Tips on smoking rainbow trout.

[Steve H]

While at GFS a few days ago. I bought 5 pounds of boneless rainbow trout fillets. Ann has been talking about getting some for so long I went and got some to shut her up!! I don't mind them. But she loves them. And she also loves them smoked. Which I never done before.
Any tips would be appreciated. What is your favorite brine for them? I'm thinking about smoking with Alderwood. Which seems to be popular in Germany for some meats and fish.

 

[poacherjoe]

I've smoked a lot of trout and I just used seasoned salt and pepper with some garlic powder and smoked them in the "Chief" brand smoker. It doesn't last very long because it tastes so good you gobble it up. Alder is my go to for fish but apricot and peach give a nice mild flavor to fish, Good luck

 

[Steve H]

I've smoked a lot of trout and I just used seasoned salt and pepper with some garlic powder and smoked them in the "Chief" brand smoker. It doesn't last very long because it tastes so good you gobble it up. Alder is my go to for fish but apricot and peach give a nice mild flavor to fish, Good luck

Thanks! You don't brine? What IT do you go to?

 

[tx smoker]

Yo Steve...never done trout but I have a brine recipe from Alton Brown for salmon that is fantastic. I did some smoked salmon and a salmon dip for a party a couple years ago that was out of this world. Don't know if the brine would work for trout but I'll happily share if you'd like to see it.

Robert

 

[Steve H]

Yo Steve...never done trout but I have a brine recipe from Alton Brown for salmon that is fantastic. I did some smoked salmon and a salmon dip for a party a couple years ago that was out of this world. Don't know if the brine would work for trout but I'll happily share if you'd like to see it.

Robert

Please do Robert!

 

[gmc2003]

Hey Steve, I use a very simple basic brine.

1 quart of water
1/2 cup of brown suger
1/2 cup of kosher salt or sea salt.

Heat the water up to just below a simmer and add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let brine cool to room temp and add your trout. Cover and place salmon in the fridge for a minimum of 4hrs.

If you feel like getting fancy you can add herbs and spices. I like to add one or more of the following: minced garlic, sriracha(a few splashes), onion, pepper, or soy sauce. Amounts are determined by your taste buds.

If I'm adding any extra seasonings I'll add it to the cooling brine so they dissolve or release their flavors quicker.

Thats about it in a nutshell.

Chris

 

[Steve H]

Hey Steve, I use a very simple basic brine.

1 quart of water
1/2 cup of brown suger
1/2 cup of kosher salt or sea salt.

Heat the water up to just below a simmer and add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let brine cool to room temp and add your trout. Cover and place salmon in the fridge for a minimum of 4hrs.

If you feel like getting fancy you can add herbs and spices. I like to add one or more of the following: minced garlic, sriracha(a few splashes), onion, pepper, or soy sauce. Amounts are determined by your taste buds.

If I'm adding any extra seasonings I'll add it to the cooling brine so they dissolve or release their flavors quicker.

Thats about it in a nutshell.

Chris

Thanks Chris!

 

[sawhorseray]

I used to smoke salmon and trout in a brine quite similar to the one Chris posted, used a Big Chief. Then I started adding stuff like white wine, teriyaki, onion and garlic powder, and CBP. I'd soak the fish overnight in the fridge, dry the fillets under a fan for a couple of hours to form a pellicle, then baste with honey right before they went into the smoker. That was before the Pro 100 and before knowing about Cure #1, tho in 25 years no one ever had an issue, and the stuff was delicious. I think the most important aspect is achieving the pellicle, the honey baste was a nice touch too, pink meat fish work best. RAY

 

[tx smoker]

Please do Robert!

Sounds like you've already gotten some good advice but here ya go:

2 ½ to 3 lb. fillets
3 T kosher salt
2 T sugar
2 T brown sugar
½ T crushed black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Place fillet on a large piece of plastic wrap and rub one side with half of the brine mix. Turn fillet over and rub with the other half of the brine mix. Wrap fillet in plastic wrap and place in a baking pan. Put another baking pan on top and weigh it down with a rock or something pretty heavy. I used a 6-pack of soda. There will be considerable moisture coming out of the fillet as it brines so bottom pan must have depth to contain the brine. Let sit overnight and flip fillet once approximately halfway through. Remove fillet from plastic wrap and rinse well in cold water to remove the brining mix and pat dry with paper towels. Smoke appx. 4 to 5 hours at 170 to 180 degrees until internal temp reaches 150 and meat is flaky on the outside. Let sit uncovered overnight in the fridge. Cut into portions and vac seal. Recommend using a bread cooling rack sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to smoke the fish on as it will stick to the grates on the smoker. Fish will be very delicate so handle carefully to keep it from falling apart.

I smoked the salmon I did with pecan but there are a bunch of good choices for your smoker wood.

Robert

 

[TNJAKE]

Be careful........ rainbow trout is how you catch monkey pox!

 

[poacherjoe]

Thanks! You don't brine? What IT do you go to?

I just check it for doneness . You don't want to dry it out to much. Never needed to check the IT.

 

[bertman]

Smoked with no brine is about the only way I like to eat (whole) rainbow trout, although I have prepared them Alton Brown style like tx smoker mentioned. Even if they dry out, you can still enjoy them with cream cheese and a cracker.