OT- Smoking fish

Anonymous-0 · Jan 16, 2012

I wanted to try smoking some fish but before I tried salmon I was thinking about trying it with something a little less expensive. Does anyone have a suggestion on what to try first? We've done quite a few turkeys in the smoker but have not tried fish yet. Would like to hear recipes and what wood you use. Thanks

BCnT · Jan 16, 2012

i never could keep em lit long enuff to smoke one.

Dan50 · Jan 16, 2012

(quoted from post at 12:20:44 01/16/12) I wanted to try smoking some fish but before I tried salmon I was thinking about trying it with something a little less expensive. Does anyone have a suggestion on what to try first? We've done quite a few turkeys in the smoker but have not tried fish yet. Would like to hear recipes and what wood you use. Thanks

I've only tried smoking fish once but the only thing I can say is that it's hard to keep 'em lit. Budumpbump.

Dan50 · Jan 16, 2012

Hey, BCnt beat me to it by 2 minutes!!

TomH in PA · Jan 16, 2012

When I was growing up in Michigan people would go "smelt dipping" and smoke them afterward. Only had them a few times but they were okay, I suppose any small fish like herrings would work.

oldtanker · Jan 16, 2012

Google it.

Rick

tjdub · Jan 16, 2012

My favorite fish to smoke is carp. Something about that oily meat with smoked taste. It's delicious.

My recipe is gut it, cut the head off, and slice it down the spine. Paint the meat side with dissolved brown sugar. Get the Weber grill going on a little charcoal and then pile on some green hickory sticks and close all the vents except for a tiny crack in the top vent. After the grill cools down and the green wood is starting to burn I put both halves of the carp on the grill (scale-side down). After 10-12 hours the wood's burned up and the fish is ready to eat.

Paul Searl · Jan 16, 2012

smoked carp is awesome if done well! but not for the faint of heart regarding fishyness.

couple of tricks when smoking fish, but a brine or salt cure before hand is a must. after brining, you will want to dry the fish in front of a fan for a little while, this brings proteins to surface and creates an especially receptive smoke layer called a pelical. I just use a salt brine but I'll link to another method. I smoke mine at a fairly low heat with apple and maple wood. As I figure its getting close to done, I glaze it with a mix of soy sauce, brown sugar or maple syrup and a little cider vinegar. Gotta be careful to not overdo the glaze, strong stuff but it gives a nice extra touch.

below are two vids from a show called "good eats" on his method of smoking a salmon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCpYFXdaSYk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMk-y6330aE&feature=related

S2710 · Jan 16, 2012

If you are going to use the smoker after doing fish to smoke beef or deer it will leave a fish taste to the meat.

Bob

donjr · Jan 16, 2012

Come over to my place some time. My wife can smoke anything. She's set the fire alarm off burning water. I know dinner is finished when the smoke alarm goes off! Put a pizza in the oven one evening, and the electric went off a few minutes later. Power came on about an hour later, and the smoke alarm went off about a half hour after that. The pizza was burned beyond recognition. We have burnt cheese sandwiches for lunch; just after Christmas she was making bean soup and let it boil dry while she was harvesting rutabagas or something on Farmville. I'd better get off here before she comes in and catches me---

ShepFL · Jan 16, 2012

Paul is right on with his methods

I don't get to smoke much fish here in the South. Most of my smoking now is sausage, venison, etc. Growing up tho we would smoke trout, blueback aka crappie, salmon etc.

Brine is critical and if looking for good even easy smoker look at Luhr Jensen aka Big Cheif. They are an aluminum box with range top heating element in the bottom. No brainer to use for occasional smoked treats.

Jerry/MT · Jan 16, 2012

Thanks for a good laugh!

teddy52food · Jan 16, 2012

A friend of mine (now deceased) packed carp in dry salt & it formed its own brine. I don't know all the details, but his were good eating. Cool smoke is best.

OT- Smoking fish

Anonymous-0

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BCnT

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Dan50

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Dan50

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TomH in PA

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oldtanker

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tjdub

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Paul Searl

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S2710

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donjr

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ShepFL

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Jerry/MT

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teddy52food

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