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Smoked Fish

To give the fish a good flavor and the right texture, it needs to be brined a couple of hours before smoking. Use a non-reactive container make the brine in. That would include glass, ceramic, glazed crockery, plastic and stainless steel. I prefer a couple of gallon freezer bags.

One gallon of brine is enough for 5 to 6 pounds of fillets. Get 2 freezer bags and place about 3 pounds of fillets and 1/2 gallon of the brine in each bag. If you are doing a whole fish you will need a container large enough to hold the entire fish. The whole fish will also be a very different cooking profile than fillets. I seldom do this much at a time so adjust the recipe accordingly based on how many pounds you are smoking.

Preparation

Place the bags in a large bowl or tupperware container (in case they leak) and put it in the fridge. Brine the fillets for 1 to 4 hours, depending on fillet thickness. Give them one hour per half-inch of thickness. Move the fish around a few times while it's in the fridge for even brining. If its an entire fish go by the thickest portion to determine time.

Ingredients

1 gallon cold water

3/4 cup non-iodized table salt, or canning salt

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 8 oz can pineapple juice(optional, use on stronger tasting fish )

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.

Preparing The Fish For The Smoker

For best results, use fillets that are about the same size and thickness. Thinner fillets take less time to brine and less time to smoke. If you're brining and smoking whole sides, trim them to a consistent thickness. And if you haven't already, remove the skin from the fillets. When brining a whole fish be sure and remove all internals and scales. The whole fish will take much longer but are worth the effort and time.

Remove the fish from the bags and give the fillets a quick rinse. Pat dry with clean towels.

Lay the fillets on a raised rack, so air can reach both sides. Let the fish air dry for an hour or so at room temperature, until it's not sticky. Use a small oscillating fan to speed up drying time. This forms a pellicle, it helps the fish during the smoking.

Smoking Fish

You can smoke fish in a regular smoker or in a grill. Start the smoker at about 175 and then kick it up in the 190-200 degree range after about 90 minutes. If the smoker temperature gets too hot, the fish will dry up and be and it won't be as moist. Do not let the fish internal get hotter than 150.

Apple or cherry is good wood to use. See my smoking woods for other options. It won't take a whole lot, either. One good fist sized chunk, or a couple handfuls of water soaked chips wrapped in foil should do it. And if it's not smokey enough for you, use more the next time.

I also like to use a water pan above the heat source, this keeps the fish moist.

Continue smoking the fish until it flakes. Remove it and let it cool before eating. Your smoked fish will keep stored in the fridge for up to three days. For longer storage, wrap the fillets in plastic wrap, then in foil, or use a vacuum sealer and freeze them. They will keep 6 months in the freezer.

Urban Cowgill April 2020

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