1 Whole salmon; 7-10 lbs,
- head and tail on
S&P
1 Alder stick; 1/4 inch thick
4 feet long, bark removed
4 Willow sticks; 18 " long
Fish woven with willow branches on an alder stick.
The Wet'suwet'en use alder in the barbecue pit and the smoke house
for its heat and flavour.
Prepare smoke house using hot smoke. Hang salmon at least 4 hours
or overnight, until skin is firm. Build a large campfire and let
it burn down to hot coals. Remove head and cut around gills
removing all the bones. Working inside the fish, without cutting
the skin, cut along both sides of the backbone, removing the back
bone and tail. Open the fish and lay flat.
Weave the alder stick through the fish where the backbone was.
Weave willow sticks from side to side through the fish to keep it
open and flat. Season with S&P. Stab salmon stick into the ground
about 1 foot from the coals, skin side facing the fire and cook 20
minutes. Turn salmon around and cook another 20 minutes.
Serve with baked potatoes baked on the coals, boiled sweet corn
and warm bannock.
Source: Feast! Canadian Native Cuisine For All Seasons
By: Andrew George Jr.
From: Jim Weller
