After curing, rinse the fillet thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the salt and sugar. Pat all surfaces dry with paper towels. You'll notice that the fillet now has a more intense color, as shown in Picture 2.

Place the fillet skin-side down on a clean platter or sheet pan and let it dry until tacky, about 30 minutes. This tackiness is known as "pellicle". It is the result of water-soluble proteins drawn to the surface of the fish by the rub that dry to create a sticky layer. This layer prevents moisture loss and attracts and holds smoke particles during cooking.

You can dry the fish in the refrigerator, or on the kitchen counter in front of an electric fan

Apply The Finishing Rub
Here's the recipe for the rub that's applied to the salmon just before cooking.

Finishing Rub
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon dried savory
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Fold a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil in half to make a sling slightly larger than the salmon fillet. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray and place the salmon skin-side down on the foil.

Sprinkle the finishing rub on all surfaces except the skin side. This rub is sweet, so adjust the amount used according to your taste. The Cardogs suggest applying twice the amount you would if you were applying heavy salt and pepper to meat.

 

[Westy]

Skip the gas rig up or rent a smoker. Smoke half a pig until the meat wants to just fall apart.

 

[pnj]

the gas grill gets used alot actually. especially during partys. both grills usually end up full of food. bacon tastes great cook on anything. usually, the gas is used for things like bacon wrapped jalapenos, chicken tacos and pizza because it keeps an even heat and the grill is FLAT. the pit doesn't have a flat grill and to replace it w/ stainless steel is around 200 bucks....

I just remembered we have about 8 pounds of pork in the freezer so I'll probably just cook that. Tenchiros recipes look great, thank man! where do you suggest I get a piece of hickory for the fish? it's almost a foot square, if I remember right.

 

[biggins]

you can buy hickory in a bag at the grocery store, use it instead of charcoal. better if you use a solid starter even so you dont have the aftertaste of lighter fluid.

 

[pnj]

I never use lighter fluid. but if done correctly, you shouldn't taste it anyways. you should let the coals burn down before using them.

some people may have more sensative taste buds then I but if you allow the fluid to cook off, I don't see how you could taste it.

however, I use a chimney and a few pieces of newspaper.

I'm still trying to figure out how to use the pit effeciantly. it's hard to put hot coals in it while you have food on the grill. there is a small door in the front that I think they probably shoved large pieces of wood into. it's too small and weird to try and get hot coals into it though.

 

[-BB-]

I love how you are making FISH for the vegitarians.

 

[pnj]

I love how you are making FISH for the vegitarians.

I don't make up their rules. I have a large piece of salmon our neighbors gave us and I know my hippy friends eat that crap (haha) so I'll serve it to them and they will like it.

i'm sure my non hippie friends will eat some of the fish as well.....

 

[llkoolkeg]

I got two words for ya..."Jerk" and "Chicken".

Please be advised that I am suggesting something to grill rather than something to do while grilling.

 

[Tenchiro]

the gas grill gets used alot actually. especially during partys. both grills usually end up full of food. bacon tastes great cook on anything. usually, the gas is used for things like bacon wrapped jalapenos, chicken tacos and pizza because it keeps an even heat and the grill is FLAT. the pit doesn't have a flat grill and to replace it w/ stainless steel is around 200 bucks....

I just remembered we have about 8 pounds of pork in the freezer so I'll probably just cook that. Tenchiros recipes look great, thank man! where do you suggest I get a piece of hickory for the fish? it's almost a foot square, if I remember right.

It is kind of late in the season, but Home Depot usually has bags of hickory chunks for like $6. Just throw them in a perforated piece of foil and make sure they come into contact with the flame if you use gas, but I just use the hickory itself to cook on.

 

[pnj]

It is kind of late in the season, but Home Depot usually has bags of hickory chunks for like $6. Just throw them in a perforated piece of foil and make sure they come into contact with the flame if you use gas, but I just use the hickory itself to cook on.

oh. yea, I have a few bags of those big chunks of wood. I thought you ment to put the fish on a slab of wood and cook it like that. I've seen people do that before. I don't think i've ever grilled fish before, should I put the fish on foil or what?

 

[Tenchiro]

oh. yea, I have a few bags of those big chunks of wood. I thought you ment to put the fish on a slab of wood and cook it like that. I've seen people do that before. I don't think i've ever grilled fish before, should I put the fish on foil or what?

Leave the skin on, and put the skin sidde down over indirect heat. Don't flip it! When the fish is done, it will glide right off the skin with aid of a spatula.

 

[berkshire_rider]

it's either chicken or pork, but what? something other then the basic ribs and chicken breasts.

I say go with the pork and try something like this:
Recipe


You should definitely be thinking "Pig Roast" sometime in the future with that grill. Do you have a rotissere for it?

 

[pnj]

I say go with the pork and try something like this:
Recipe


You should definitely be thinking "Pig Roast" sometime in the future with that grill. Do you have a rotissere for it?

a pig will be cooked one day for sure.

I don't have a rotissere for it. I'm still figureing out how to use it correctly.

It's deep, wide and long so it takes alot of fuel. far too much for the daily cooking of food. what I did was create a shelf that sits about 12 inches below the cooking surface so I can put hot coals on that and cook the normal fare of chicken and veggies in a somewhat timely manner and not use three bags of coal.

also, the only way to get fuel into the pit is through the tiny door in the front, but then how do you spread it out over the entire floor?
so what I do is lift the cooking surface, which covers the entire inside, so 2 feet by 5 feet. lift the grill surface, hope the food doesn't roll too far, dump the coals, put grill back down...

and there is no lid, so heat escapes easily. I'm working on creating a lid though. but really, it's a 50's style deep bbq pit. designed when wood was cheap and made to cook long and slow.

I'm not complaining though, not at all.

 

[fonseca]

I thought you ment to put the fish on a slab of wood and cook it like that.

That's the best way to do it. But use American Cedar. Holy crap that's tasty. I just grilled 3lbs of salmon this evening using this method.

I'll take salmon over chicken or pork any day, at least if it's the real thing and not farm-raised color-added tasteless crap. Get yourself some copper river salmon next May. You have no excuse since you live in Seattle!

 

[Repack]

Why not a little of everything? Last time I hosted a BBQ, it was equal parts chicken, steak, pork, abd lamb, 2 different marinades for each.
If you want to be a little different, buy a rotisery (sp?). You can get them at Sears for ~$30. Have cooked numerous birds with one and it kicks ass. Party guests rarely expect to see one.