# Smoked fish



## surf_ox (Jul 8, 2008)

Was watching food network or something similar. They were smoking trout for a meal. 


Anyone ever thrown a filet of anything on their smoker while other red meats are in there? If so how did it turn out??


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We never become who God created us to be trying to be like everybody else.


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## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

Read up on brining fish . I don't remember the recipe , but their out there . Go by the recommended brine times are it will be to strong .


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## GoneSouth (Jun 4, 2010)

I think most of the time fish is cold smoked. At least salmon is. I tried smoking fish in my Bradley smoker with the heat off. The smoke heater made it too hot in the summer. It did work the second time on when I tried it on a cold winter night. I used red fish. It did not come out well either time. But that only means my experiments did not work. It could for you. Most smoked fish are oily fish, salmon, etc.


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

Redfish on the half shell has a smoke flavor. The purpose of smoking fish it to preserve it so it doesn't need refrigeration. Usually lower temperature


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## karstopo (Jun 29, 2009)

I smoked some farmed Atlantic salmon on the BGE. This was hot ( not very) smoked and definitely was edible. The stuff I like is cold smoked where it has the transluscence and very soft, not mushy, supple texture. Hot smoked fish is opaque and stiffer. You have to keep the smoke chamber cool. Most people say you can't do cold smoked unless the outside temps are cold. Alton brown does a simple demonstration of a separate smoking chamber. 

Basics are freeze fillets for 24 hours to eliminate any potential parasites. Make a brine, wet or dry, many recipes out there. On my hot smoked, I used a dry brine with salt, sugar and pepper and allspice and did this in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Lots on Internet on how tos. Done right, this cures the fish. I sampled some at this point and it was great, just like store bought quality salmon in texture but without any smoke flavor. To keep that texture, you have to smoke it cool. In our weather, you'd have to devise a cool chamber. Probably could be done by running metal dryer vent hose from smoker to cardboard box with fish placed on rack just above a container of ice. Some say just an hour or two of smoke is plenty. Fish is cured in the brining process, smoking is for flavor. 

Bluefish smokes well. Spanish mackerel probably would too. redfish might not have enough fat, but it's worth a shot.


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=1311266&highlight=crazy

That is how I hot smoke fish , throwing a piece of fish on a smoker would be cooking fish on a smoker which could be really good too.


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## Its Catchy (Apr 10, 2014)

I have been wanting to try this out. Smoked mullet is a big thing in Florida. I don't see why the same cooking method would not work on other fish here.


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## Mountaineer Mark (Jul 15, 2009)

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=1775338

Brine is the only way to go..See the link above or look in the recipes thread.
To cold smoke in a Bradley you remove smoke generator from unit put it on a cardboard box and run a dryer flex to the smoker.That way you get cold smoke. If not brining just coat fish with brown sugar and smoke approx 2-3 hours..


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## greenhornet (Apr 21, 2010)

I have done trout at around 140 and it came out pretty good, unless you like your food pretty salty I would drastically reduce the salt most brine recipes call for and letting sit in the fridge after removing from brine to form the pellicle I believe they call it helps also. Salmon hot smoked can be very good but most let it get too hot, if a white substance emerges from the meat you got it too hot. Usually 140 or less you're good.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

I smoked a bunch of King fish last summer. It turned out real good, I did not brine it first, which I wish I had done. 

5 hrs at 140-150 degrees, using oak for the wood.

Great stuff with Crackers.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

It really helps the process if you can use a fish that has a fairly high oil content. While I was in the FL Keys this winter, I was catching quite a few Kings, Cero, and Spanish Mackerel. These all contain enough oil that they can be smoked at a higher temp and still come out moist and tasty. I would not recommend this much heat on a low oil fish. Here is some of the info from another post that I made:

"I only kept 2 to smoke because we didn't need any more than that. They were both 26". 1 Cero and One Spanish. This time I reduced the amount of salt and increased the amount of brown sugar in the rub. Sat in the frig overnight in a gallon Ziploc. This morning I rinsed them, patted dry, and back in the frig , uncovered, to form a glaze. Went on the Weber at noon. This time I used mostly apple wood pellets. You can buy a 20# bag of apple wood pellets on Amazon for under $20. Did include 2 chunks of hard maple as well. Smoked for 3 hours between 220 and 245 degrees. These were right on the money. Excellent"

Be sure to leave the skin on to help retain moisture. I mix 2/3 brown sugar to 1/3 salt. Rub on fairly heavily. Be sure to rinse off all excess and then dry before smoking.


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## Gumby (Aug 11, 2005)

I smoked some Sheepshead and made a Dill/Caper PÃ¢tÃ© with them. Outstanding.


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

I cure and hot smoke salmon regularly. I've also smoked redfish .


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## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

Dick, 
Wouldn't it be more flavorful if the rub is left on instead of rinsed off? I am just curious.


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## Dick Hanks (Aug 16, 2007)

mas360 said:


> Dick,
> Wouldn't it be more flavorful if the rub is left on instead of rinsed off? I am just curious.


Without a very good rinse, your fish will be way to salty. If they have had anywhere from 6 to 15 hours with the rub on fairly thick, Plenty of salt and brown sugar have penetrated the fish. You will notice this after the rinse. The fish flesh will have taken on a little of the color from the brown sugar. Both sugar and salt absorb well into the fish.

I also feel that giving the fish time to dry and form a tacky pellicle is very important as well. After rinsing off the brine/rub , pat dry with paper towels, and then return them to the frig uncovered. After an hour or 2 in the frig uncovered, they will develop a tacky surface. That is the pellicle. This aids in deeper, quicker, and more even smoke absorption. The color is also much better. Note the color of pieces in my previous post #11.


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## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

Thanks, Dick.


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