Smoking Trout, step 1

[salt and pepper]

It's that time of the year when the ice leaves the lakes here in Montana. It's time for Trout fishing. The cold water produces a solid and firm fillet, just right for smoking. And the size of the fish comes into play. For smoking fillets I like to keep fish around 20" and return the smaller fish into the lake. So, the first step is to acquire the fish and start the prep. The fish will be filleted leaving the skin on then the pin bones removed.
At the moment, I have 6 fresh trout (4 in the pic) that should fill up my smoker, just right till the next batch!
As I continue the process, I will add the recipe and photo's for each step if anyone is interested.

 

[Snip 13]

Food tease! LOL. Gorgeous trout

 

[vitauta]

It's that time of the year when the ice leaves the lakes here in Montana. It's time for Trout fishing. The cold water produces a solid and firm fillet, just right for smoking. And the size of the fish comes into play. For smoking fillets I like to keep fish around 20" and return the smaller fish into the lake. So, the first step is to acquire the fish and start the prep. The fish will be filleted leaving the skin on then the pin bones removed.
At the moment, I have 6 fresh trout (4 in the pic) that should fill up my smoker, just right till the next batch!
As I continue the process, I will add the recipe and photo's for each step if anyone is interested.

ZOMG, what gorgeous trout, s&p!! mine is going to be that big beauty right there in front! please tag it for me with a 'V' so i can follow it through the rest of your smoking process? if there is a delicacy that makes my mouth water more than a dark, shiny, smoked trout, i don't know what it might be. how long does it take to smoke beauties of this size, s&p? and btw, what did my trout weigh initially?

yes, please, keep us updated with the fish-smoking progress as you go, s&p. does anyone make sushi out of this lovely variety of fish flesh?

 

[salt and pepper]

Smoking Trout step 2

Here the Trout are filleted with the pin bones removed and all fat is trimmed. Ready to go into the brine.

 

[salt and pepper]

Smoking Trout, step 3

This is a basic brine that I use: 1 cup of kosher or sea salt, 1 cup of brown sugar desolved in 1 gallon of cold water. Cover the fish with the brine and let sit for about 2 hours. No need to make a fancy brine because other flavors will be added later.

 

[taxlady]

Are you going to hot or cold smoke the trout?

 

[salt and pepper]

Are you going to hot or cold smoke the trout?

Cold smoke.

 

[taxlady]

Cold smoke.

Well, in that case I'll keep reading. Can't stand cooked trout. Then I had some that was cold smoked and discovered that trout could be delicious.

 

[salt and pepper]

Smoking Trout, step 4

After brining for 2 hours,strain and rinse fish with cold water, pat dry and cut the fillets in half. Lay them out on sheet pans, then refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours, until a "pellicle" is formed. Pellicle is a tacky, sticky surface that allows the smoke to ad

here to.

 

[Dawgluver]

Love watching the process, S&P. What beautiful fish!

 

[Dawgluver]

Oh, man, those look great already!

 

[forty_caliber]

Amazing work S&P. Looks like you have the process down to a science.

.40

 

[taxlady]

Why do you cut them in half for the platters where they would fit whole?

 

[jharris]

Looks nice so far and I'm very interested in your process.

Might I suggest that you post only to this thread as you proceed?

Starting a new thread for each step is very distracting for this reader and will be cumbersome for those of us who wish to try this for ourselves.

 

[Kylie1969]

Yes, lovely looking fish

Lovely, nice job

Cheers Joey

 

[Hoot]

I love me some smoked trout....Looks mighty good!

 

[CharlieD]

Is this it? Are they done/ Or is there more to it? I am ready to eat it as is.

 

[salt and pepper]

Looks nice so far and I'm very interested in your process.

Might I suggest that you post only to this thread as you proceed?

Starting a new thread for each step is very distracting for this reader and will be cumbersome for those of us who wish to try this for ourselves.

JH. good idea, I will continue to post here, Thanks'
The next steps Will be, showing the tacky surface, the seasoning process, the smoking process and the outcome of the final process and packaging.
Thanks to all who are fallowing, Joey

 

[salt and pepper]

Why do you cut them in half for the platters where they would fit whole?

I cut them in half so they will fit in food saver bags. I give most of them away so my friends can enjoy them too.
My fishing partner also smokes fish and the next bunch we catch will be his to smoke, Then we share our final product with each other.
Just would like people to know that we only keep enough trout to do our spring smoking. After that, we throw them back. Then, its time to fill the freezer with walleye.

 

[salt and pepper]

Smoking Trout Step 5

When the pellicle is developed the fish is shinny and sticky.