Brown Sugar-Cured Salmon

Ingredients

• 4 skin-on
• center-cut wild king or other salmon fillets (2 1/2 pounds total)
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• plus lemon wedges for serving
• Olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups hickory chips
• soaked for 30 minutes and drained

Instructions

1. Pat fish dry with paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt, pepper, spices and zest.
3. Rub mixture all over fish.
4. Place in a dish, cover and let cure in the fridge for at least 4 hours and preferably 8 hours.
5. Rinse fillets and pat dry.
6. Generously oil salmon.
7. Light the grill.
8. Once coals are hot, scatter drained hickory chips over coals.
9. (If youre using a gas grill, place them in a disposable metal pan on the grill next to the salmon.)
10. Place salmon flesh-side down on grill and cover, closing top vent so not much smoke is released.
11. Smoke salmon, covered, for about 5 to 6 minutes, then flip.
12. (If the fish is sticking to the grill grate, then its not ready to flip.
13. Cook for another 3 to 10 minutes, depending upon how hot your fire is.
14. The fish is done when the interior is medium pink and exterior crisp and smoky.
15. Serve with lemon wedges.