Barbecue Journey with Dan ‘The Man’ — Smoked Salmon with Honey-Orange Glaze

I could tell it had been a long winter when on the first warm weekend of the year my family was itching for a seafood cookout.

We usually have a few each year, but this is the first I remember one happening in May.

There were lobster tails, smoked clams, shrimp, corn, and my contribution, smoked salmon.

A lot of people love salmon. I am mostly indifferent towards it, as I prefer cod and catfish when I'm eating fish. That said, I do enjoy a good salmon sushi, so I wasn't too sure how I would like Dr. BBQ's smoked salmon recipe from "Slow Fire: The Beginner's Guide Barbecue."

It's an easy recipe: Soak the salmon in a brine, smoke the salmon, put the honey glaze on it, eat and enjoy. My only issue with this recipe was the temperature of the finished product. Smoking at 235 degrees and requiring the fish to rest for five minutes, gives it a cold feeling when you eat it. I also may have under cooked them...

I'm used to having fish hot off the grill. If you grill a catfish, that sucker is going to be hot when it comes eatin' time. This smoked salmon, with the glaze, felt slimy.

Still, the flavors were good. The sweetness of the honey really came through and the salmon wasn't overpowering. Bottom line: this is a simple recipe with simple flavors. If you like salmon and don't mind eating it lukewarm, go for it. If I make it again, I'm upping the temperature and decreasing the cooking time. I give it 5 out of 10.

Big Chuck Tries It

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Here's what you need:

Brine:
2 Tbs Kosher salt
1 Tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup ice water

Glaze:
3 Tbs honey
1 Tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
1 orange, zested
1/8 tsp thyme

1-2 pounds boneless salmon fillets
Paprika

Directions

1. Make the brine

Add salt, brown sugar, onion powder, pepper, cinnamon and 1 cup of water to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a bowl and add the ice water. Refrigerate until cold.

2. Marinate salmon

About an hour before cooking, place salmon fillets in a one-gallon zip bag and pour brine over top.

3. Make glaze

Combine the honey, orange juice, zest and thyme in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside

4. Smoke salmon

Pat the salmon dry with a paper towerl, place the salmon on a grill topper and dust each fillet with paprika. Smoke at 235 degrees for 30 minutes or until the white fat begins to bubble.

5. Plate

6. Take a bite shot