I will tell you a basic recipe. First, let me tell you I am on my third smoker. If you want it to come out consistently good, spend get a decent smoker. ( you don’t need to spent a lot) but it really makes a difference if you have a nice smoker. I found out that you can't smoke fish in a rigged BBQ, but you can smoke meats in a rigged BBQ. Get an ELECTRIC, INSULATED smoker.
IMO the secret to smoking fish is temperature control. If you smoke ribs or other meats it is not as important. But fish is more delicate and is quickly affected by the wrong temperature. I started with a cheapo "little-chief" smoker I got from LL bean but you can't control the temp at all and it made some great smokes and some real bombs. (depening on the weather outside)
The one I have now is a Bradley stainless steel smoker.
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/home.htm
here is a short video:
http://www.bradleysmoker.com/video/commercial.htm
It is made in Canada, bought it on line from a place in WA and the company is great. IMO this smoker is "made for fish" from the salmon capital. I don't do anything else in it. But why I like it...is that it is insulated like a refrigerator.Temp is rock solid. Bradley is also big on "clean smoke" and the generator uses these bisques that it injects on to a burner and then extinguish it when it is about 3/4 done to keep the smoke clean...no bitter acids. It is a nice luxury but there are many other smokers out there that work great without this method. If you get a smoker, get one that is insulated. Again, you can make it work with other's but to do it right consistently, you want to keep the temp constant (year-round) get and electric, insulated smoker. If you want it to stay looking nice get a stainless, but that is not needed. You don't have to spend a lot on a smoker. Also don't get a giant one. You generally don't need to smoke 80 lbs of meat or fish. But you want one of good size so you can do a "batch" at a time. I probably smoke 2-3 times per month in the summer and 1 per month other seasons.
Anyway...
What do I do with all this smoked fish?
First, when it is done, I vacuum pack each fillet and freeze it. It will last for like a year (easy) in that state. In the refrige smoked fish will last for a few weeks. It is very popular stuff. I give most of it away to friends as a gift and eat the rest for hors-douvers and my wife uses it in cooking other dishes as well. (smoked fish chowda is outstanding…try some at the mattapoiset chowda house on rt 6 next time you drive by…you will buy a smoker soon after.)
You will make many friends and have get rave reviews. Go to someone’s home...give them a fillet of smoke fish instead of a bottle of wine...it gets consumed in minutes. Several people told me I should go into business. (Not my cup of tea...I like fishing and smoking fish, I think if I did it for $ I would not like it...sort of like golf)
Smoking is fun and is filled with experimentation.... wood types, fish types, brines, spices. The combos are endless.
Anyway, here is a basic and simple recipe for smoked bluefish, and this recipe would work great on any oily fish and some non-oily fish. Macs are great smoked. Many people like bass too smoked. I like the texture of bass but the taste of bluefish. Mahi is also good smoke. I tried fluke this year; did not come out that great...too fine a texture and not enough oil. Seabass was pretty good too. Have not tried an eel yet. But shell-fish lightly smoked are also excellent.
Anyway, you need to soak the fillets in a brine to cure the fish for about 3-4 hours. the brine consists of
2 qts water
1 cup salt (use non-iodized)
3/4 cup of brown sugar
and some spices.. I like onion powder, some fresh herbs chopped up, pepper ect...be creative, (USE A NON-METAL dish for brine)
After about 3 or 4 hours remove the fish from the brine and RINSE it off with cool clean water. You want to rinse off ALL of the brine. So really rinse it off or it will be too salty.
Then lay the fish on the racks and let air dry for about at least an hour maybe 3 or 4 hours until the fish gets a glaze to it.
Then I apply a very light coating of olive oil and re-apply some spices for appearance ( dill, pepper onion flakes ect) and put into the smoker for about 4 hours. I like hickory wood but alder and maple is nice with fish also. It might take up to 8 hours depending on the thickness of the fillets and the temp of your smoker. I try to keep mine at 140F. You have to peak in now and they and taste to know when it is done.
There are a few books on the subject as well with lots of recipes. Generally, when you buy a smoker you will get some tested recipes…start with those and develop your own from them.
It takes some time...but take my word for it ...it is kind of fun.
I have had a few failures too and felt like I wasted fish now and again, but it is worth it. Besides what else are you going to do with all that bluefish?
The reason I mention here is that I know many of you would enjoy smoking and eating and sharing your catch…Give it a go…
Smokin...
we'll see!
smoke
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