I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, never further than walking distance from a bay or ocean. Fresh seafood appeared frequently on my family’s dinner table and while I loved it all, nothing could rival my Dad’s BBQ salmon. On a recent trip back “home”, my Dad walked me step-by-step through his recipe, so that I could fix it aboard our boat, Solitaire.   
 

1.      Start with a fresh salmon that has been beheaded, cleaned and split in half lengthwise with the bones removed, but skin still on. 

2.      Lightly sprinkle salmon with salt and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. According to my Dad, the salt cleans out any impurities and seals the meat.

3.      Heat Barbeque Grill to between 325 and 350 degrees. Remove salmon from the refrigerator (or cooler) and rinse off with fresh water.

4.      Make a double-layer foil pan with 1" edges - just big enough for the salmon - and place on barbeque grill. Open a can or two of beer and pour enough into the foil pan to cover the bottom of the pan. Set the salmon into the foil pan.

5.      Close grill lid and check salmon in about 10 minutes. You should see the white fat starting to cook out of the salmon. Scrape any of the white fat away with a spatula and let it drop into the beer.

6.     Close grill lid and check salmon again in about 10-15 minutes. The meat at the thickest end should be moist but will flake easily with a fork.

7.      Insert a large spatula between the Salmon meat and skin and lift the meat out of the foil pan and on to a cookie sheet.. The skin should remain behind in the foil pan. Discard foil pan.

8.      Mix together brown sugar, chili sauce, Tabasco and lemon. Heat in a sauce pan. Spread a thin layer over the top of the salmon.

9.     Turn off the barbeque grill and put the cookie sheet with the salmon on it back into the grill. Close the lid and let the salmon rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

10.  Raise a glass to my Dad, Jack, as you enjoy the best BBQ salmon you’ve ever had.