Smoked trout/weber (1 Viewer)

[FLATU8ER]

I've got afew trout from the last camping trip (20+). I want to try smoked trout, and am looking for a brine, and someone with experience to share. I am also cooking on a standard 22.5" Weber. With all of the cooks on this site, this one has to stir up atleast afew interested Mud Grillers.
-Jim

 

[spressomon]

I use both wet brines and dry rub/cures for salmon and trout. This wet brine recipe does the trick for me (based on a recipe from "Mike O."; allrecipes.com):

Adjust according to how much is needed.

1 gallon water
1C kosher salt
1C sugar (I use brown but white would be fine...for sweeter add more sugar)
4 cloves crushed garlic
4 lemons sliced and crushed
2 oranges sliced and crushed
1 lime sliced and crushed
1 large onion, sliced

In a SS pot warm and stir the brine ingredients on a stove until just incorporated and then cool.

For small trout fillets I usually only soak them for about 6-8 hours in the brine. For larger meatier fish I'll go 12-hours or longer. If you want a nice spicy treat take habaneros and process them to a mash (processor or mortar and pestle) and rub atop the fish fillets just before going in to the smoker. Smoking will reduce the heat effect of the habaneros but leave a nice muted floral flavor.

And after experimenting with many different types of wood for smoking fish I've found alder is clearly the taste favorite. YMMV.

 

[FLATU8ER]

Thanks, I like the looks of your brine ingredients. Some versions include soy sauce, which I don't care for. I will have Wed & Thur off, so I will have to get started.
Maybe I can sneak out and buy a real smoker.
-Jim

 

[spressomon]

FWIW I also don't like soy sauce in my salmon/trout marinades.

FWIW2: I've used an insulated Cookshack electric smoker the past 13-14 years and love it. It was a bit of a learning curve coming from wood but now its a hands-off process and provides super results for those times I just don't have the time to babysit wood/charcoal. And like many other tool purchases I put off getting a smoker for many years thinking it wouldn't get used very often. But that assumption has not been born out in reality post smoker purchase

 

[FLATU8ER]

I like the way you relate the purchase to a "Tool Purchase", I think I can justify it now, as I have put off buying a Smoker. I have always relied on a charcoal/wood process, (Basic fire/meat/caveman), and am considering an electric. How do you use wood chips in an electric? I've seen little metal boxes/trays that go in the smoker. Alder is a new wood to me, and is not avaliable in my area. My favorite is oak/whisky barrel stuff, and not the Jack Danels brand. I did try old oak red wine barrel chips, they worked good, but only got the oak and could not tell what the red wine residue was doing, it smelled good though. The wood chips around here are Mesquite & Hickory, both can be strong with only alittle bit. Can get some Cherry and Apple---do you have any experience with these?
-Thanks, Jim

 

[spressomon]

I source smoking wood from a variety of sources including backyard trimmings. Sometimes Amazon.com and sometimes Barbeque-Wood.com | Firewood | Cooking Planks | Smoker Chips | Chunks | Pellets

I use: Alder, apple, cherry, hickory, peach, mesquite and pecan mostly. But alder reigns for salmon and trout. Pecan is my new go to wood for all things pork.

Here's my smoker: Smokette Original Model SM009-2 | Cookshack

Its double wall and insulated...the interior is very consistent temp top to bottom and side to side/front to back. It works perfectly through the winter too...along with serving as another oven as needed.

Mine is an older black painted exterior model with a smaller control panel but the vitals are the same and mine has the SS interior. 100% happy with it. One big Alaska salmon year it smoked over 200lbs of silver fillets...in batches of course

It takes small to medium size wood chips/chunks placed in a covered metal hopper that sits directly above a heating coil. It can take pellets or wood dust but I didn't like the results; not a wood dust or wood pellet fan for smoking food.

I'd recommend getting a smoker that uses easy and relatively cheap to source wood chips/chunks. The types of smokers that necessitate preformed wood pucks, pellets, dust, etc. are a bigger compromise in smoking quality and higher wood product cost for very little convenience gained IMHO.

 

[FLATU8ER]

OK, just bought a Master Forge Electric Smoker at Lowes for $79.00. Inexpensive as far as smokers go, but just getting my feet wet. Started the Brine,
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup salt
pinch of cayane
big dash of garlic powder, and onion powder
juice of 1 lemon, and rinds (halves) heated up in water
squirt of balsamic vinegar, and whouorschitter sauce
heated all up in a big stock pot to dissolve, and letting it cool now.
Will soak/brine 15+ Trout tonight for about 8+ hours tonight.
Directions said to use chunks of wood for smoke, I could only find chips (Cherry Wood), and to wrap up a foil packet to put on the heating element/lava rocks, below the water/drip pan.
We will see what happens, and will report.

Supresso, I don't use the varitey of wood that you do, but Oak is #1 for me, and the close 2nd is Pecan. Got to hand it to you, thanks for the coaching.
-Jim

 

[spressomon]

We wanna see pics of your results tomorrow

 

[FLATU8ER]

Got directions? I don't know how to post pics. (Maybe shoot me a PM, with directions)

 

[FLATU8ER]

Working on the pics, but I think I over did it. Went about 4.5 hrs at some where between 175 and 200 degrees. Trout came out good, but alittle tough. We shredded thr meat off the bone and will make something out of it. ????? Fish spread with mayo / cream cheese, something. Good flavor, and good smoke with the Cherry wood.
-Jim

 

[FLATU8ER]

Took my boys fishing up in the Sierra Nevadas again. Gonna try another batch in the smoker, and will try Supresso's method this time. The trout are alittle bigger this time, so maybe alittle longer soak in the brine.??????
Wish me luck as I go through my learning curve.
-Jim

 

[FLATU8ER]

Results, and kudos to Supreso. Followed the brine, but eliminated the lime,doubled up on the lemon and orange, and added a chopped Poblano pepper. Soak for 9 hrs, and smoked for 2.5 hrs at about 200 to 225 F. Great results. Also added to the drip pan some fruit juice, with lime juice, with the juice of 1 lemon and its rind.
Now a question: Want to vacume seal, but wondering about adding EVO to make something like you get at the store? Anyone have experience with this idea?
The fish is great by it self, but wondering about a dip, or spread.
Works with crackers, but all of the store bought stuff seems to be slightly oily.
Any input?
-Jim

 

[FLATU8ER]

Well Sepresso, just got back from another trout/camping trip.
Going to try some more trout on the smoker, but found out that the salt may need to be cut in half in the brine. Any other ideas on additions to the brine? I was thinking more chili and maybe some honey. Or possibly a thin coat of honey after the brine, and before the smoke?
Also found some Alder wood, so that will be the major component as you had recommended.
-Jim

 

[spressomon]

I've experimented with many different brine ingredients but have found after the smoking process most flavors (aside from sugar and salt and/or their variants like honey, soy sauce, etc.) get pretty well muted.

For more of a cure or rub before smoking instead of a wet brine I use Alton Brown's basic recipe. I often mash a few fresh habaneros or jalapenos to the rub/cure and after smoking you end up with a little of the habanero floral qualities with a medium kick. Here's the base: Smoked Salmon Recipe : Alton Brown : Recipes : Food Network

I tend to smoke the trout/salmon using Alton's cure hotter (175-200*F) and shorter to keep it from getting too dry. A pan of water in your smoking chamber with this cure style helps keep it moist too.

As you discovered you need to either adjust the sodium or the lay down time for smaller/thinner cuts of fish/meat.

And you will be amazed how much better alderwood gets along with salmon and trout! You'll just have to experiment with what amount of wood works for you. All in all salmon and trout require WAY more wood/smoke than equal amounts of beef or pork. And FWIW I don't soak the wood before putting it in the smoker.

Be sure to write down all your various experiments...as once you nail it for your tastes and smoker you'll want to repeat repeat repeat

Curious to hear about your results!

 

[wombat]

I have tried lots of different brines some very elaborate and expensive and now for fish i stick to the basic 1 qt water,1/2 cup non-iodized salt,1/2 cup white sugar but the secret i have found is add 1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce. After brining give pieces a quick rinse with cold water or the fish will be too salty. After 2 hours or 2 pans of chips baste the fish with a mix of 1 oz dark rum and 1 oz of honey. Dont dry your fish out like jerky keep an eye on it and watch for the white fat to ooze out.Keep track of the time and once you find the perfect time for fish that size write it in your recipe book so you dont forget next year when do it again. And last if you have one use a vacuum packer to seal and store your smoked fish in the freezer. yum yum

 

[myquestoyota]

When you take your fish out of the brine and rinse it, pat it dry with paper towels and let it sit spread out on a table with a fan blowing on it for a half hour to an hour. Make sure it develops a "tack" (gets sticky) before smoking it.

 

[FLATU8ER]

My kids could'nt stand it, so I picked up some Steel head filets, and will put them on the smoker later today after I finish the Navy Beans and ham hocks.
-Jim

 

[FLATU8ER]

Boom, hit this one out'a the park.
New experience with filets.
Brined for 3+/- hrs, and on the smoker for about 1 1/2 hrs.

 

[Elijah]

FWIW I also don't like soy sauce in my salmon/trout marinades.

FWIW2: I've used an insulated Cookshack electric smoker the past 13-14 years and love it. It was a bit of a learning curve coming from wood but now its a hands-off process and provides super results for those times I just don't have the time to babysit wood/charcoal. And like many other tool purchases I put off getting a smoker for many years thinking it wouldn't get used very often. But that assumption has not been born out in reality post smoker purchase

I picked up the same model you have, Spresso. Used for 250 bucks with a stand and cover and some hickory. What an absolutely amazing smoker. I've done spare ribs and baby back ribs (turned out INCREDIBLE) and now I have a way to cook the trout and catfish I catch this spring/summer/fall. I'm so impressed with the quality of this smoker. I have the older model as well.

 

[spressomon]

^ score! I use mine as a warming oven too around holiday/party time as needed. Great little smoker. And as you probably figured out it doesn't take a whole lot of wood chunks to get the job done...very efficient.