Hickory Smoked Fish Recipes

HOW TO SMOKE FISH

Steps:

• Make the brine: Combine water, sugar, and 1/2 cup salt. Place fish in a nonreactive dish; cover with brine. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Heat charcoal grill to medium, piling coals on 1 side to set up direct and indirect heat zones. Set a drip pan under the grill grate in the indirect heat zone.
• Soak wood trimmings in water for 30 minutes. Drain (if smoking whole trout or char, leave 1/2 cup wood in water); add to coals.
• Smoke the fish: Once smoke develops, place fish in a lightly oiled grill basket. Transfer to grill rack, and set over drip pan. Open lid vent, and position over fish. (This will direct smoke to impart maximum smokiness.) For the trout fillets: Smoke fish until cooked through but not dry, 12 to 15 minutes.For the whole trout: Smoke for 10 minutes. Flip basket. Drain remaining 1/2 cup wood; add to coals. Smoke fish until cooked through but not dry, 8 to 10 minutes more.For the side of arctic char: Smoke for 10 minutes. Drain remaining 1/2 cup wood; add to coals. Smoke fish until cooked through but not dry, 13 to 15 minutes more.

HICKORY SMOKE SALT

Steps:

• Mix salt and liquid smoke together in a small bowl.
• Add more salt or liquid smoke to make a mixture resembling very moist brown sugar.
• Spread salt out on a cookie sheet.
• Allow to dry at room temperature or dry in your oven on the lowest temperature.
• Stir and rub salt between your fingers periodically.
• Room temp salt is ready the next day, oven dried should be ready in a couple of hours.
• Store in a jar with a tight lid.

HICKORY SMOKED CHICKEN WINGS WITH JERK SAUCE AND LIME

Steps:

• For the marinade: Whisk together the vinegar, curry powder, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, palm sugar, Thai chilies, cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, lemongrass, coriander, granulated sugar, star anise, garlic and kaffir lime leaves in a large container. Add the chicken wings and enough water to fully cover. Refrigerate overnight.
• Transfer the chicken wings to hotel pans in a single layer skin-side up, making sure to remove as many seeds or herbs from the marinade as possible. Refrigerate uncovered 1 to 3 hours so the chicken wings lightly dry and build a pellicle.
• Prepare a smoker with hickory wood and heat it to 225 degrees F. Transfer the wings to the smoker and smoke until just barely cooked on the inside, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Let cool.
• For the jerk sauce: Whisk together the lime juice, ground black pepper, cafe black pepper, curry powder, fish sauce and salt to taste in a small bowl.
• Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep fryer or pot. Place the wings in the oil skin-side up, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Cook until golden brown, then transfer to a drip tray, rack or paper towels.
• Brush the jerk sauce on the wings while they are still hot. Serve on butcher paper with the cilantro and limes.

HICKORY SMOKED FISH

Steps:

• Place fish in a large bowl.
• Combine oil, lemon juice, sugar, dill weed, and salt. Stir until sugar dissolves and pour over fish. Refrigerate for 1 hour, turning once.
• Build a slow fire in a covered bbq.
• Remove fish from marinade, reserving marinade.
• Place fish in a single layer in a lightly oiled baking dish or foil pan.
• Place baking dish on heavy duty foil on grill.
• Sprinkle dampened chips over coals.
• Close hood and bbq, turning fish once and basting with marinade several times, 30 to 40 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

BASIC SMOKED FISH

Steps:

• If using liquid brine, place the fish fillets in a ceramic, glass or stainless-steel (not aluminum) bowl with the brine. If using dry cure, rub each fillet top and bottom with the dry mixture and place in a ceramic, glass or stainless-steel (not aluminum) baking dish. Cover and refrigerate about 6 hours, or overnight.
• Remove fillets from bowl or dish and rinse them under running water quickly to remove surface salt. If using dry cure, do not rub off all the seasonings. Place fillets on a cake rack or raised grid surface that allows air to circulate beneath them. Leave to dry about 3 hours, or until a dry shiny surface forms.
• When fillets are sufficiently dry, build a charcoal fire, if necessary (it will take about 30 minutes for the charcoal to reach the desired state). If using wood chunks, let them soak in a bucket of water for half an hour. If using an electric smoker, turn it on just before using and place sawdust or wood shavings in the smoking pan.
• Place fillets on the smoker grid. Close vents, or place lid on smoker. Regulate vents, if possible, so that heat stays at around 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave the fish 1 to 2 hours or longer, checking periodically and, if possible, replenishing fuel or smoking medium as necessary. The fish will be done more quickly at higher temperatures. At temperatures of 175 to 200 degrees, for example, fish will be done in about 1 hour.
• Remove fillets from smoker when they are dry and yellowish in color. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve cold or as an ingredient in other recipes.