How to Smoke Salmon & Trout

Smoked fish has a distinctive taste.

Smoking fish is a method of food preservation used for centuries worldwide. In modern times and in developed countries, fish is smoke-cured more for the flavor it produces. The smoking process also kills off parasites if the temperature reaches 140 degrees F, rendering any fish suitable for eating. Oily fish, such as salmon and trout, are the best fish to smoke, because the fat enables faster absorption of smoke and stops the fish from drying out.

Things You'll Need

• Red/white wine
• Lemon juice
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Allspice
• Glass, plastic or ceramic container
• Electric fan
• Smoker

Instructions

1. Prepare your fish by trimming all lose pieces and bones, and remove the scales by scraping a dull knife against the grain. Use only fresh fish or fish that was frozen straight after catching and thawed out for smoking. Leave on or take off the skin and the backbone according to choice.

2. Mix together 1 gallon water and 2 cups salt for a basic brine. Add such ingredients as red/white wine, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, brown sugar and black or white pepper, depending on your taste. Mix the ingredients in a plastic, ceramic or glass container until all the ingredients are thoroughly integrated.

3. Submerge the fish in the brine. Ensure the container has enough room for the brine to circulate around the fish. Do not use wood or metal containers. Put a plate on top of the fish to ensure total submersion. If the fish was chilled before placing it in the brine, then leaving it at room temperature will suffice, but if the ambient temperature is warm or the fish wasn't chilled, place the container in a refrigerator. A piece of fish weighing less than 4 oz. takes 30 minutes to brine, ranging up to five hours for a 4- to 5-lb.

4. Remove the fish from the brine to dry it. Rinse it lightly in fresh water, or work with the fish as it is. If you don't rinse it, the resulting taste will be saltier. Lightly oil the racks from your smoker, and lay the fish out for drying in a breezy place or put an electric fan nearby. It normally takes an hour to dry, when a substance called a pellicle -- a thin glaze -- forms on the fish.

5. Choose wood chips or chunks, pellets, sawdust or whole logs for your source of smoke, depending on your smoker manufacturer's instructions. Add flavor by using hard wood, such as apple, oak, hickory or cherry. As long as the source of smoke and heat is constant and consistent, any smoker will do. Refer to your manufacturer's guidelines for length of smoking time. The fish is smoked when it flakes easily and when the inside temperature has reached 140 degrees F.

6. Elevate the racks to cool the fish for a half hour, then wrap it tightly in foil and place it in a plastic zipper bag or vacuum seal it.

Tips & Warnings

• Oily fish, such as salmon and trout, need longer brining time than other fish.

• You can use bottled water for the brining mixture if you wish.

• Use only enough wood to create a steady smoke. Too much will cause the fish to taste bitter.

References

• In the Mood for Food: Cold Smoked Salmon or Trout Recipe
• 3 Men: Smoking Seafood
• 3 Men: The 3 Men's Fish Smoking Process

Resources

• 3 Men: Smoked Fish Recipes