Cold Smoking Trout

[wheels]

Hi
Has anyone cold smoked trout?
If so can they post details of brine strength, time in brine, length of time smoking etc.
Also, is it good sliced and eaten 'raw' like smoked salmon? Or, best used cooked?
I have been given a couple of super trout this lunchtime and am kitchen-less at the moment so it's an ideal time to smoke them!
Thnaks
Phil

[saucisson]

I'd treat them just the same as salmon, but you can enjoy them "raw" or cooked. If you have no joy on a site search for curing salmon post back here. I do an overnight "dry" cure at 20g salt 10g sugar or honey and a splash of whisky.

HTH

Dave

[wheels]

Hi Dave

Thanks - Is that cure per Kg? I'm assuming you wash and hang after curing? How long do you smoke it for - I ask because the trout fillets (I have 'filleted' the fish but left the two fillets connected by the tail so that I can hang them easily) is not as thick as salmon and, as this will be smoked in my 'Dr Dave' smoker, my times should be similar to yours. I was thinking in the region of 24 hours?

PS what does HTH mean?

Regards

Phil

[Richierich]

Hope that helps.

[Fallow Buck]

Wheels,

I have smoked trout a couple of times with mixed success. The large trout are not really worth cold smoking as the fat content in the fish is too hight to give a decent product. When faced with big trout (5lbs plus) I would hot smoke them.

For the smaller fish 24hrs will be a very long cure. I'd make that 12-15hrs for fish in the 2-3lb bracket, as I doubt the fillets are much thicker than half an inch or so.

I'm not sure of the density of smoke in your smoker, but in my Westcountry smoker I'd say 12-14hrs would give a well smoked bit of fish.

Hope that helps,
FB

[saucisson]

1) yes that was per kg Phil
2) I'd start at FB's recommended 12-14 hrs. Tha last couple of batch of fish I did I smoked for 12 1/2 hours because that's how long the chips burnt for.

Dave

[wheels]

Thanks for the help
will post results and photo later.

Phil

[georgebaker]

Hi
I don't brine but hot smoke over oak

Bought some in Norfolk in the summer and think mine is as good but am thinking about ask because of what I read earlier today

George

[Richierich]

Hope this is not a silly question, but why smoke them for what to me seems like a long time. Are these fish whole and is the time needed to let the smoke penetrate. The only reason I ask is that when I did a side of salmon it was suggested 3 hours would be sufficient, also if the smoking time is increased accordingly do you need to increase the brining time?

Sorry to ask the question, but I am still learning.

[Fallow Buck]

I would say that brinign time is fairly stable. Te only time I alter the brine time is if the fillets are thinner. For what it's worth I have brined and dry cured, and I like the way the dry cured cuts, but it has a tendency to case harden a bit.

I'm no expert though and many here do much more salmon smoking than I do.

Smoking time can be altered to taste. It's diffficult to really give a time to this as it depends on the dust being used, and the density of smoke that your smoker creates in its chamber. They all vary so results need to be lookaed at and your process adapted to your situation.

My mum likes the salmon I smoke for 10--12 hours whereas my missus likes the sides I smoke for 24hrs.... Go figure, that's women for you!!!

Of course I just eat it all!!!

Rgds,
FB

[wheels]

If anyone's interested the details of what I did with the trout are here:

http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/weblog/pivot/entry.php?id=37

The finished product is here:

http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/weblog/pivot/entry.php?id=38

Phil

[saucisson]

Nice one Phil

Dave