I had a friend asked me today to smoke 9 whole rainbows for him, I needed a brine mix but think I will use minowfisers as it sounds good however I still have some have some questions , What Temp do you use to smoke them with and for how long ,since he's looking for about a medium dryness when done . Will hickory to smoke them with ? and lastly since these aren't mine, PLEASE tell again how good they're going to taste with this brine !! Thanks in advance for all your help .
Tim
I can only commonent on Boutch Smoked Trout (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?445-Smoked-Trout&p=695#post695). And I follow the alternate cooking method use in this recipe; which is the same cooking method used for Kummok's Smoked Salmon.
I generally smoke fillets, but when I smoke whole trout, I break off pieces of bamboo skewers and use them to wedge the cavities open, both during brining and smoking. Hickory may be too strong for fish and you may want to go with either alder, apple or maple. I like maple; Botch uses cherry, but I haven't.
When it comes to texture, that is so subjective to the individual. You can try taking them to an internal temperature of 140°F, that is what I use to do, but lately I have been taking them to a higher temperature. I can't tell you what that is, because I no longer take the temperature. Since I mainly smoke/cook fillets, I know when they are at the point where I like them, when I use a fork and they flake a certain way.
Thanks a bunch Habs !!
You're welcome.
What ever brine you use, I hope your friend is pleased with the results.
So, Time, have you had the big smoke yet?
Yes I have and man did they turn out good, Ill stop at good as you can always improve on things, I'm not a big trout fan but these really did have a great taste and they didn't turn out so dry you choked on them . I now have another friend who don't like trout fillets so he's going to give me a bunch of those and I can't wait to try them . I used minowfishers brine for the whole trout and will use Boutch smoked trout brine for the fillets . I have some pics and try to get them on here later today .
Ok here are the pics of that big smoke .
Fish propped open with toothpicks drying
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n616/cobra6223/hummingbird001.jpg)
in the smoker
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n616/cobra6223/hummingbird003.jpg)
all done
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n616/cobra6223/hummingbird007.jpg)
They turned out very tasty and nothing but good comments . I was very thankful for that as I was aweful nervous messing with someone elses trout .