We sent two Paddys (Paddy Mc & Paddy L) to London's Billingsgate Market to see what they could find for our next cook - they surprised us all and rather than come back with Dublin Bay Prawns, they picked up some fresh Salmon from Duthie & Summers Fish Merchants, Aberdeen. They managed to pick up two 2.5kg sides of salmon for £20 each - incredible value as this could cost you nearly 4 times the amount in a supermarket. This recipe will take a bit of time to prepare, but the results will be phenomenal! It will also serve to be a great centre piece for a dinner party for friends and family. This is the ultimate Hot Smoked Salmon dish, cooked on a Weber BBQ - juicy, flavoursome and healthy!

Scottish Hot Smoked Salmon

 

MAIN INGREDIENTS Fresh Salmon (2.5kg, serves up to 14 people) Fresh Dill Salt (1.5kg) Sugar (1.5kg) Lemons (1 dozen)

EQUIPMENT To create this masterpiece, we used: Weber Mastertouch Weber Charcoal Fuel Holders You can cook this recipe using nearly any Weber BBQ that is capable of cooking indirectly. To ensure your salmon is perfectly cooked, invest in an instant read thermometer.

IN THE KITCHEN

Salmon:

• If you do go to the effort of going to a Fish Market, ask for a polystyrene box to take your salmon away in.
• Leave your sides of salmon in the polystyrene box and tape up the holes of the box
• If cooking one side of salmon, then cover your salmon with 1.5kg of salt, 1.5kg of sugar, the zest of 12 lemons and a large bunch of chopped dill.
• Gently use your hands to mix the above contents to encrust the salmon, ensuring no part of the salmon is uncovered.
• Put the lid of the polystyrene box back on and leave in a cold room or fridge for 24 hours. This will cure the salmon, which basically means drawing out all of the salmon's moisture and replacing it with the flavours of Dill, sugar, lemon and salt.
• 24 hours later, gently remove the salmon and rinse under a cold tap. You will notice the colour of the salmon looks darker and the fish slight stiffer.
• Use the lemons that you have already zested and slice into 1cm thick pieces.

AT THE BBQ

• Setup your weber for indirect cooking.
• Place the slices of lemon directly on to the grates (as if you were going to indirectly cook them. These are going to be used in much of the same way as a Roast holder or Baking Tray is used when cooking a joint of meat indirectly.
• Place the Salmon side skin down on the lemon slices - these protect the fish from being burnt by the grates, infuse flavour and promote indirect cooking.
• Cook at a low temperature 150 degrees celsius.
• Add Weber Whisky Chips
• Cook for approximately 90 minutes or until the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 160 degrees celsius
• Remove the salmon carefully to ensure it stays in one piece and wrap in tin foil to rest for 15 minutes.

Check out our other great Around the World in 80 BBQ recipes here!