Do you love smoked fish like I do? I probably love it more than smoked meats and jerky, and that’s saying a lot.
Although it’s not too hard to find trout, it is not common at all to find in large or chain supermarkets (in my experience). I can find it locally at some specialty butchers and fish markets. I have to drive far enough that I’ve taken to ordering it online on occasion, or other interesting seafood I can’t find locally. I have shared my amazing experiences before ordering from Fulton Fish Market (like my smoked whitefish recipe), and I like that I can order trout on its own or as an add-on to some of their different specialty boxes or any other items. There is no subscription service required and you can save 15% off your first order by creating an account and using the code HELLO15.
Trout are delicious and contain significant protein levels, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Unlike so many other types of fish and seafood, trout has relatively low levels of mercury and other contaminants.
They’re closely related to salmon and in the same family, so it’s not surprising they are similarly mild, buttery, and great for curing & smoking. Trout filets tend to be less thick and meaty, which can be an advantage in the sense that the whole curing and smoking process can be done in about ten hours (as opposed to 2-3 days for salmon). Just like with salmon, flavors of dill, caraway, and garlic go exceedingly well, so this recipe – besides being easy – is just a no-brainer for delicious flavor.
So let’s do this!
Shelf life:
Lasts 2-3 weeks in the fridge (wrapped well); 3 months frozen; 6 months+ frozen in vacuum seal
Yield:
2 smoked filets, around 1/2 lb. Double all ingredients to make a pound of smoked fish
Equipment:
- Paper towels
- Elongated container (plus plastic wrap) to cure the trout in, or vacuum sealer/bag is ideal
- Recommended: small pan and mortar & pestle
- Medium mixing bowl
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Weighted object (such as a 12-pack of soda or a few small 2.5 lb. barbell weights)
- Wire cooling rack for use in the refrigerator
- Smoker, charcoal chimney, hardwood lump charcoal & wood chips of choice (cherry, apple, and oak are all great choices; the featured photos used applewood)
- Suggested: grill thermometer
Ingredients:
- 2 trout filets (3/4 – 1 lb.)
- 1/2 cup pickling salt (220g)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (60g)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tsp whole mustard seed
- 1 tsp whole caraway seed
- 1 tsp whole dill seed
- 1/2 bunch dill (6-8 fronds)
Directions:
1.) Pat the trout very dry with towels. Line a container with two long strips of plastic wrap (in a criss-cross pattern) in order to fully wrap the fish for salt curing later. (This step may be skipped if using a vacuum seal.)
2.) Suggested: toast the whole spices in the pan over medium heat for a couple minutes, turning occasionally. When they smell aromatic, quickly transfer them to mortar and coarsely crush with the pestle. If these steps cannot be taken, then simply use ground versions of these spices without toasting and add directly to the curing mix (next step).
3.) In a medium bowl, form the curing rub by combining the salt, sugar, and spices (whether they be the toasted/coarsely ground or fully ground). Mix thoroughly and evenly, making sure to break up any clusters of brown sugar.
4.) Place about 1/4 of the curing rub on the plastic wrap sufficient to coat a filet. Place the filet, skin side down, on the cure. Add another 1/4 of the cure to the flesh, and then evenly cover with the dill. Evenly add a couple more tablespoons of the cure. Then place the other filet flesh side down, so the two flesh sides are facing each other. Use the remaining cure to evenly cover the top and sides of the filets. Then fold the plastic wrap over to completely lock in the filets and the cure. Place the weights evenly on the fish and place in refrigeration. Cure the fish for 5-6 hours. Turn it every couple hours during that time, always applying the weights.
If using a vacuum seal: place 1/3 of the cure down followed by the first filet, skin side down. Then cover the flesh evenly with the dill. Add 1/3 of the cure, followed by the other filet, flesh side down so the two flesh sides are facing. Then cover the top of the trout with the remaining cure. Vacuum seal and press the cure around so it distributes throughout the bag. Place in refrigeration, cover evenly with the weights, and allow to cure for 5-6 hours.
5.) Remove the fish from its wrapping and rinse well in the sink. All of the cure should be washed off, and the skin side should be rinsed well too. Lay out plenty of paper towels and thoroughly dry the filets so they feel dry to the touch. They should have a fleshy feel, and the skin should feel very tough and appear totally dehydrated.
6.) Place the cured filets on the drying rack and place in refrigerator. Allow to dry for about 3 hours. This is an important step in order to form a pellicle (a layer of proteins and cellulose) which allows the smoke to adhere much better to the fish. When ready to smoke, a thin layer of maple syrup can be brushed on as a variation for glazed trout, but at least two hours of air drying is still recommended before doing so.
7.) Place 1 cup of wood chips of choice (e.g. apple, cherry, or a mix) in a small bowl and fill with water. Massage the chips so they absorb the water. Allow them to sit and absorb water for at least an hour before smoking.
8.) Prepare the smoker and chimney. Fill with lump charcoal. Light the chimney and allow 15-20 minutes before the charcoal is ready. (It should be glowing with a thin layer of grey ash.) Transfer the coals to the smoker and place the fish on the top rack, away from direct heat. If using a bullet smoker, use the top rack and place a steaming pan attachment or any other suitable barrier below the rack to avoid direct heat. Cover and allow to smoke for around 1.5 to 2 hours (go on the longer side if a smokier trout is preferred).
Temps (if using a grill thermometer, recommended): The ranges for smoked trout are to cook at temps between 165-225F but 180-190F is ideal. Cook until internal temp is between 145F (should be opaque and flakes easily) and 160F.
9.) Serve the smoked trout hot, or for longer-term use, allow to cool on a wire rack. Transfer to a refrigerator and allow a couple hours to cool and dry. Then wrap for refrigerator storage or vacuum seal for freezer storage.
