[mplant1]

Fish

After promising some friends and family some of my special recipe smoked fish, I decided to get my smoking on before heading back out for some Friday night evening (ahem, drinking) plans.

Here's just a simple smoking recipe and I thought I'd share while I am waiting patiently for my last rack to finish up in the smoker.

Step 1 - Catch fish!

Got these a couple of weeks ago. The one on top is about a 5# steelhead, and the bottom one is a 3.5# brown trout. Nothing too big, and they will go great with some hickory!

Step 2 - Prepare the brine

(I don't have a pic for this step)

I basically mix a cup of kosher salt with a cup of brown sugar with about 4-5 qts of water and mix it all up creating this brown, salty, mixture. I then let my fish soak in this stuff for around 18-24 hours

Step 3 - Prepare the grill

For my smoking, I have an electric grill. Nothing special. The bed of the grill is covered in lava rocks. I soak some hickory chips in water for about an hour before "firing" up the electric smoker. I then place the hickory chips in the bedding of lava rocks and turn it on. In the middle of my rack, I have a tub of water. This will act as a humidifier, keeping the inside of the grill very moist with that hickory smoked air.

Once the grill gets going, I place the fillets on a regular grill rack, then place inside the grill

Step 4 - Smoke
Tonight was a brutally cold night. Luckily for me, my smoker has enough insulation to maintain a good smoking temp (between 150 - 180 F) for a nice, slow smoking process. A couple hours pass, and the fish is ready!

Step 5 - Cool down
I leave the fillets out for just a little bit, then place in the fridge

Step 6 - EAT!!!

Smoking - my favorite way to cook up some lake michigan trout and salmon

Mike

 

[WrenchingnFishing]

I love smoked fish!!! 8)

 

[Lip_Yanker]

I like smoking fish too, just find it hard to keep 'em lit! :mrgreen:

Sorry, I had to say it...

.

 

[JB]

I'm sure that process will come in handy for the people that have a freezer full of fish and limited prep techniques. Looked tasty.

 

[WrenchingnFishing]

BTW Mike, Thats the same way I smoke my fish, but I use 3 table spoons of salt to 1 cup of brown sugar to a gallon of water.

I use red hot glowing charcoals. But luckily you have an electric. It's easier to controle the temp I bet

I as well soak my chips from anywhere to an hour to over night, then fill my boiler pan with water, but i also put woodchips in the boiler too.

The way you smoke your fish is similar to the way I do, it takes anywhere form 4-6 hours on my smoker... unless if its a thick thick fillet. sometimes 7 hours.

Dave

PS: Have you ever experimented with the cherry flavor chips or anything? I have only used the hickory my whole life...

 

[BassCaster]

Now that looks tasty

 

[Jaybomber354]

looks good man i have a small stand up electric smoker myself have been smoking ribs all summer and i was lookin for a good recipe for salmon so thanks ill will have to give it a try .....dave i smoke ribs with apple cherry and i have these jack daniels chips that are great imo but i dont know how they would be on the fish

 

[koolaid2313]

The couple of pieces that Lee let me have were great. Thanks for bringing the smoked fish!

 

[Darth Wader]

Great post M=)

 

[Islandfisher]

Great info, thanks for the post.