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

The smoker should have a recipe book. Got to :http://www.smoke-house.com/
the Luhr-Jensen Company. Plenty of recipes. MIKE
"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

Mikeb wrote:

" Does anyone
have
a really good recipe for the brine and the smoking time for trout?

Yeah, keep it simple. Clean your trout but keep the head attached.Use a
very very clean 5 gallon bucket and fill it 1/2 way with water. Carefully
put an egg (uncooked and with the shell still intact) on the bottom of the
bucket. Add kosher salt (pickling salt) and stir with your hand gently
until the egg floats. Remove the egg. Add the trout. If the trout is
fresh (never frozen) let it soak int eh brine for 24 hours. 12-16 hours if
previously frozen.

Smoke with ALDER (it's nice and mild). Keep it in the smoker until the
fish is done.

I have a bourban, sugar, garlic recipe too, it makes "fish candy" but it is
a ton of work and the above simple version has the best results. The
finished product is great with a six pack...or mixed with cream cheese and
chased with that same six pack.

How do you know it is done smokeing?? MIKE
"just al" wrote in message
...
Mikeb wrote:

" Does anyone
have
a really good recipe for the brine and the smoking time for trout?

Yeah, keep it simple. Clean your trout but keep the head attached.Use a
very very clean 5 gallon bucket and fill it 1/2 way with water. Carefully
put an egg (uncooked and with the shell still intact) on the bottom of the
bucket. Add kosher salt (pickling salt) and stir with your hand gently
until the egg floats. Remove the egg. Add the trout. If the trout is
fresh (never frozen) let it soak int eh brine for 24 hours. 12-16 hours
if
previously frozen.

Smoke with ALDER (it's nice and mild). Keep it in the smoker until the
fish is done.

I have a bourban, sugar, garlic recipe too, it makes "fish candy" but it
is
a ton of work and the above simple version has the best results. The
finished product is great with a six pack...or mixed with cream cheese and
chased with that same six pack.