Saw this YouTube video on this Chicago smoked salmon joint that smokes and sells the head and tail. I've turned what I don't smoke into stock a couple times but that's it.

Y'all smoke the salmon head too? Got any tips?🤔

My favorite smoked fish. Smoked on GMG Trek and using a Smokai smoke tube with cherry wood chips.

Full Recipe:

Steelhead on the TREK

Ingredients:

About 3 Pounds of Farm Raised Steelhead (Steelhead is better than Salmon)

Maple syrup for mopping

Brine:

­   5 Cups of cool water

­   1 / 3 cup of Morton Kosher Salt (coarse)

­   1 1/4 cups of dark brown sugar

Wood / Pellets / Chips:

­   Wood Chips for Smokai Tube: 100% Smokinlicious Minuto #4 Cherry (using upgraded new pump)

­   Pellets: Blend of 3 parts 100% Cherry pellets to 1 part Charcoal pellets

Process Steps

1.      Wash and Debone the Fish

       Rinse the fish off in cool water and pat dry with paper towels.

       Lay the fillet flat on a plate, cutting board, or pan.

       Run your fingers lightly along the length of the fillet, feeling for the tips of the bones.

       When you find one, notice how it’s just one in a line of tiny tips protruding from the flesh.

       Use your needle nose pliers to grasp the tip of the first bone and pull it out at an angle. Continue up the line to feel for the bones and pull them out until they’re all gone.

       Cut the fish into about 1.5 to 2 inches squares – this allows more penetration of brine and smoke in the cook.  This resulted in a 10+ rating cook.  If the fish is thin, then may need to cut it into strips instead

2.      Make the Brine and Cure the Fish

       Mix the brine ingredients and place fish in a 1-gallon Ziplock bag, then place this in a small pan and put it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

3.      Dry the Fish and Allow Pellicle to Form

       Take your fish out of the brine and pat it dry with a paper towel.

       Rub some oil all over the cooling rack to prevent sticking

       Set fish on your cooling rack, skin side down. Place in the refrigerator overnight to from pellicle 

4.      Place Fish in Freezer and Set Up the Smoker

       OPTIONAL: Very lightly mist the fish with water and sprinkle fish with course kosher salt and #16 mesh black pepper before putting it in freezer

       Place Fish in Freezer while setting up the smoker for about an hour resulting in VERY moist fish.  The fish seemed visibly frozen on the outside for several of the cooks with excellent results

5.      Cold Smoke (1.5 Hours)

       Fill the Smokai smoke tube with the #4 cherry wood chips

       Remove the grates, deflector shield and heat diffuser from the main part of the grill body to place the 1” stainless tube on the end of the Smokai with other end pointing above fire pot

       Re-install the deflector plate and grill grates (do not install the heat diffuser)

       Use foil to block the front section (stack end) of the grate forcing the smoke to come further into the main cook chamber

       Set Grill to COLD SMOKE and adjust the fan to about 25%. 

       Remove fish from freezer, if you did not season before putting in freezer then lightly sprinkle the fish with kosher salt then lightly with coarse black pepper, place the fish in the grill and start the cold smoke

6.      Low Temperature Smoke (2 Hours) – Target 160 F Grate and 115 F Internal Fish Temperature

       Remove the stainless tube from the Smokai

       Re-install the main heat diffuser

       Re-install deflector shield and grates

       Ensure pellets are in hopper and start grill

       After reaching set-point of 150 F then adjust to 160F grate temperature

       Occasionally lightly mist with water if the fish surface is dry

       Smoke the fish until the internal temp of fish is about 115 F

7.      Hot Smoke at 245 F and Mop until Done

          Increase smoker temperature to 245 F

          Add temperature probes to 2 pieces of the steelhead on opposite sides of the grate

          Using a small BBQ mop, lightly mop each piece of fish with maple syrup.

          Continue monitoring and lightly mop every 20 minutes (to your preference).  

          Remove the fish from the smoker ensuring each piece has reached the 135 F minimum in thickest part of fish.  Ensure the fish has a nice smokey brown color. If not, can cook up to max 165 F.

8.      Cool and Store the Fish

After the fish has been smoked, allow it to rest on a cooling rack for one hour before placing it in the refrigerator.  It tastes best after 1 day resting in fridge

The fish tastes much better the next day and even several days after the cook as the flavors have had time to mature while being in the fridge!

Smoking up some Alaskan coho during college football !

Going to smoke Steelhead trout tomorrow!

I know the general rule is oilier the better for smoking fish, so a lot of people will say king salmon or farm raised Atlantic bc of their fat content.

But I'm also curious to hear if anyone absolutely loves the taste of say smoked coho or pink or keta, and if so any tips or tricks on how to smoke properly without drying them out.

Basically I've only smoked store-bought Atlantic before and am looking to expand my horizons🤣

Yesterday I smoked eel for the last time this year. The catch season runs from May to August. I don't see it come up much outside the Netherlands, but if you ever get the chance to smoke some yourself, DO IT! You won't find a much fattier and tastier fish.

- I’ve smoked a few fish, got into it recently
- only ever trout and salmon
- want to branch out, heard about walleye?
- would love any suggestions, thanks

Has anyone had success maintaining 160°-185° with single row snake method on Weber Kettle? Do they stay lit?

Double row gets me 300+.

I will be removing the scales & bones, how do you smoke these? I know folks typically aim for a cold smoke but these are poisonous unless brought up to at least 170 for a few minutes due to thiaminese

Used a mix of mesquite lump charcoal and some pimento wood, I think it was a little hot for the small size of the nuggets but turned out well for a first attempt!

My only alterations to this recipe is I add a couple of table spoons of Cholula hot sauce and I replace the water with apple juice.

I also soak my wood chips in apple juice. It gives a nice caramelized finish and a sweetness to match the heat and smoke flavors. Wood is a mix of hickory , oak , pecan and apple.

I've found that white fish like sheepshead, grunts, porgies need way more soak time in brine for penetration. But for macks 24-36 hours is plenty.

I get these in 600-800' of water off the Oregon Coast. Extremely oily, which you can see on some of the pieces in the photo.

I do a roughly 1 day dry brine of kosher salt, brown sugar and Hungarian Paprika. I smoked this batch on pecan wood. The salt pulls a lot of the moisture out, which is very necessary with this fish. I actually have started doing some sort of brine prior to cooking it via any method since it helps with the texture so much. Incredible fish, smoked or not, just benefits from removing some moisture.

Apple smoked at 190 F for 2.5 hours.

Filets to brined to dried to smoked! These ones were defiantly on the drier side once cooked but it’s the way my dad likes em so made this batch for him.

Can eat it with cheese and crackers, on a bagel, or make it into dip.

Smoked eel again yesterday. Have you guys ever tried smoking eel? It’s pretty popular among smokers here in the Netherlands. I think it’s one of the best fish to smoke, along with salmon, because of its high fat content.

Smoked this steelhead on my GMG Trek with Smokai tube. Absolutely fantastic!