Smoking other fish

[bc taster]

There is always talk and threads about smoking salmon.  What about other fish?  Has anybody tried smoking fish like snapper, sea trout, bass or even cat fish? How about bream or crappies?  I ate a lot of smoked mullet as a kid in Clearwater, FL. It was GOOD. Now I live in NW FL (near Pensacola) were we eat fried or grilled fish all the time. People think i"m crazy when I ask about smoked fish other than salmon.  Any words of wisdom or experience on the subject?

Bill

 

[tropics]

You are in the right forum scroll down some,I have done Tuna Bellies,Blackfish

Richie

 

[SmokinAl]

Just about any fish is good smoked.

We smoke tilapia all the time.

Al

 

[wade]

 
There is always talk and threads about smoking salmon.  What about other fish?  Has anybody tried smoking fish like snapper, sea trout, bass or even cat fish? How about bream or crappies?  I ate a lot of smoked mullet as a kid in Clearwater, FL. It was GOOD. Now I live in NW FL (near Pensacola) were we eat fried or grilled fish all the time. People think i"m crazy when I ask about smoked fish other than salmon.  Any words of wisdom or experience on the subject?

Bill

I both hot and cold smoke Trout and Mackerel is really nice smoked. I have tried smoking river Carp but that tasted just as horrible smoked as it did unsmoked...

 

[Bearcarver]

 
There is always talk and threads about smoking salmon.  What about other fish?  Has anybody tried smoking fish like snapper, sea trout, bass or even cat fish? How about bream or crappies?  I ate a lot of smoked mullet as a kid in Clearwater, FL. It was GOOD. Now I live in NW FL (near Pensacola) were we eat fried or grilled fish all the time. People think i"m crazy when I ask about smoked fish other than salmon.  Any words of wisdom or experience on the subject?

Bill

I use my Method on all kinds of fish, and they all taste great.

Only Differences are the thinner pieces get less time in my Brine (Stated in the Step By Step below):

Smoked Salmon    

 

Smoked Brook Trout & Tilapia

Bear

 

[juice15]

I have actually started using trout (speckled) as my go to smoking fish.  They make an awesome dip or just great by itself.  Haven't done a red yet, but hopefully that will change if i get on 'em tomorrow.

 

[atomicsmoke]

Salmon and trout have a texture and enough fat that many would enjoy.

Other fish, especially cold smoked, are more of an acquired taste.

Other than salmon/trout I cold/hot smoked haddock, cod, hot smoked mackerel, whiting, walleye. They came out tasting nice.

 

[scubohuntr]

Smoked whitefish is second to none. My brother is an avid bowfisherman, and smokes a lot of carp, buffalo, suckers and drum. They're not exceptional, but not bad. Catfish may work, I've never tried 'em smoked. I've seen shad, paddlefish, trout, eels, and gar smoked, but never tried them. I believe the key to it is using a more or less oily fish, otherwise it tends to dry out too much.

 

[huntfishdude]

Catfish is very good. 2 years ago I caught a 31 incher and smoked it. The oil pooled out of the meat and the taste was outstanding.

20150531_174457.jpg

• huntfishdude
• Feb 23, 2017

 

[tetonka]

I live on the upper Mississippi river and my favorite smoked fish is Sturgeon. Firm, white and very good smoked. We also smoke Carp (of course), Buffalo, Mooneye. It seems the "oilier" species smoke the best. I'm smoking 5 Brown trout I caught last night from 13" to 20". Smoked sucker is good if you get big enough ones. Salmon is great, but hard to come by fresh. Frozen fish don't smoke well, IMO. Good smoking, all.    Tetonka                         SKOL! VIKINGS!

 

[gellfex]

Smoked Bluefish. It's oily and needs to be cared for after catching, like bled and iced immediately. I haven't made it yet, but bluefish salad is popular. My wife will actually toss it broken up into a lunch salad. The dry skinny ends are like jerky. Yum.

I did 2 MES30 batches with about 60# of blue my son and I caught a few weeks ago.

IMG_20160428_202928628_th_modified.jpg

• gellfex
• Jun 3, 2017

I had smoked blackfish years ago at a long gone smokeshack on eastern Long Island. Season is in the late fall with a 4 @ 16" limit. I may give it a go if I have a good day. I'll have to look up how to brine a white flesh fish.

 

[Bearcarver]

My Salmon Brine works Great on any fish:

Smoked Salmon      

Bear

 

[bmthetrainguy]

I have a freezer full of Bass fillets. I can't wait to smoke a few. Which wood would go the best with Bass? I'm thinking Pecan (only because I have some). Thoughts?

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I have a freezer full of Bass fillets. I can't wait to smoke a few. Which wood would go the best with Bass? I'm thinking Pecan (only because I have some). Thoughts?

Most will tell you Alder, but IMHO I like any decent smoking wood on Fish, Hickory, Cherry, Apple, Maple, Pecan, Alder, etc, etc.

Bear