Fresh Seafood

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Tips on Smoking Fish

By daybreak
Published: May 7, 2007

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Smoked fish is a great way to enjoy several types of saltwater fish. The natural fats help prevent drying during the smoking process. Smoked fish can be served as an appetizer or flaked and incorporated in a salad or a variety of other recipes. Smoking fish is simple and a good way to increase the storage life of fish. Whole or portions of fish can be smoked. Fillets with their skin intact are best for smoking; however whole and portions are also good smoked.

The Smoking Process

Cleaning

To clean whole fish before smoking, rinse the body and remove any blood from the belly cavity. Fillets and steaks should be rinsed and cut into manageable sizes.

Brining

A simple brine solution can be made using this recipe:

1/2 gallon water
6 ounces brown sugar
1 ounce salt or substitute
2 ounces of soy sauce
2 tablespoons black pepper

Rinse and drain fish thoroughly dry then marinate in the brine solution for 45-60 minutes.

Drying

To dry, place fish on a rack and let dry in the refrigerator until the surface starts to glaze over.

Smoking

To smoke, slowly heat fish over coals and wood. Try to maintain a low smoking temperature. Use chart below for temperature and smoking times. If using a charcoal grill, use fewer briquettes than normally required for grilling.

Fish Smoking Recommendations
Type	AMOUNT	TEMPERATURE	SMOKING TIME
fillets or steaks(¹/₂inch thick)	1 1/2 lbs	150^o-175^oF 200^oF 250^oF	1hr. 30 min. 20 min.
fillets or steaks(3/4 inch thick)	1 1/2 lbs	150^o-175^oF 200^oF 250^oF	90 min. 30-45 min. 30 min.
whole fish-(dressed)	2 1/2 pounds	150^o-175^oF 200^oF 250^oF	2 hours 75 min. 45-50 min.

Wood for smoking fish

Wood chips from apple, oak, hickory and cherry provide excellent smoke flavor. Never use any types of lumber or other processed or timbers of any kind because they may contain toxins. Soak hardwood chips in water for at least an hour before using.

Choosing fish for smoking

Salmon

Smoked salmon has the bright red appearance and succulent flavor that seafood lovers and professional cooks enjoy as one of the most popular smoked fish items. Salmon is high in Omega-3 fatty acids which is well known as having health benefits. Studies have shown that smoked salmon has low mercury concentrations, unlike some seafood. Many salmon recipes are based on smoked fillets.

Tuna

Bluefin tuna, , yellowfin tuna, longfin albacore, blackfin tuna, skipjack tuna, bonito, false albacore and other pelagic fish can be excellent candidates for smoking. The fish have meat that is firm, flaky, high in omega-3 fatty acids and have a flavor that is complimented by the smoking process.

Mackerel

Members of the mackerel family, including Atlantic mackerel, Spanish mackerel , king mackerel are all excellent candidates for smoking.

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