Need Smoked Trout Recipe

Just bought a new smoker and would like to smoke some trout. Does anyone have
a really good recipe for the brine and the smoking time for trout?

Many thanks,

John

"TORENGI" wrote in message:

Just bought a new smoker and would like to smoke some trout. Does anyone
have
a really good recipe for the brine and the smoking time for trout?

Many thanks,

John
....................

*belch*

mmmmm...how 'bout


*burp*

T


*burp*
bone?

Just bought a new smoker and would like to smoke some trout. Does anyone
have
a really good recipe for the brine and the smoking time for trout?

1 cup coarse salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
6 cups room temperature water


dissolve salt and sugars in water. rinse and pat dry trout. place brine
in glass or plastic pan, insert trout, making sure to open body cavities
so brine wets inner surfaces as well. add spices to brine after trout
and all in. Turn fish periodically, allow to soak for 6 hours to
overnight. remove trout and place on lightly oiled smoker racks and
allow to air dry until fish become "tacky" to the touch (this is called
"peckle"). smoke according to smokers directions.

don't overdo the smoker chips... it's a common misconception that "more
is better", but it makes the fish taste almost sour if you use too many
chips... make sure the chips are soaked thoroughly before smoking!!!!

Larry Medina wrote in message .com...

1 cup coarse salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
6 cups room temperature water

That looks good, but I don't normally bother with the pepper or
garlic. I've never really thought that was necessary for smoked fish.
Obviously, YMMV. Also, I use maple syrup for sweetness instead of
the brown and white sugar.

dissolve salt and sugars in water. rinse and pat dry trout. place brine
in glass or plastic pan, insert trout, making sure to open body cavities
so brine wets inner surfaces as well. add spices to brine after trout
and all in. Turn fish periodically, allow to soak for 6 hours to
overnight. remove trout and place on lightly oiled smoker racks and
allow to air dry until fish become "tacky" to the touch (this is called
"peckle").

That's "pellicle", IIRC. I will actually run a small fan aimed at
the fish to help dry it a bit and form the pellicle. (I think
pellicle means "skin", and that's what it looks like when it's done
right; it's a shiny coating on the fish.)

don't overdo the smoker chips... it's a common misconception that "more
is better", but it makes the fish taste almost sour if you use too many
chips... make sure the chips are soaked thoroughly before smoking!!!!

Yep, it's easy to overdo the smoke flavor. And I avoid certain
woods with fish. For example, mesquite is very popular down here for
barbeque and smoking meats, but I never use it for fish; it tends to
be too strong. I like hickory (as long as you don't overdo it), but
cherry is probably my favorite. Alder is nice, but we don't tend to
get a lot of that down here.

My other hobby is woodworking, so I tend to have a fair amount of
wood available in the form of cutoffs from projects. I just take
small chunks of wood and soak them for an hour or more depending on
their size. (I throw several in a pan of water and take them out as
needed.) By using hunks of wood instead of chips, you can let it go
without having to worry about replenishing the wood so often. They
also smolder more slowly than chips, which tend to flare up if you're
not careful.

My smoker also has a water pan, and I've been known to pour in a
bit of maple syrup and/or butter along with the water. I don't know
that it really makes a difference, but I figure it can't hurt. :-)


Chuck Vance

Conan the Librarian wrote:

That looks good, but I don't normally bother with the pepper or
garlic. I've never really thought that was necessary for smoked fish.
Obviously, YMMV. Also, I use maple syrup for sweetness instead of
the brown and white sugar.

I've tried the maple syrup before too, or for even lower volume brines=20
without the as much of the "sweet" taste, you can use molasses.

(this is called "peckle").=20
=20
=20
That's "pellicle", IIRC. I will actually run a small fan aimed at
the fish to help dry it a bit and form the pellicle. (I think
pellicle means "skin", and that's what it looks like when it's done
right; it's a shiny coating on the fish.)

I put it on the table under the ceiling fan for the same effect.

pel=B7li=B7cle: a thin skin or film: as a : an outer membrane of some=20
protozoans (as euglenoids or paramecia) b : a film that reflects a part=20
of the light falling upon it and transmits the rest and that is used for =

dividing a beam of light (as in a photographic device)

Right you are, hell, I learned the term from an Uncle born and raised in =

Iowa, only ever heard the term from him... should have known it was=20
incorrectly annunciated. =3D)


Yep, it's easy to overdo the smoke flavor. And I avoid certain
woods with fish. For example, mesquite is very popular down here for
barbeque and smoking meats, but I never use it for fish; it tends to
be too strong. I like hickory (as long as you don't overdo it), but
cherry is probably my favorite. Alder is nice, but we don't tend to
get a lot of that down here.

I use both cherry and apple.

My other hobby is woodworking, so I tend to have a fair amount of
wood available in the form of cutoffs from projects. I just take
small chunks of wood and soak them for an hour or more depending on
their size. (I throw several in a pan of water and take them out as
needed.) By using hunks of wood instead of chips, you can let it go
without having to worry about replenishing the wood so often. They
also smolder more slowly than chips, which tend to flare up if you're
not careful.

I've always avoided "shop wood" or any form of processed lumber... I=20
know typically kiln dried woods aren't enhanced with anything, but=20
depending on what was in the kiln before them, I've been concerned there =

may be some residual chemicals. I usually rely on a mixture of=20
processed chunks/chips and cuttings from fruit trees that I save up from =

trees. My neighbors always wonder why I'm so happy to help prune their=20
trees and haul away the debris =3D) I cut this stuff up into chunks and=
=20
use it along with whatever is available commercially. I've also run=20
some of it through a chipper and saved it in 5 gallon barrels.

My smoker also has a water pan, and I've been known to pour in a
bit of maple syrup and/or butter along with the water. I don't know
that it really makes a difference, but I figure it can't hurt. :-)

Sounds like a "Brinkman" type smoker, which is what I use for jerky. I=20
use an electric (Luhr Jensen) smoker for fish because I've found fish=20
smoked in water smokers doesn't seem to keep as long... but sometimes,=20
that's NOT a problem!! If you're doing a batch of trout anyway, you=20
also might want to consider popping down to the store and picking up a=20
chunk of Ahi Tuna or Halibut... these are GREAT smoked!!

Larry

Larry Medina larry wrote in message om...

I've tried the maple syrup before too, or for even lower volume brines
without the as much of the "sweet" taste, you can use molasses.

I've never used molasses, but that sounds good. I have to be
careful with maple syrup because it's easy to get it too sweet.

Which reminds me: While traveling in Canuckistan, I ran across what
they call "Indian candy". It's a fairly sweet and moist smoked
salmon. I've never seen a recipe for it, but all this talk about
smoked fish is getting me hungry. :-) Think I'll do a little
Googling to see what I find. :-)

[forming pellicle by aiming a fan at fish]

I put it on the table under the ceiling fan for the same effect.

pel li cle: a thin skin or film: as a : an outer membrane of some
protozoans (as euglenoids or paramecia) b : a film that reflects a part
of the light falling upon it and transmits the rest and that is used for
dividing a beam of light (as in a photographic device)

Right you are, hell, I learned the term from an Uncle born and raised in
Iowa, only ever heard the term from him... should have known it was
incorrectly annunciated. =)

I sort of figured it was a word-of-mouth thing. :-) I forget
exacly where I first picked up the term, but I'm pretty sure it was
from a book.

I use both cherry and apple.

I wish I could get apple easily down here. As a kid growing up in
Tennessee, we had a huge apple tree in the backyard. I remember
thinking the tree was just a nuisance (green apples all over the
place). Of course now I know better. :-)

I've always avoided "shop wood" or any form of processed lumber... I
know typically kiln dried woods aren't enhanced with anything, but
depending on what was in the kiln before them, I've been concerned there
may be some residual chemicals. I usually rely on a mixture of
processed chunks/chips and cuttings from fruit trees that I save up from
trees. My neighbors always wonder why I'm so happy to help prune their
trees and haul away the debris =) I cut this stuff up into chunks and
use it along with whatever is available commercially. I've also run
some of it through a chipper and saved it in 5 gallon barrels.

Hmmm ... I had never given any thought to the idea of shop wood
containing chemicals. I wonder if the same couldn't hold true for
trees in people's yards? (Though I guess if you know how they
approach fertilizing and pest control that wouldn't be a problem.)

Sounds like a "Brinkman" type smoker, which is what I use for jerky. I
use an electric (Luhr Jensen) smoker for fish because I've found fish
smoked in water smokers doesn't seem to keep as long... but sometimes,
that's NOT a problem!! If you're doing a batch of trout anyway, you
also might want to consider popping down to the store and picking up a
chunk of Ahi Tuna or Halibut... these are GREAT smoked!!

Mmmmm ... I'll have to give those a try sometime, thanks. I'd
never thought about smoking either one, but I can see how halibut
would lend itself to smoking, and Ahi seems like it would be almost
like smoking meat. :-)

And yes, I use a Brinkman. It's the tall one with three racks
(Smoke King?).


Chuck Vance

Yep, it's easy to overdo the smoke flavor. And I avoid certain
woods with fish. For example, mesquite is very popular down here for
barbeque and smoking meats, but I never use it for fish; it tends to
be too strong. I like hickory (as long as you don't overdo it), but
cherry is probably my favorite. Alder is nice, but we don't tend to
get a lot of that down here.
*
I use both cherry and apple.
*
My other hobby is woodworking, so I tend to have a fair amount of
wood available in the form of cutoffs from projects. I just take
small chunks of wood and soak them for an hour or more depending on
their size. (I throw several in a pan of water and take them out as
needed.) By using hunks of wood instead of chips, you can let it go
without having to worry about replenishing the wood so often. They
also smolder more slowly than chips, which tend to flare up if you're
not careful.
*
I've always avoided "shop wood" or any form of processed lumber... I=20
know typically kiln dried woods aren't enhanced with anything, but=20
depending on what was in the kiln before them, I've been concerned there =
*
may be some residual chemicals. I usually rely on a mixture of=20
processed chunks/chips and cuttings from fruit trees that I save up from =
*
trees. My neighbors always wonder why I'm so happy to help prune their=20
trees and haul away the debris =3D) I cut this stuff up into chunks and=
=20
use it along with whatever is available commercially. I've also run=20
some of it through a chipper and saved it in 5 gallon barrels.

Interesting choices of wood. I might try something different next time. Here
in Sweden I think juniper wood,
or branches from the juniper bush is the most commonly used when smoking
fish. Juniper adds a really nice
flavour and when you're out camping that's also the only decent smoking
wood you find. That's a kind of warm
smoking. When I'm smoking fish at home when I have more time for
preparation it's mostly a combination
juniper branches and alder wood. Then it's cold smoking in a smoking
installation me and my father built at our
summer cabin, with the fire being made in a kind of brick owen fireplace.
From the brick owen the smoke is led
by 3 meter pipe in the ground (slightly upwards) to a small wooden
"house", that's 50cmx50cm at the base and
about 2 meters high with a number grids in it to place the fish on. And on
the top there's a small chimney.

Regards
Erik








Posted via http://scandicangler.com

Interesting choices of wood. I might try something different next time. Here
in Sweden I think juniper wood,
or branches from the juniper bush is the most commonly used when smoking
fish. Juniper adds a really nice
flavour and when you're out camping that's also the only decent smoking
wood you find. That's a kind of warm
smoking. When I'm smoking fish at home when I have more time for
preparation it's mostly a combination
juniper branches and alder wood. Then it's cold smoking in a smoking
installation me and my father built at our
summer cabin, with the fire being made in a kind of brick owen fireplace.
From the brick owen the smoke is led
by 3 meter pipe in the ground (slightly upwards) to a small wooden
"house", that's 50cmx50cm at the base and
about 2 meters high with a number grids in it to place the fish on. And on
the top there's a small chimney.

When I was a kid we had instructions for building a "pit smoker" from a
Boy Scout Manual and we decided to give that a try on a camping trip
once. It worked pretty good, and was sort of similar to what you've
described here.... indirect heat source placed a short distance away
from the fish, tunnel for the smoke to travel through underground and
the fish in a burlap sack teepee above ground on racks.

We used alder that we collected at streamside for the wood... because it
was sort of green, we stripped off all of the bark, then dried the wood
over the fire the night prior to smoking.


As for the Indian Candy, we buy a Jerky that's called "Pioneer Candy"...
the sweetness on it comes from a honey baste/glaze that's applied near
the end of the smoking cycle. I've made it a couple of times, and it
does fine in a wet-style smoker like the one Chuck described. You need
to heat the honey and add a small amount of orange juice (and yes,
bourbon works well to thin honey, too!!) to it so it thins down, then
apply it VERY THINLY to the fish about an hour before it comes out of
the smoker.

Larry

Well up here in God's country Canada...we don't use the water we just use
all the dry ingredients. Allowing the brine recipe to soak in the fishes
own juices, really draws in the brine into the meat, allowing much evener
smoking of your catch. You can easily reproduce the same great smoked fish
using this simple easy recipe. I am going to try some Maple Syrup, that
sounds like a great Idea...I was thinking of watering the Maple Syrup down
with Grande Marnier...I am going to have to go get some smoked fish out now
and eat it...enjoy the recipe
"kings rule"
Gord Parfitt
Rivers North
www.riversnorth.bc.ca


Brine Recipe:
1 cup Pickling Salt
1 cup Brown Sugar
When you are doing larger fish you will have to mix more.
First filet and skin Salmon. Then use a big pan and just lay the filet in
and cover with mixture..leave in pan over night in your frig or somewhere
cool for approx 7-8 hours depending on thickness of filet...Rinse filets
well so you don't end up with Salty taste...use paper towel to dry of
filets. Now you are ready to load your smoker...

Smoking Brine Recipe
Mix brown sugar with Keen's Dry Mustard add Onion Powder,Garlic Powder to
taste...you can experiment with your favorite spices...Cover fish evenly
with mixture...then load up the smoker...

I usually smoke for 4 hours of smoke and then 4 hours just heat...We use
alder,cottonwood local supply.

"Rivers North" wrote in message news:wRjcc.11349$J56.3171@edtnps89...

Well up here in God's country Canada...
we don't use the water we just use
all the dry ingredients. Allowing the brine recipe to soak in the fishes
own juices, really draws in the brine into the meat, allowing much evener
smoking of your catch.

That's not a bad idea, and in fact, when I did a search for Indian
candy, most of the recipes said to do a dry cure rather than a brine.
Then, like Larry mentioned, you baste it with thinned honey near the
end of the smoking time.

All this talk also reminded me of gravlax. That's made by simply
packing your salmon fillets with salt (coarse sea salt is preferable),
sugar and dill sprigs. (Some recipes also call for adding a bit of
cognac to the mix.) The recipe I had for it called for wrapping it,
putting it in a deep dish and then placing a weight on top of it. You
were then supposed to refrigerate it for 24-36 hours, basting it with
its own juices a couple of times during the curing process.

You can easily reproduce the same great smoked fish
using this simple easy recipe. I am going to try some Maple Syrup, that
sounds like a great Idea...I was thinking of watering the Maple Syrup down
with Grande Marnier...

I think I'll steal the Grand Marnier idea from you and use it to
thin the honey when I make Indian candy. Larry mentioned bourbon as a
possibility, but I like the idea of getting a bit of concentrated
orange flavor in there.


Chuck Vance