Southern Grilled Blackened Salmon

DIRECTIONS

• In a search to find a healthier way to prepare fish I found blackened seasoning. You can go to any super market, go to the spice isle, and find blackened seasoning. I want to encourage you to try out different spices to find the one that best suites your taste. My personal preference is Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends Blackened Redfish Magic.
• Pour a small amount of olive oil in to a baking dish. You want just enough to cover the bottom. Place the fillet or fillets on to the baking dish skin side down. The olive oil will serve to lubricate the skin and help keep the skin from sticking to the grill.
• Put Your Blackened Seasoning on the salmon. This is not a case for less is more. I usually try to cover every square inch of the fish with the seasoning. Cover the fish and place in the refrigerator for one hour.
• Take your mesquite or hickory wood chips and soak them in water. You do not have to do this way ahead of time because salmon cooks quickly. With the wood chips just being damp they will smoke long enough to give the fish the hint of smoke flavor that is desired for this recipe. If you were trying to add a smoke flavor to a larger piece of beef you would need to soak the wood chips for at least four hours.
• Light the charcoal and wait until all the coals are completely white. You want the grill to be at a medium heat. You have reached a good medium heat when you can hold your hand 5” above the grill rack for three seconds. If the grill is too warm try closing the lid and partially opening the vents. Wait five minutes and your fire should be at medium. To raise the temperature of the grill at any time just open the lid.
• Get the salmon out of the fridge and take close to the grill.
• Slice the red onion in to quarters.
• Separate one quarter in to the separate layers and add the layers directly to the coals.
• Drain the water off of the wood chips and add them to the coals. You should start to see smoke coming from the grill.
• While this is happening you should place the salmon on the grill skin side down. Cover and enjoy the outdoors for a little while.
• Keep the lid closed for at least five minutes so that the fish has a chance to absorb the smoke flavors. If you keep opening the grill you will absorb those flavors.
• Cooking time will vary with size of fillet. You will not flip the fillet so let it cook skin side down the entire time.
• Check on the filets every so often until the skin starts to fall off of the filet. At that point you bring it inside, remove skin, and serve.