Hi all,

Got plenty of redfin in the freezer, looking to smoke them.

got 2 different kinds of woodchips, one meant for lamb/beef, the other fish/chicken. So the type of woods a no-brainer - the ones for lamb and beef of course Anywho, can't remember what wood they are, but they should do the trick.

I've got a big webber style BBQ going on.

Figuring I'll throw the fillets in salt for a few hours....

Then get the smokebox really smoking, throw the fish on a rack type thing over the pan, but not so its in contact with any direct heat. The question is - what temperature do I want the webber to be?

I figure 10-15 mins and it should be all good, just gotta keep an eye on the fish without losing the heat by opening the lid I guess.

Anyone got any tips for a first time smoker-chef?

Should I soak the woodchips?

Cheers

It's not about the heat! The smoke will preserve the meat, rather than the heat cooking it, so don't go loading the webber up with coals and cranking it up. Just get enough in there to ensure your woodchips light and smolder.

I'd put the woodchips into a little alfoil tray and sit that over the coals to get it going, then cover the lot for about 15-20 mins.

It will pay you to butterfly the fish and open them up to make it thinner. This will aid the smoking process to ensure it's smoked thoroughly.

Instead of salting, make a brine (1 part salt/8 parts water) and soak the fish in this for 1-3 hours. After taking them out of the brine allow them to drain and dry.

It can also pay to sprinkle the fish with a little brown sugar before smoking.

Soaking the chips will help mellow the flavour. Smoking is all about experimentation and personal preferences, so to start with I wouldn't be too worried about the type of woodchip or soaking them. I'd just be working on getting the technique right first.

Later you can start playing with different timbers, soaking in wine, herbs, etc.

when i smoke Salmon trout fillets it takes up to 4 hrs and there is still a reasonable amount of heat but just not near the fish so i'd say just enough heat to get your wood smoking.
p.s i prefer saw dust because the amount of smoke is tenfold to chips.
cheers brenton

thanks for the help fellas - they're soaking in a brine solution now.

Will get it really smoking, and just see what happens. If its been done for thousands of years surely I can figure it out

Cheers

Interesting read here, can anyone explain the difference in the methods of cold smoking as opposed to hot smoking?

Assumedly in the first one the fish dont get at all cooked just cured, as in what Ranger was explaining, whereas in the second the heat cooks the fish, and the smoke just adds flavor .

is it as simple as this

afishyfish wrote:

Pretty much!

With cold smoking the heat is in one chamber to get the sawdust lit, and then the smoke travels to another to cure the meat. Cold smoking takes time, so allow a few hours.

With hot smoking the heat and smoke is contained within the same chamber. The meat gets cooked and smoked at the same time. This is a relatively fast process, but it doesn't preserve the meat, so meat cooked in this fashion will have to be eaten within a few days.

I use an electric HOT smoker myself, because it's very fast and convenient. These things don't come cheap though.

I always thought/asumed it was like that, but good to have it confirmed

Hi Guys

In addition to smoking the fish the fish should be slightly cured first.
I have tried many ways and have found this the best by far, I found it on the web some years back when i was at uni and had little money and lived of fish, abalone and crays. (sounds like the life doesnt it)and home brew beer.

3 Men’s Fish Smoking Brine Recipe*

1 U.S. gallon of water at room temperature
2 cups salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic juice (or 1 tablespoon garlic powder)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon allspice (it is best to sift this into the water to avoid clumping
2 teaspoons white pepper

*This recipe is for an 80º brine and can be multiplied as many times as needed

In a glass, plastic or ceramic container (never wood or metal), mix all of the ingredients thoroughly until dissolved. A small handblender such as those made by Braun works well for mixing the ingredients. For brining fish we like to use rectangular plastic containers that are four inches to six inches deep. These can be purchased at restaurant supply stores. As long as it is not wood or metal, any type of container is acceptable.

Place the fish in the brine solution ensuring that all pieces are completely submerged. Place plates on top of the fish to maintain complete submersion. For short brining periods (three hours of less) in cool temperatures the brine may be at room temperature if the fish is well chilled before placing it in to the brine. If the fish is not well chilled and/or the ambient temperature is warm, place the brine and fish in a refrigerator for the duration of the time of brining. Alternatively, you may place bags containing ice in to the brine mixture to cool the temperature.

Cranka, interesting brine you have there, which I might have to try!

I actually sprinkle the brown sugar and herbs over the fish once they are out of the brine and before smoking. I wonder how the flavours of the two different methods compare?

Also the reason for the lemon juice had me scratching my head, as citric acid will begin cooking the fish while it's soaking.

I hot smoke all my fish and meats, for fish I always soak them in a salt & dark brown sugar solution (sometimes add a litte dried chilli flakes), for around 2-3 hours, pat them dry and give them 10-15 mins depending on thickness of the fillets, I also use Sheoak sawdust to smoke my fish.

Mike

yogi you soak your red meat as well ??

A mate does chorizo sausages in the smokers and OMFG !!! they are gooood

Jagger, Chorizo in the smoker is the dogs danglys, I make up different marinades for my red meats and chicken, nothing salty for them (pulls the moisture out of the meats), but have quite a few different recipes for different styles of smoked meats.

Mike

Yeah Ranger i imagine the acid does, but probably more to speed up the curing process i guess.
Also when I used to do it alot, I would keep the brine for a month or more in the fridge, so i could reuse it.
Because of the salt content, stays good.
You could also freeze it and thaw it later if you have the room in the freezer

Dan