Smoked Northern

[Kidd]

I've smoked Trout (Lake), Salmon (King and Coho), Walleye, Panfish, Suckers, Cisco's and Northern. I can honestly say that the best smoked fish I have ever tasted has been the Northern. If you ever catch a 5 - 10 lb northern, give this a try.

Brine:
Enough water to completely cover the fish
1-cup Sugar
1-cup salt
Stir, with hand, until all sugar and salt is dissolved into the water.
Cover and store over night. (Or at least 5 -6 hours)

Soak your wood (try to get apple, it does make a difference) for at least a 1/2-hour

Prepare enough charcoal to burn for about an hour, place in your smoker once it's ready

Place wood on top of charcoal

Smoke fish until the meat starts to separate from the tail. Northern have two layers of meat and it will not be thoroughly smoked until it starts to separate.

Good eating.

If there's more interest in smoking fish let me know and I'll tell you some tricks for Trout and Salmon

[Guest]

Thanx, Kidd.

------------------
<)/////><{
RobertC

[Kidd]

Congratulations on a nice mess o'fish. You’re going to love the smoked Coho, steelhead and King. The Brown I've never had but that Hawaiian recipe sounds intriguing. Here's the way I do any Salmon.
First, the obvious. I'm assuming you already know these things but I'm going to say them anyway.
1) Spray your wire racks with Pam, or some other pan release. Salmon are loaded with oil and they will stick.
2) Use fruitwood if you can (Apple). Try to stay away from Oak, Elm or any other hard wood. They give off too heavy of a Smokey odor and will overtake the flavor of the fish.
3) Don't use too much salt. The old recipes use to tell you to add salt to the water until an egg floats to the top. Forget that, only use about a cup.
4) Add an equal amount of sugar as salt however, I have found with Salmon that adding half white and half brown sugar taste better. Might have something to do with the oil.
5) After you remove your fish from the brine, let fish stand until it comes to room temperature.
6) Make sure the wood is thoroughly soaked. Put the wood in water at a minimum of 30 minutes prior to using. The longer the better.
Now for some less obvious things.
1) Again, Salmon are incredibly oily fish. Remove the lid of your smoker after about 20-30 minutes. Using a paper towel, wipe the oil from the fish. Replace cover. Do this one more time after another 15-20 minutes.
2) Preheat the smoker prior to adding the fish. About 5 minutes before adding the fish, prepare the smoker by throwing some parsley, bay leaves, oregano and any other spices you like directly on the coals. The spices will burn up and the aroma will seep into the fish. It won't be an overpowering flavor, but it will add just a hint of spice.
I hope some, or all, of this helps. I'll be interested in hearing how your fish turn out. Good luck

[This message has been edited by Kidd (edited 11-02-2002).]

[metro 1]

Kidd I would like to know some of your smoking secrets.I have been making sausage for about 15 years (it all started when I was being charged $1.19 lb. and I gave them the meat) so I know the smoking aspects but I haven't done much fish. I was out on the east side of Marionette Wisconsin and Menominee Michigan fishing Brown's,Coho,king's,steelhead and walleyes well now I have a bunch of fish to eat. I'm soaking a brown trout right now for smoking. when I was in Alaska this summer I got a Hawaiian recipe that is pretty good uses pineapple & teriyaki mix thats todays fish .so if you got some ideas let us know .Metro

I have said something that the administration did not like and have been banned from the board.F.M has pretty thin skin if that's all it takes.Metro

[This message has been edited by metro 1 (edited 11-12-2002).]

[Guest]

Suddenly I've gotten a strong urge to eat.

[Guest]

When smoking fish, how do you keep it lit?LOL