Smoked Crappies

[eyeguy 54]

Smoked a couple  up this weekend and really better than I thought they would be. 

fillet fish leave skin on

for brine

1/2 cup noniodine salt

1 cup sugar

1 qt water

brine overnight

rinse, pat dry and let sit out for an hour or so. 

sprinkle with a seasoning if you like. I did lemon pepper on a couple and seafood magic on a couple. 

have smoker heated to 200

put in smoked with a little cherry wood

smoke 1 hour and done.  should be about 155 degrees internal. 

nom nom nom ! ! ! 

 

 

 

[smurfy]

Dem look good!!!

[tacklejunkie]

I always thought smoking was for more fattier fish such as lake trout, salmon, suckers, whitefish and the like?

[eyeguy 54]

I think just about anything can be smoked. would be easy to get the crappies over dry. they turned out great using the technique above. dang near as good as smoked eggs!  

[leech~~]

2 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

I think just about anything can be smoked.

 

Legally?

[bobberineyes]

Good job eyeguy!!! Something tells me to use splendid or something but those fillets ROCK!! 

[Thunderbird]

 I smoke crappies, white bass or perch whole. I slit the belly from bow to stern and remove entrails. Then cut about a half inch off the belly flaps so the cure and smoke can get in there. Next you make a cut down on both sides of the dorsal fin. Grab a pair of pliers and pull out the dorsal fin. This is so that the brine penetrates the thickest flesh. I use cure in my brine and soak the fish for four hours. I run skewers through the eyeballs and hang them in my smoker. When the surface of the fish is dry, I smoke it for at least two hours around 140- 150F. Raise the smoker temp. to 180-210F. until the internal temp. hits about 145F. 

[delcecchi]

You scale them, no?

[Thunderbird]

No

[eyeguy 54]

no need to scale

[ThunderLund78]

This is awesome - I'll be setting some spring crappies aside for this.  I've always been dubious about smoking non-oily fish as well, but the pics look incredible.  I might just be a believer.  My buddy smokes Pike all the time, I've never tried any but he claims it's top-notch

[smurfy]

Smoked pike rock. I've done a bunch! Just don't over do them.

[leech~~]

13 minutes ago, smurfy said:

Smoked pike rock. I've done a bunch! Just don't over do them.

 

May have to try this. Do the bones peel out?

[smurfy]

1 hour ago, leech~~ said:

 

May have to try this. Do the bones peel out?

to a degree!!!!!!! i wouldnt say easy but.......... there worth it i know this is a bit off topic but the brine i use is 2 qts water, 1 cup sugar 1 cup pickling salt. i also add other seasons. put soy sauce, worstershire sauce in also. sit in brine for about 24 hours.  

[leech~~]

2 minutes ago, smurfy said:

to a degree!!!!!!! i wouldnt say easy but.......... there worth it i know this is a bit off topic but the brine i use is 2 qts water, 1 cup sugar 1 cup pickling salt. i also add other seasons. put soy sauce, worstershire sauce in also. sit in brine for about 24 hours. 

 

Rat's just can't find away to make those Y bones go away other then pickling!

[smurfy]

nope. But I been picking bones outta pike since I was a little youngin so don't bother me!

Now in just an auld phart!

[leech~~]

16 minutes ago, smurfy said:

nope. But I been picking bones outta pike since I was a little youngin so don't bother me!

Now in just an auld phart!

 

Bahaha, I hear ya. The only fish dad really like to go for when I was young. Thus, hate Y bones and why I fish for Walleye's! 

[DrJuice1980]

did some gills once, one of the best Ive tasted but thats true about any new smoke deal.

[eyeguy 54]

3 hours ago, smurfy said:

to a degree!!!!!!! i wouldnt say easy but.......... there worth it i know this is a bit off topic but the brine i use is 2 qts water, 1 cup sugar 1 cup pickling salt. i also add other seasons. put soy sauce, worstershire sauce in also. sit in brine for about 24 hours.  

 

 

i think having less salt and more sugar for nonoily fish helps the dry issue. 

[ThunderLund78]

Eyeguy - did you leave the ribs in?  or are you just a really good crappie cleaner?   Unless they're bigger ones, I always seem to take a good deal of the rib meat out when I remove the ribs.  Not the end of the world, very thin strip of meat there.  But if those are rib-less, I admire your ability!

[eyeguy 54]

been cleaning the rib out for many years on different fish.. I use the 6 inch rapala and cut up over and follow down. I did some with the new electric also and left the bone in and smoked, i like them better with it out. The tiny verticle bone is still there but I just cut that out before I eat. Smoked 5 more Sunday.  

[eyeguy 54]

mix up with miracle whip, onion powder and a little pepper. Fantastic on pepper jack cheez its ! 

[BAIT956]

Looks great Eyeguy.   Thanks.   Got to give this a try.   Anybody smoked small bass?

[eyeguy 54]

I smoke bass years ago.  Different sizes were all good.  

[otterman91105]

I tried this a few years ago it turns our pretty good. Works better with fish like tullibee but the crappie was still pretty good.