Prepare the fish by making several deep diagonal incisions with a sharp knife, 3 to 4 cm apart, in each side of the fish. Cut down almost to the spine. This helps the salmon cook more quickly and evenly.

Rub some sea salt into the skin. Sprinkle more sea salt and the chopped dill inside the cavity of the fish, and stuff it with the slices of one lemon. Brush or spray the fish lightly with olive oil.

Now you're ready to grill.

Lay the remaining lemon slices (or substitute any citrus) on the hot grill immediately before placing the fish on. The citrus slices prevent the fish from sticking to the grill. They will mostly burn away during the time the fish cooks, and impart a mild flavour to the fish.

Close the lid on the grill and let it cook for about 25 minutes. Check progress regularly and turn down the heat if the skin of the fish is getting charred. The flesh of the fish becomes a pale pink when cooked. Look at the flesh in the cuts to judge how well it is baked, and remove the fish from the grill before it is cooked all the way to the spine. The fish will continue to cook a while after being removed from the heat.

Lift the fish from the grill with a couple of spatulas, scooping underneath the lemon slices, and place on a platter. Garnish with some dill sprigs and lemon slices.

The portions of fish between the diagonal cuts should lift easily off the bone and be about one serving. When one side is served, you can usually lift off head and spine and serve the other half without having to turn the fish.

Barbequing a whole salmon became our family tradition for summertime Down Under Christmas dinner. The weather is too hot to cook inside the house, and the day is better spent outside in the sun with a beer tending the grill. In Tasmania we cooked farmed Atlantic salmon and it was hard to get one less than 4 kg. In New Zealand we grilled two 3 kg farmed Pacific salmon for 10 people.