First Trout Smoke....one question....

[tommy kid]

I have 8 trout to smoke this weekend. I have a brine recipe that I got off of this site that sounds great. My question is in regards to the preparation of the fish. Do most folks leave the fish whole or is it more preferable to cut the head/tail off or even fillet the fish? These are small ones, probably average about 11 inches.
Thanks,
Tom

[Kummok]

Can only answer for myself, but everything comes off that I don't use after smoking. I don't use the head/tails so they don't get smoked...makes more room for LOTS of fish. Trout's small size, for me, precludes filleting.....not worth the extra "cutting table" effort that I put into salmon. That's just me......

[iceman]

Can only answer for myself, but everything comes off that I don't use after smoking. I don't use the head/tails so they don't get smoked...makes more room for LOTS of fish. Trout's small size, for me, precludes filleting.....not worth the extra "cutting table" effort that I put into salmon. That's just me......

I'm like Kummok, gut it, tails and heads off and into the brine. I prop the belly open with tooth picks while in the smoker so the smoke penetrates better.

[Habanero Smoker]

I'm not a fisherman, so I get my trout from the supermarket. :) So I smoke fillets with the skin on, after smoking/cooking the skin peels off very easy.

[Smoking Duck]

I go with Kummok and Ice.....and those are two Alaskans.....I always defer to the frozen tundra guys on trout and salmon. ;D

[tommy kid]

Thanks for the advise! My mouth is watering, already.........

[La Quinta]

Tommy...freeze the head for making fish stock for gumbos...awesome...salmon is a little oily (but I've used it) but trout heads are great...hard to find...so if you fish...keep them...freeze em...keep shrimp and lobster shells too...lots of flavor in them there shells...:)