Ingredients:

Three medium-sized trout

2 tablespoons salt

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon smoked black peppercorns

4 cups cold water

1 bay leaf torn to pieces

You'll need a 1 or 2 gallon ziplock bag to brine your trout, depending on the size of the trout. In the ziplock bag, add salt and spices. Add the cold water and mix well until salt is dissolved. Add the trout and let soak in the brining solution for at least three hours.

In the meantime, soak mild-flavored wood chips like apple or alder in water for an hour. Start your charcoal and pile it on one side of your barbecue, leaving the other half of your barbecue completely free of coals. Using heavy-duty foil, create a tray to hold your wood chips and using a sharp knife, poke several holes in the bottom so that heat can penetrate your chips and water can drain out. Drain the wood chips and place in your foil tray and place the tray on top of your hot coals. Put the top on your grill and open all of the vents.

When you see smoke starting to come out from your vents, remove the fish from the brine and place the fish on the grill on the side opposite the coals. Your fish should not be above the heat. The best way to position the fish on the grill is to stand the fish right-side up by spreading out the slit stomach cavity so that the smoke can penetrate the interior of the fish.

Place the cover back on your grill and smoke for an hour.

Remove fish from heat and serve warm or at room temperature.

If you are adventurous and want to try an Thai-inspired brine, instead of thyme,  marjoram, and bay leaf, substitute one chopped up lemon grass stalk, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander,  and 1 torn up kaffir lime leaf for the brine.