Keta Salmon Experiment ...

[Q_Egg]

.... dang!, bought a bunch of this fresh Keta salmon a bit back ... I'm a sucker for a big discount! I'ts ok, but not what I expected ... a bit fishy and bland. Cut into 8oz chunks, Foodsaver, freezer. Took 2 pkgs out today local temps up to 56*F ... almost balmy! BGE, R.O lump, 350*F, some soaked alder chips ..... BUT ... the big deal was ... I experimented with a bottle of 'The Silver Palate' Dill Mustard Grilling Sauce slathered on after some Dizzy Pig Swamp Venom. You gotta admit, that was creative!

Remarkably tasty, slightly spicy (maybe a lot spicy), but moist and excellent overall piece of fish. Some Jasmine rice as a side. cooked with a liberal spoonful of Magic Dust (Mike Mills).

Easy Friday night fare, and .. I got to fire up the cooker!!!

[Kevin]

Looks very appetizing Tom. I just started cooking with Jasmine rice. Kind of liked the fragrance the first time I cooked it. Magic dust is always nice.

[Q_Egg]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Looks very appetizing Tom. I just started cooking with Jasmine rice. Kind of liked the fragrance the first time I cooked it. Magic dust is always nice.

Thanks Kevin. Magic Dust is my first 'homemade' rub and I find it really versatile (ie. the rice). Now I can start to branch out and experiment.
Applying Dizzy Pig all over the salmon and then lightly dabbing and spreading the grilling sauce kept the fish very moist, but not at all mushy over the 20 minute cook, 350*-375*F, on a raised grid (12" above top of the lump). Almost approaching BDS spacing .. heh-heh ...

[thirdeye]

Tom,

Provided the market cooperates, I'm doing some planked salmon tonight with a side of wild rice/basmati with grilled onions mixed in. Probably will go with Raging River for the base rub on the fish.

[Q_Egg]

Enjoy !! DP's Raging River is right at the top for me with good salmon. Yesterday I received my 'spider' and 'adjustable ring' from Thomas Vogds (BGE Forum). What a quality product!! SS, clean strong welds, will really provide lots of versatility ..... taking multilevel expando apart today! Will keep the grates and use as needed ... and eliminate blood loss ... heh-heh!.

[thirdeye]

Originally Posted by Q_Egg

Enjoy !! DP's Raging River is right at the top for me with good salmon. Yesterday I received my 'spider' and 'adjustable ring' from Thomas Vogds (BGE Forum). What a quality product!! SS, clean strong welds, will really provide lots of versatility ..... taking multilevel expando apart today! Will keep the grates and use as needed ... and eliminate blood loss ... heh-heh!.

I've been swapping ideas with sandbagger for a while. I helped him decide on his welding machine and shot a few pointers his way when he was learning to weld stainless. He really ranks me when it comes to his ideas, he has some dang good ones. After seeing some of his earlier projects I bought one of the little ring rollers like he uses to roll stainless rod.

He sent me a couple of sets of the brackets that Eggor cut (unbelievable quality huh?) I just haven't gotten around to making the adjustable rig. I'm still using the original style of sandbagger fixed ring in both my Eggs.

[thirdeye]

Originally Posted by Q_Egg

Enjoy !! DP's Raging River is right at the top for me with good salmon.

It turned out really good. I snuck a few scallops on the plank dusted with Tsunami Spin.

[Plowboy]

Nice looking Plank, Wayne. I hate seeing you BGE guys cooking cause it just makes me want to run out and get one.

I get to buy one toy when annual bonuses come in this March. I wanted a Bose player for my iPod for comps, but the BGE keeps calling my name.

[thirdeye]

Originally Posted by Plowboy

Nice looking Plank, Wayne. I hate seeing you BGE guys cooking cause it just makes me want to run out and get one.

I get to buy one toy when annual bonuses come in this March. I wanted a Bose player for my iPod for comps, but the BGE keeps calling my name.

Well, if it makes you feel any better I still listen to the Grateful Dead on vinyl. I just had to retire my Bose 501 speakers. Talk about being out of touch ... LOL (I did however buy the wife a CD wave for her office last year.)

[Q_Egg]

very nice touch with that plank !! ... the scallops add contrast. Tsunami Spin is a keeper too.
My old Accuphase amp and B&W's are still making great tunes!

[Plowboy]

Wayne and Tom,

Can I hijack this a thread and ask how you maintain the insides of your BGEs? How do you keep them so clean?

[thirdeye]

The grates are not that big of a deal because at the end of even a lo-n-slo cook, you can just open the vent and ramp the temp to 500° and do a self clean, with a little scraping. For me, the dome is the place that gets a crusty build-up, not a dark glaze like on steel pits. Some folks get a really hot fire 800° or so until it vaporizes, but you have to be careful about the gasket. I prefer to use a ball of crumpled up tin foil. Most of the stuff will fall into the firebox, then I just re-start the whatever used lump is there and burn it up. Man does it put off some good smells.

[david]

Since we're showing picutures of salmon (this is coho):

This ones just lemon, salt, and pepper cooked with a fire of alder (I've got lots, and lots, and lots of alder) in the bandera.

[Q_Egg]

Originally Posted by david

Since we're showing picutures of salmon (this is coho):
This ones just lemon, salt, and pepper cooked with a fire of alder (I've got lots, and lots, and lots of alder) in the bandera.

Coho looks great! What temp? Looks like low 'n slow (foil), almost like smoking. Mine in BGE are usually rasied grate, direct, (skin on) at 350*F or a bit higher for 15-20 minutes.

[Q_Egg]

Originally Posted by Plowboy

Wayne and Tom,

Can I hijack this a thread and ask how you maintain the insides of your BGEs? How do you keep them so clean?

Not requied yet .... maybe because of so many high temp bread and pizza cooks and a few thick steak (tuna and beef) sears. Like Wayne says, the high-heat burn-off may be my incidental friend. When the time comes, I really like the crumpled foil approach.