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1
Place water, salt, brown sugar, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.
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2
Let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
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3
Pour the cooled brine mixture into a large resealable plastic bag.
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4
Add trout, seal, set the bag in a dish (to catch any leakage), and refrigerate for exactly 2 hours.
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5
After 2 hours, remove the fish from the brine, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels.
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6
Refrigerate while you prepare the grill.
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7
Meanwhile, soak the wood chips in a bucket of water for at least 15 minutes.
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8
Carefully pour the lit charcoal onto the pile of unlit charcoal on the grate.
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9
Use tongs to stack the lit coals on the pile.
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10
Top the lit charcoal with the remaining 1 cup drained, damp wood chips.
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11
Set the empty chimney aside.
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12
Place the 8-inch square aluminum pan next to the hot charcoal (this is the drip pan).
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13
Set the cooking grate back on the grill.
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14
Fill the 9-by-5-inch aluminum loaf pan three-quarters of the way with cold water and place on the cooking grate over the hot charcoal (the cold water is needed to keep the grill temperature low).
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15
Set an oven thermometer in one of the grill lids vent holes or on the cooking grate near the edge of the grill and opposite the charcoal.
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16
Cover the grill, making sure that the bottom and top vents are open and that smoke is coming out of the vents.
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17
(If smoke is not coming out, check your fire to make sure it is lit.
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18
If its not, relight it, using tongs to transfer the warm charcoal from the grill back into the chimney starter.)
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19
Let the grill heat until it reaches at least 250 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
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20
Brush the trout all over with a thin film of oil.
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21
Place the fish on the cooking grate over the drip pan (not over the flaming charcoal).
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22
Cook, covered, making sure the lids vent is over the fish (not the fire), until the trout is amber in color and starts to flake, about 25 to 30 minutes.
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23
Halfway through the cooking time, check the grill temperature.
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24
It should be between 250 degrees F and 300 degrees F. If it is too hot, add more water to the loaf pan (it evaporates) and close the lower vent by half.
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25
If the temperature is too low, make sure the bottom and top vents are open, or you may need to feed your charcoal by lighting more in the chimney.
