My first smoke crappie!!Mmmm

[okcguy75]

 

[okcguy75]

Well the fish did not make it to the stove before everyone ate itLOL! After a few hours of searching for smoked crappie and came up empty as most dried them  out., I went a head and tried it any ways and was very surprised!

Smoked them at 220deg for about 30 min in apple and hickory chips in an electric smoker. I rub a little extra virgin olive oil top and bottom, spread butter all over the bottom of foil, season both sides of the crappie. As I stuck them in the smoker I made a TP with foil over the crappie so the smoke can get in but not dry out the fish.

Oh and  did not come out mushy, or dry..

This was done with a Cookout Cajun Injection electric smoker, which has work flawless so far.

 

[rbranstner]

Great job. Yea as you found out there won't be a lot of recipes for smoking crappie since they aren't oily like a salmon or trout so they dry out really easy. If you were to smoke it I'd say you did it perfectly as you basically kind of grilled them (Temp wise I mean) but gave them a nice smoke flavor which I bet was awesome. We love to grill walleye, panfish etc. next time I should try it in the smoker. I have done them on the cedar planks but that just isn't the same as in the smoker.

 

[shoneyboy]

 I love to smoke fish in general, but smoked Crappie (we call them  Sac-a-lait here in Louisiana)  seems to have one of the best taste of all of the fish to me

, especially when it's a slab that I caught...

....I have smoked bass and catfish too. They are good, but their something about Sac-a-lait that's hard to explain, unless you have experienced it.   Here are some pictures of some we caught....

 

 

[okcguy75]

WOW! That is some good looking fish! I did Tilapia last night as well with the honey glaze and season for a friend and I did not get a chance to try a whole lot. He called back 20 minutes later and ask me if I could cook more lol!

I need to try the other fish but I have a hard time finding it in the stores during the winter time. I wish I can get back to the lake and catch some catfish and more crappie.  

 

[okcguy75]

Great job. Yea as you found out there won't be a lot of recipes for smoking crappie since they aren't oily like a salmon or trout so they dry out really easy. If you were to smoke it I'd say you did it perfectly as you basically kind of grilled them (Temp wise I mean) but gave them a nice smoke flavor which I bet was awesome. We love to grill walleye, panfish etc. next time I should try it in the smoker. I have done them on the cedar planks but that just isn't the same as in the smoker.

Thanks! I am still shocked that they turned out so well and I was about to fry them up instead. Sad thing is all I have is one bag left and it is to cold to go crappie fishing right now. I need to try the other fish that I have been craving
 

 

[eman]

Shoneyboy ,

 next time you smoke some sacalait or bass. Make some fish tacos w/ the fish. fantastic!