fishnutz
03-16-2010, 07:50 AM
Any kind of fish will do, preferably one that is fairly firm in texture and "flakes" when cooked. I usually either use Mahi or Salmon.
Brine:
One quart warm water (just warm enough to help dissolve sugar & salt)
One cup Brown Sugar
One-half cup Kosher Salt
Dissolve the brown sugar and kosher salt in the water. While it is dissolving, cut your fish fillets to size. You'll want fillets with the skin ON. I like to cut them to the width of the fillet by about 2" or so. Place the fillets into the brine and refrigerate overnight.
Smoking:
Prior to smoking, remove the fillets from the brine and pat off the excess liquid with a paper towel. Allow them to air dry for 1/2 to 1 hour. They should have a slightly "glazed" look. Place them into your smoker with the skin side down....the time will be a judgement call and will vary based on your smoker and the thickness of the fillets. I use an Orion Cooker from Home Depot, and it takes about 50 minutes, give or take....It's been a while since I've used my Little Chief, but if I remember correctly, I think it takes 2 to 2 1/2 hours. They should look like they have a dark-ish glaze on them. The only way to really screw this up is to over-smoke and dry them out too much.
Alder chips give the best flavor for fish (IMO), but most hardwoods will do, with Apple or Hickory running a close second.
Brine:
One quart warm water (just warm enough to help dissolve sugar & salt)
One cup Brown Sugar
One-half cup Kosher Salt
Dissolve the brown sugar and kosher salt in the water. While it is dissolving, cut your fish fillets to size. You'll want fillets with the skin ON. I like to cut them to the width of the fillet by about 2" or so. Place the fillets into the brine and refrigerate overnight.
Smoking:
Prior to smoking, remove the fillets from the brine and pat off the excess liquid with a paper towel. Allow them to air dry for 1/2 to 1 hour. They should have a slightly "glazed" look. Place them into your smoker with the skin side down....the time will be a judgement call and will vary based on your smoker and the thickness of the fillets. I use an Orion Cooker from Home Depot, and it takes about 50 minutes, give or take....It's been a while since I've used my Little Chief, but if I remember correctly, I think it takes 2 to 2 1/2 hours. They should look like they have a dark-ish glaze on them. The only way to really screw this up is to over-smoke and dry them out too much.
Alder chips give the best flavor for fish (IMO), but most hardwoods will do, with Apple or Hickory running a close second.