Hot -Smoked Salmon

I recently used this recipe from the July 2006 issue of Cooking Light magazine to prepare salmon. The flavor was very reminiscent of slow-smoked salmon but less intense.

Hot-Smoked Salmon

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. crushed black peppercorns
1 tsp. ground cardamon
1--1 lb. salmon fillet, pin bones removed
2 cups wood chips
2 cups water
Cooking spray

Combine the sugars, salt, peppercorns and cardamon in a small bowl.
Rub sugar mixture into salmon flesh and pack the remaining rub around the salmon.
Wrap salmon tightly in aluminum foil. Refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
Unwrap salmon and rinse with cold water.
Pat salmon dry.

Soak wood chips in water 30 minutes, drain well.
Prepare grill for indirect grilling, heating only one side to high and leaving one side with low heat or no heat depending on grill.

Place wood chips on hot coals. (We place wood chips in "raft of aluminum foil" or a foil loaf pan or pie tin.)
Place a disposable foil pan on top of the unheated side of the gril.
Pour 2 cups water in pan. (We can place this pan on the unheated side of our propane grill.)
Spray cooking rack with cooking spray.
Place salmon on grill over foil pan on unheated side.
Close lid; cook 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Center of fish should be opaque and warm.