How to Smoke Fish

Smoking fish at home can be accomplished with a stovetop or backyard smoker, with a charcoal grill that has a cover, or even with a wok. Here are the basics.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Aluminum Foil
• Barbecue Grills
• Stovetop Smokers
• Aluminum Foil
• Fish Filets Or Steaks
• Shellfish
• Wire Racks
• Woks
• Wood Chips

1. Place water-soaked wood chips in the bottom of a stovetop smoker; atop a double layer of aluminum foil in the bottom of a wok; or along with charcoal briquets in the bottom of a charcoal grill that has a cover.

2. Rinse fish fillets, steaks, scallops or shrimp (peeled and deveined but with tails left on) and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Set fish fillets, steaks, scallops or shrimp atop a wire rack and set aside.

4. Turn on the exhaust fan, if working on a stovetop, or make sure your smoking apparatus is in a well-ventilated area.

5. Preheat the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions. If using a wok or grill, heat the wood chips (with cover in place) at a high temperature until they begin to smoke furiously.

6. Set the rack with the fish or shellfish above the wood chips in the smoker, wok or grill and seal tightly. To seal the wok you may need to seal the edges of the lid with a dampened dish towel. Make sure to keep the towel inside the edge of the wok and away from the heat.

7. Smoke the fish until done, about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filets or steaks. Shrimp will take less time - about 12 minutes in most smokers.

Tips & Warnings

• Hot smoking can be done with the addition of little or no fat, and the fish will still be moist. For that reason, brining, or curing, the fish is not necessary with this method. Hot smoking cooks the fish with heat while the smoke infuses it with flavor. Cold smoking methods are done at temperatures that are not high enough to cook the fish.
• Try different wood chips: hickory, alder, apple, oak or mesquite.
• Oily types of fish work best with smoking. Try mackerel, eel, salmon or tuna. Lower-fat shellfish work well too, however.
• This type of rapidly smoked seafood, as opposed to commercial methods that smoke at cooler temperatures, is perishable. The finished product will last about four or five days in the refrigerator.
• Make sure the wood chips are soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before smoking. You want smoked fish, not immolated fish.

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[ayounger1]

on 8/3/2009 What should be done with the smoked fish when done? My husband puts it in a Tupperware container and leaves it on the counter until he vacuum seals it (usually the next day). However, the lid of the container has moisture on the inside and this concerns me. HELP!!

[bendeg]

on 7/26/2007 Hi there, Can I use Merbau ships for smoking?? Regards Bendeg.