![]() Clean the fish and split into two fillets by cutting through the ribs on one side of the backbone.Make the smoked fish brine by combining water, salt and brown sugar in a pot over low heat, and then mixing until sugar and salt are dissolved.You just need to allow enough time to brine the fish overnight, and then cook the fish for about three hours in the smoker or charcoal grill.įollow these steps to learn how to smoke fish: Woods like maple, alder, and pecan tend to be the best since they won't overpower the mild flavor of the fish. Once you have these five ingredients assembled, check to make sure you have the right type of wood chips for smoking your fillets. These are the ingredients you will need to have on hand to smoke your own fish: You can eat smoked fish right from the fillet,or use it as the main ingredient in a fish dip or spread. Fatty fish like mackerel, trout, salmon, wahoo, tuna, bluefish or mullet are ideal because they will absorb the wood flavors better than lean fish. While you can smoke most almost any kind of fish, the best fish to smoke are fatty fish. You don't need many ingredients and the process is a lot easier than you might think. This will last for a very long time if vacuum packed and frozen.If you have a smoker or a charcoal grill, you can quickly learn how to make smoked fish at home. Keep the fish chilled, and if you have a food saver or vacuum, bag the fish and freeze. This will get rid of any acrid nuances that build up in the fish.ĩ. Remove from the smoker and once again allow it to air out in the refrigerator. Typically, I’ll turn the smoker off and allow the fish to rest in there for about 30 minutes.Ĩ. Smoke the fish per your smoker’s manufacturer’s instructions until the fish is cooked through. Personally, since bluefish has such a bold taste, it will stand up to my standard blend, which is cherry, hickory, apple and alder.ħ. This fish does best with a hot smoke, so set up your smoker with the blend of your choosing. This drying process will create the pellicle, a tacky surface which will allow the chemicals in the smoke to adhere to the product.Ħ. Allow to sit uncovered in the icebox for as long as 48 hours. Lay the filets flat on drain racks if you have them and pat dry.ĥ. Remove from the brine, discarding the latter.Ĥ. This will pull blood out of the filets, as well as tame the fishy taste.ģ. Allow to sit under refrigeration for at least four hours. Combine all ingredients, making enough to cover the fish filets.Ģ. You can serve the dip/salad in a bowl with bread, crustini and crackers on the side, or you can plate them up like I have in the picture above. When the salad is at a consistency that you like, season and keep chilled until ready to use.Ĥ. Remove pin bones and mash the fish with your hands, and make it as you would a simple tuna salad.ģ. This will greatly reduce any lingering fishy taste.Ģ. Travel will be a thing again, soon, and perhaps next year’s holiday article will be written from a land afar. Skiing down the slopes (I don’t know how to ski, so I’m hoping that there are bunny slopes in Switzerland) right into the lodge with burning legs and a stiff back, I would be greeted by a wassel or another toasty beverage.Īnd as much as I want to travel and give that experience to my children, traversing continents and states, I am just as content to be home, as long as I’m with family. The cold isn’t the issue, as I would love nothing more than to be in the Swiss Alps. ![]() I notice as I write that this time of year spawns a wanderlust in me that is difficult to put into words - a deep desire to get out of here. Still fascinated by the notion that Napa Valley is simply Delmarva with mountains and grapes instead of soy and wide-open fields, we discuss a week or two of visiting ranches, vineyards and restaurants. The holidays always seem to rekindle a similar love for travel, and as my kids take after me and their mother, it is a normal topic of discussion. I was in California about 14 years ago, and I remember plain as day sitting in my hotel room near the Culinary Institute typing away about wanderlust. It is time to start squirreling away the survival slush fund, and who knows what new restrictions will be in-place worldwide? I don’t think travel will be the norm for a while. I would still love to visit Europe again, but times could be tighter in 2022 than they were in 2020. There is talk (by my 16-year old) of a week in Tokyo, and even more discussion about another trip to Central America. Tonight, we sat laughing around a holiday table snacking on cookies and homemade hors d’oeuvres, our conversation naturally taking on the good and the concerning, sometimes getting a touch sentimental.Īs we welcome the new year, I realize that there are so many things that I want to do for and with my friends and family.
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