Smoking Sturgeon today

davy · May 25, 2008

Today, Joni & I are smokin our 1st sturgeon. (Gator) We are doing a small batch- about 6 lbs in chunks

Yesterday we prepped the fish and got it brining.

As this is our 1st sturgeon ever and only our 4th fish smoke ever...... this should be interesting. To say the least, we have the 6pack of brews handy!!!

The brine we decided on?;

2 cups Pineapple Juice
2 cups Teryaki
2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup salt
1/2 cup wine ( Reisling)
1/4 cup fresh cracked black/white peppercorns
2 heaping tablespoons garlic powder
1 tblspn ginger
1 tsp homemade ground red pepper (hot hot hot)

We will smoke in three stages- low heat no smoke, med heat full smoke, high heat, residiual smoke/ spray glaze

Glaze; Jim Beam, honey, brown suagr, Jamiacian Lime juice

Cook's lubrication; Jim Beam, 6 pack PBR

you guess is as good as mine..... can't wait!!!!!

...to be continued

capt dan · May 25, 2008

Keepin my eye on this thread.
but its makin my head hurt!

I hope it turns out well for you. Did ya catch it yourself? got any pics of it?

bondvader · May 25, 2008

Welcome to SMF. Your head line aboput sturgeon caught my eye. We have sturgeon in MI but its a short season. Some of the best smoked fish I ever had was sturgeon. Im sure it will turn out good. I've been trying to get my hands on a sturgeon for a few years now. Cant seem to catch one, most that are caught are not legal size.

travcoman45 · May 25, 2008

Musta changed the rules, back in the day, yall had ta let em go. They was one ugly fish! Fun ta catch though.

davy · May 25, 2008

can keep 1 a day now, 5 a year, between 42" and 60"

davy · May 25, 2008

WOW!!!

Did it come out good! Joni can't quit eatin it!

Pics;

oldgrandman · May 26, 2008

Wow, looks good. Not sure what would be better, smokin or catching it!

jerkyaddict · May 26, 2008

looks great man !!!! not what i pictured sturgeon to look like in my head...
the way they look on the oustide and all . we are not allowed to even boat them here in jersey not that we have any-or-many ?? but they are on the protected species list for our area.....so in a way you are lucky to be able to have such a delicacy !!! looks again really good too

sumosmoke · May 26, 2008

I've never tried sturgeon before, but from the looks of it I'd definitely try it if it was placed in front of me! Excellent looking smoke Davy!!

centexcarnivore · May 26, 2008

Davy, Congrats on the successful sturgeon event! It brings back memories of growing up on the Mississippi Rver. Sturgeon was a big deal and smoked it was a delicacy.

Good notch for you on your BBQ belt,

CC

erain · May 26, 2008

interesting post, recently we are now allowed to keep a sturgeon from lake of the woods or rainy river, i beleive it is one per year only though here. very interesting brine going on there and fish looks good as well. i dont know if i ever would keep one but if i did at least now i know you can smoke em. geat post!!!

white cloud · May 27, 2008

Iv'e had it and it is good but they live for such a long time , almost prehistoric looking and if I caught one I would just let it go. Thats just me, They do have a short season here I think 1 a year as they are a somewhat protected species. Like I said it was a good tasting fish and yours looks awsome. Good Job

davy · May 27, 2008

The sturgeon here are plentiful. There is a slot limit that proctects the smaller fish and the spawners. Keeping an oversize sturgeon carries the death penalty I think in the NW- or almost. We fish the Columbia and Willamette rivers for em. Lesser fisheries in the coastal bays. We have days we catch close to 100 of the shaker size variety- great fun and if you get a keeper size and a cpl oversize (6-12') even better!-

thanks for your comments gang, it is so goood!! Wish I could share (not!) LOL

white cloud · May 27, 2008

I should plan a trip out that way some day that would be a great time. Bet ya get alittle sore by the end of the day.

richtee · May 27, 2008

Yum... can't go wrong with James B. Beam either ;{) Nice work!

bondvader · May 27, 2008

looks great. Let me give you my address. I'll pay shipping.....

westernhunter · Jun 4, 2008

Davy, what temp did you smoke the gators at and for how long? Or did you take it to a specific IT? I LOVE sturgeon fried fish and chips style. GREAT mild white fish, but it can turn to rubber in a minute if overcooked.

I love fishing gators below the Bonneville. A few years back going after oversize we boated 7 peelers in one day! We had to pull our lines in order fire up the brats for lunch on the boat because each time we got the little gas grill going, we had a fish on! All of them were 8'+ with one about 14'. I think that about half of them breached just after hooking them. Good times on the Columbia!!!

davy · Jun 5, 2008

I do gators in three stages equaling about 4 hours total

1st stage- 105* with vents wide open and no smoke
2nd stage- 135* alder smoke, vents closed
3rd stage- 160* no added smoke, vents opened, spray glaze with bourbon/honey glaze

1st fish of the day on the lower C the other day was hooked at 8;15 or so. We brought it along side at 10:05. About 13.5' We got our two keepers too, 52 and 55

Lets go sumtime

jtribout · Jun 5, 2008

Davy, Just a 6-pack??????????? lol. Looks good. Great tip.

westernhunter · Jun 5, 2008

NICE peeler!! You should post a pick of the oversize and keepers so the guys not familiar can see these prehistoric gators that we love to catch so much.

I am in Pittsburgh for a residency, but if I can make it home this summer I will send you a PM and we can try and get out on the river. Are the shad running yet, or were you using herring or some other bait?

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