Author Topic: Smokin  (Read 4362 times)

Offline aacosta

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Smokin
« on: Jan 05, 2018, 08:00 AM »
Just got a smoker for Christmas and was thinking of smoked fish. I know trout, salmon, and whitefish are common. I don't catch those though. Anyone smoke pike or bluegill? Taste good? Recipes?

Offline Stickhick86

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #1 on: Jan 05, 2018, 08:04 AM »
I was thinking the same thing.... I have seen videos on youtube with different ways to smoke the fish
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Offline Poutman

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #2 on: Jan 05, 2018, 12:11 PM »
Pike are excellent smoked. I use Rytek Kutas' book 'Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing' as a guide. He uses a little bit too much salt for my taste but it is easy to use less salt to your liking.

Offline zwiggles

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #3 on: Jan 06, 2018, 08:34 PM »
If you do a search on the Maine state a bunch of them smoke they’re perch and crappie. I can’t see how smoked panfish could be bad.

Offline smeltbuster

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #4 on: Jan 07, 2018, 10:56 AM »
I smoke lots of pike. Leave the skin on & don't overcook it. Also Pike seems to absorb more salt so I cut down on the brine time .
"Yes officer, my chocolate lab did shoot me,with my brothers 12 gauge"!  11-8-87,true story!          "Sorry were late mom,Chris & me just got done with a cow hunt,we each got a big black Angus with our muzzleloaders"!  (the Christmas eve cow hunt w/ my son; 2004 !

Offline sr

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #5 on: Jan 11, 2018, 12:49 PM »
I like to smoke sunfish, the big one, of cource. Not to many bones and taste is very delicious.
SR

Offline bowmandan

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #6 on: Jan 11, 2018, 04:26 PM »
Perch for me with a little brown sugar sprinkled on during smoking

Offline Squidy

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #7 on: Jan 16, 2018, 01:11 PM »
I smoke a lot of fish, both salt and fresh water. My first smoker was a little chief aluminum electric box smoker, it came with a great little cookbook that had a lot of different brine's in it. The smoked salmon deluxe recipe is absolutely amazing, I've been making it on X-mass eve for about 15 years now, I don't think i'm allowed back to the party with out it anymore more.
Google for the little chief recipe book, you won't be disappointed. I also have been using a simple method of Brown Sugar and salt that works also works really well. Using a large plastic bucket, put a solid layer of course sea salt on the bottom, place a layer of fillets skin side down directly on the salt (make sure you scale the fillets) cover the flesh side completely with brown sugar and repeat, salt - fish - sugar.  Once all of your fish is in the bucket and completely covered, store it over night. The sugar and salt will completely liquefy, once it does you can stir the brine to make sure it all mixing well into a nice dark liquid. Some times I put a couple of plates in  the bucket to keep the fish submerged. Depending on the thickness of the fillets I leave it in the brine for 24 to 48 hours. I've left thick striper fillets in for almost 72 hours.
With all smoking make sure you wash, and dry the fillets after the brine. Then let them air dry for at least an hour for the pelical to form. It should be very tacky to the touch before you apply the smoke. Also don't use Iodized salt, it messes up the flavor of the brine ...
Good Luck
Squidy

Offline [email protected]

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #8 on: Jan 18, 2018, 03:42 PM »
walleye is also real good smoked

Offline DR.SPECKLER

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #9 on: Feb 23, 2018, 09:17 AM »
I never really liked to smoke fish with light flakey meat like panfish,walleye or perch..i like dense oily fish like salmon,steelhead,lakers,suckers and whitefish.

Offline Kevin23

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #10 on: Feb 23, 2018, 02:46 PM »
You can smoke anything you want, just watch so it doesn't dry out. Cafish is another one that i smoke a lot. You really need an oily or fatty fish to smoke, that helps retain moisture and catch the smoke flavor better. A flakey white fish, like walleye or panfish would be good for a smoked dinner but would not be a good choice for hard smoking for hors d'oeuvres or snacking like salmon is.

For the light flakey fish, I would just do about 30-45 minutes at 225-250, just long enough to get to temp but not dry out. Hickory to get the flavor in quickly. 145deg internal for fresh fish.  Then serve hot as a dinner entree. For seasonings, salt, pepper, and some fresh dill. Keep it simple. Garnish with a pat of butter and a squeeze of lemon.

For the oily fish, catfish trout and salmon, I do about a 3 hour smoking session starting at 160 and ending around 180-200 with hickory or beech. These fish need to dry out a bit. Seasoning is just salt and pepper, I do not brine. These are going to be a hard smoke, so I don't stop at 145 unless it is firm to the touch- but it still has to get to 145. These are served room temp or chilled as hors d'oeuvres with good crackers and maybe some homemade tartar sauce.  ;)

As for skin on or off debate. Pike and catfish- skin OFF unless you like the taste of warm slime from the fish above in the smoker. All the rest you can leave the skin on and peel it off later- or scale and eat them. I smoke trout WHOLE and gutted. Whatever fish you smoke with the skin on, be sure you scrub the skin very well under running water to remove any slime and loose scales- you don't want that dripping down on the fish below.


EYECONICFISHING

Offline bowmandan

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Re: Smokin
« Reply #11 on: Feb 23, 2018, 06:25 PM »
smoke bullhead and peppermint schnapps ;D

 



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