Basic Instructions for Smoking Fish

The following are very generic steps that you can use to smoke your own fish. This is not the method that we use, but the principals are much the same and you may want to experiment a little with some different ingredients to create your own brine. You should always start with the basic brine solution that is listed under Step 1, and then add what you like to it.
You can read how we smoke our fish at The 3 Men's Fish Smoking Process.

Step 1

Brine your fish with this basic brine solution:

• 1/2 cup non-iodized salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 quart water

Stir until completely dissolved
Place fish in the solution, being careful to insure that the fish is completely covered with the brine and place in the refrigerator.
Thick chunks of 1" or more should be in brine 8 to 12 hours.
Thin chunks of less than 1" 6 to 8 hours is sufficient.

Step 2

Remove fish from brine and rinse each piece under cold water.
Gently pat dry and lay pieces on paper towel to air dry for one hour.
(After one hour you will notice the fish has a glazed film on it. This is called the Pellicle which is a normal and desired result of the brining process). When the fish is sticky to the touch it is ready.

Step 3

Smoke fish for about 2 hours at 200 F.
Use your favorite wood chips or chunks when smoking and experiment to find the taste that best suits your taste. Hickory, Alder, Apple and Cherry or combinations of these work well.
Add wood chips about every 30 minutes if necessary (depending on how much smoke taste you want.

To cut down on smoking time, remove skin from fish before putting in brine, then place fish in cheese cloth after the brine process (this helps get rid of fish oils faster and cuts your smoking time by about 1/4).

If you are feeling adventurous, try these alternative brines, which also work well:

Brine 1

• 1 quart water
• 1/2 cup non-iodized salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 ounces rum
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbs. Pickling spice
• 1/4 Tsp. Lemon pepper
• 3 bay leaves

Brine 2

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Smoked Fish in Soy Sauce and Wine Brine

• 1 Fillet of Fish
• 1/3 C Sugar
• 1/4 C Non-iodized salt
• 2 C Soy sauce
• 1 C Water
• 1/2 tsp. Onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. Pepper
• 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 1 C Dry white wine

Mix the above brine ingredients well, ensuring that all dry ingredients are well dissolved. Soak the fish in the brine for 8 or more hours, keeping all pieces covered with brine and refrigerated. Smoke in your favorite smoker over Hickory, Alder, or a mix of 2/3 Apple and 1/3 Cherry wood. Smoking times will depend on the thickness of the fish and the type of smoker you are using. Place largest and thickest pieces closest to the heat/smoke source.  

Smoked Salmon with 5 Peppercorn Crust

Recipe is designed using a Weber Kettle BBQ to smoke the fish in.

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon crushed allspice
• 1 3 - 3.5 lbs. salmon fillet with skin
• 1/2 cup mixed color whole peppercorns
• 2 cups apple or hickory wood chunks
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 thin red onion slices
• fresh dill sprigs

In a 1 to 1.5 quart pan, bring 1.5 cups of water, sugar, salt, ginger, bay leaves, and allspice to boiling over high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves completely. Let cool.
Soak wood chunks in warm water for about 1 hour.
Rinse salmon fillet, pat dry, and lay flat with skin down in a rimmed pan about 12 by 15 inches. Pour brine over salmon, cover pan tightly and chill for 24 hours. Occasionally spoon brine over fish.
Mound 18 charcoal briquettes on the fire grate of a barbecue with a lid. Ignite briquettes.
Meanwhile pour enough hot water over peppercorns to float them, soak at least 15 minutes.
Pour brine off fish, rinse fish with cool water and pat dry or dry with an oscillating fan. Set skin side down on a large sheet of foil, cut foil along outline of fish. Run honey over top of fish. Drain peppercorns and scatter evenly over fish, patting to set them lightly in place.
When coals are dotted with gray ash, 25 to 30 minutes, halve them and push to each side of the grate (Setup for indirect cooking)
Add 1 Hickory and 1 Apple wood chunk to each mound of coals.
Set grill 4 to 6 inches above the fire grate and lightly oil the grill or spray with Crisco
Place salmon on foil in the center of the grill. Put lid on barbecue and close vents to make 1/4 inch openings.
After 30 minutes, check temperature and if necessary add 3 briquettes to each mound of coals, and repeat this every 30 minutes of cooking. Add wood chunks as needed. Check thermometer often to be sure that temperature stays about 190 F. If temperature drops, open vents slightly, if temperature goes up, close 1 or 2 of the vents.
Cook salmon until the internal temperature is 125 F in the thickest part, about 1.5 hours.
Using foil and a wide spatula, slide fillet onto a baking sheet without sides, then transfer fish from sheet to a platter.
Serve salmon warm, cool, or chilled. If making ahead, cover airtight and chill up to 3 days.
Garnish with onion and dill. Cut fish across grain into 1/4 inch wide slices and lift off skin or just pull it apart using a fork..

Serve with these condiments or with the condiment recipes on this page:

• Canned capers
• Minced red onion mixed with a squeeze of lime juice
• Soured cream
• Mayonnaise
• Thin toast
• Lime or lemon wedges 

Honey-Cured Smoked Salmon

• 1 quart water
• 1/2 cup salt
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup golden rum
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 10 cloves
• 10 allspice berries
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 large fillet of salmon

Combine all the ingredients besides the salmon to make the brine.
Place the salmon, skin side up, in a non-reactive dish and cover with brining liquid. Allow fish to brine for 2 hours.
Rinse the salmon in fresh water and pat dry with papertowels.
Place salmon on a drying rack (or grill rack that you will use to smoke the salmon on) and allow to air dry for about 1 hour.
Smoke salmon skin side down for about 1 1/2 hours, keeping temperature at 160 degrees farenheit..

• 1 ½ cups crumbled smoked fish
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 ounces light cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup finely minced onion
• 1 stalk finely chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
• 3 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
• Cayenne, salt and pepper to taste

Put the smoked fish in a medium bowl and add the milk. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to an hour. Stir in the cream cheese, onion, celery, parsley, relish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne, salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours until flavors have blended.
Serve with your favorite crackers.

Smoked Fish, Watercress & Apple Salad & Horseradish dressing

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/3 cup prepared horseradish
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped dill
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 6 cups trimmed watercress sprigs (2 bunches)
• 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion
• 2 red apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 9 ounces smoked fish
• fresh dill sprigs

Whisk cream, horseradish, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar, chopped dill and cayenne in a small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place watercress in a large bowl. Add 1/3 cup cream dressing, 2 tablespoons oil and 2 teaspoons vinegar and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mound watercress in center of each of 6 plates. Top with sliced onion. Fan apple slices atop each salad, then top with smoke fish.
Spoon dressing over each salad and garnish with dill sprigs.

Smoked Salmon Cakes with Cucumber Caviar Chutney

Salmon Cakes

• 12 ounces smoked salmon
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish   
• 1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs   
• 1 red bell pepper, minced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce   
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise   
• 2 eggs slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning   
• 2 tablespoons  minced fresh dill   
• 1 teaspoon  mild curry blend   
• 1 teaspoon  fresh ground black pepper            
• Butter for frying                       

Cucumber Caviar Chutney

• 1    cup    sour cream
• juice from one lemon   
• 1    cup    finely chopped, seeded and peeled cucumber   
• 4    ounces    black caviar of your choice

For Salmon Cakes

In a food processor bowl fitted with a steel blade, pulse salmon, relish, bread crumbs and bell pepper until finely chopped.
Scrape into a bowl and mix in the soy sauce, mayonnaise, eggs, dried herbs, dill, curry and pepper.
Add more bread crumbs, if necessary to form firm patties. Form 12 (3 inch) patties.
In a large, heavy, nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat, add enough butter to generously coat the bottom of the pan.
When foam subsides, arrange cakes, not touching, in pan and cook until brown on both sides, turning once, about 4 minutes per side.
Cakes should be moist but not mushy inside.
Top with a dollop of Caviar Cucumber Chutney.

For Cucumber Caviar Chutney

Mix together sour cream, lemon juice and cucumber.
Just before serving, gently stir in caviar.

Smoked Salmon Mousse

• 1 small onion, peeled
• 8 peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 200 grams smoked salmon
• 250 milliliters milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 250 milliliters cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 teaspoons gelatin
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup chives, chopped
• Fennel for garnish
• Cucumber for garnish
• Lemon slices for garnish

Heat milk with one small peeled onion, eight peppercorns and 3 bay leaves until nearly boiling. Leave to stand for 30 minutes and strain.
Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, mix to a roux then make into a white sauce with warmed strained milk.
Dissolve 3 teaspoons gelatin in 3 tablespoons boiling water.
Chop smoked salmon, and mix together with mayonnaise, gelatin, parsley, and chives.
Whip cream and fold in.
Whisk up egg whites and fold in.
Add salt and fine black pepper to taste.
Pour mix into moulds and refrigerate overnight.
Tip out onto plate and serve with fennel fronds, cucumber and lemon slices.

Red Onion and Caper Spread

• 1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
• 2 Tbs. capers
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 8 ounces low fat cream cheese

Mix all ingredients with an electric mixer until well blended.

Fresh Herb and Chive Spread

• 1 Tbs. fresh sage, chopped fine
• 2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped fine
• 1/4 c. fresh chives, chopped fine
• 3/4 c. silken tofu or low fat cream cheese
• 1/2 c. avocado
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1/2 tsp. Salt

Mix in food processor until well blended.

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cups olive oil
• 3/4 cup soy bean oil
• 1 bunch fresh chopped dill
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

In a bowl, combine egg yolks, mustard, vinegar, and sugar. Blend with whisk. Gradually add olive oil and soybean oil, a drop at a time, whisking constantly. As mayonnaise begins to thicken, add oils more generously. Whisk in dill, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings and store in refrigerator up to 4 days.

Sonny’s Smoked Fish

Serves 4.