Smoking Fish

[kenmare]

Hi guys,

Dropped in to a local discount sporting good shop this afternoon and, on impulse, purchased a fish smoker.

Tried smoked trout once, and it was delicious. And I've heard that tailer and other saltwater fish are pretty good smoked too.

Always planned to try my hand at smoking fish. With the beach tailer season already upon us, I figured that at $24.95 for an Aussie designed and Chinese made all metal, metho fueled, two-rack smoker, there wasn't too much at stake.

Problem is, the store couldn't supply sawdust -- a critical ingredient for fish smoking.

Anyone know where's the best place to obtain the correct sawdust for smoking fish?

Are there "secret ingredients" or special ways of going about fish smoking that will ensure the end product is mouth watering and not fit for the rubbish bin?

Regards,

Bob

[Jewhunter]

G'day mate.

I've been smoking fish for a few years & it's a great way to cook, I love smoked fish.

Not sure where you can source your dust from up the coast. Some of the bigger tackle shops down here such as Otto's have a good variety of flavours.

Trout & Tailor are probably the best fish, though I've done slimies & even salmon with success. Sausages & chicken come up fantastic as well.

You don't have to use too much dust either. Just depends on how strong a flavour you want.

Try lightly covering the fish in a brown sugar & water mix before you smoke them. They come up well.

Happy cooking,

Grant.

[Little_Flatty]

If you catch some large yellowtail they smoke up a treat as well

Edited April 23, 2006 by Little_Flatty

[Ken A]

Kings & Trevally smoke really well & Salmon are great too as are Bonito

[kevvie]

the way i was taught to smoke fish for best flavour is to soak the fish in brine water first, then allow it to dry out b4 you smoke it. It works gr8. Hickory is my fav dust as well. Produces the best smoked fish ive ever had.

[kenmare]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the tips.

I'll check-out the local fishing/camping/barbecue stores for saw dust.

Hickory sounds good.

Can keep fishing longer, and catch more tailor off the beach now -- normally only catch one or two an outing to eat fresh.

Might try smoking salmon too. Been trying to find a use for them, other than as burley.

Regards,

Bob

Edited April 24, 2006 by kenmare

[BROWNIE]

Any BBQs Galore store has a range of flavours for smoking too.

[pk-fishn]

my uncle in germany is a professional smoker of trout and other species i can ask him for some tips if you like.

cheers pk

Edited April 26, 2006 by pk-fishn

[Diane]

my uncle in germany is a professional smoker of trout and other species i can ask him for some tips if you like.

cheers pk

The best smoked fish I have had was a large carp down on the banks of the Murray River. Normally the old carp get killed and thrown up the bank so they cannot re-offend but we decided to try the smoker out on this rather large specimen I caught. I am not much of a fish eater, just love to catch them but this was absolutely beautiful! The smoker was just one of those little boxes with two metho burners and we put sawdust and a couple of gum leaves in for flavour. I cannot remember how long we smoked it for but probably two hours at a guess.