Smoked Lake Trout - first time using Bradley Smoker

[scales]

Hi all.  This is my first post on the forum.  I finally bit the bullet and got myself a Bradley smoker.  I've always wanted one to play around with.  Before now anything that required smoking was done at my mothers house in her home built converted fridge smoker, and generally by my mother. 

Started with Lake trout fillets from last fall, put in the wet brine that we use to smoke goldeye (recipe to follow). We usually brine goldeye 12 hours, but these fillets were pretty thick so I let them go 20 hours, mixing them up in the brine quite a few times. 





After they were brined, I rinsed them off and patted dry with paper towel, and put in my empty beer fridge to dry so they would form a pellicle.  After about 6 hours a nice sticky pellicle had formed.





Then on to the smoker.  I used alder pucks, and smoked them at 120F for 1 hour, 140F for 2 hours, then at 160F for 1 more hour, a total of 4 hours. 





Took them out, tried a little peice, was worried it might be too salty and too smoky.  Remembering they are always better after being in the fridge for a while, I put them in overnight.  Vaccume packed 1 to freeze to see how that affects the flavor. 



After being in the fridge for close to 24 hours they are perfect, I don't think I will change a thing next time, really excellent especially with a cold pilsner.  I would be happy to buy smoked fish like this.

[scales]

I only needed to make 4 cups of water into brine to cover the fillets, so I just halved this recipe. As I mentioned, this is what we've been using for goldeye for years and it did an excellent job of the lake trout as well.

8 cups water
¼ cup salt (non iodized)
¼ cup cure (Morton's Tenderquick)
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp accent
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

[devo]

Good job on the fish. I'm surprised at the 4 hours  :o When ever I do fish like salmon and rainbow it is more like 8 hours. I do like my smoked fish dryer so that might account for the extra time.

[scales]

Thanks!  I thought I'd try 4 hours the first time around.  I don't think I'd want it any more smoky than it is, but might try it sometime to see if I am missing out on something better. 

[devo]

I just give them two hours of smoke and depending on the thickness some get done 6 hours and some take 8 hours. I always go by Kumoks recipe times
Step 5: SMOKING
Smoke using the following Bradley Smoking guideline:
100°-120°F for 1-2 hours, then increase to
140° for 2-4 hours, then increase to
175° for 1-2 hours to finish

[scales]

I just give them two hours of smoke and depending on the thickness some get done 6 hours and some take 8 hours. I always go by Kumoks recipe times
Step 5: SMOKING
Smoke using the following Bradley Smoking guideline:
100°-120°F for 1-2 hours, then increase to
140° for 2-4 hours, then increase to
175° for 1-2 hours to finish[

So you only put the smoke to them for the first 2 hours, and then no more smoke?  I went by the same guidelines you posted (found on a bradley smoker recipe card) and assumed it meant to put smoke to the fish for all 3 temperatures, 4-8 hours.  I ahd also read Kumoks smoked salmon recipe, and assumed he smoked it the whole time. 

[devo]

Nope, way to much smoke. You can increase it some but it comes down to a matter of taste and I find two hours plenty.

[Smoker John]

You did a real nice job on the trout

[scales]

Nope, way to much smoke. You can increase it some but it comes down to a matter of taste and I find two hours plenty.

I might try only 2 hours of smoke next time (I have more fillets) and might try letting some of them go longer. 

I've been reading Kummoks thread, and it seems a lot of people use smoke for 5-12 hours.  I do see some of the people mention 2 hours of actual smoke. 

Like I said, I don't think I'd want these smokier.  Lake trout have a stronger fish taste than what I'm used to eating  when not smoked, but it will be hard to change anything I have done this time as these do really taste so good.  So good. 

Thanks a lot for your input!  I really appreciate it!

You did a real nice job on the trout

Thanks a lot! I see you are from Alberta, will have to update my settings, I am 1 province to the East.  Rhymes with Baskatchewan. 

[muebe]

Welcome to the forum scales!

Looks like your fish turned out real nice ;)

[pikeman_95]

Your fish looks great. I see that you said you did not like the heavy fish taste of the Mackinaws. Try skinning them next time and this will cut some of the fish flavor. I did 50 this spring and my friend did about the same. We bagged the skinless fillets in 3.3 oz of Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki for each pound of fish in the bag and 1 tsp of meat cure for each 5 pounds. Bag them overnight and smoke the next day. Here are the results of our Mack's. Not fishy at all and you will not believe how good they taste.
Try this link.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=27306.0

When you mash up a chunk in a block of cream cheese and roll in crushed wallnuts it makes a fantastic fish ball.

[scales]

Welcome to the forum scales!

Looks like your fish turned out real nice ;)

Thanks for the welcome!

Your fish looks great. I see that you said you did not like the heavy fish taste of the Mackinaws.

I didn't mean that I didn't like the taste, was just making an observation that it is more fishy than what I am used to eating (walleye, burbot, northern pike and goldeye). We don't have lake trout where I live, so I have to go north to catch them.  I have enjoyed every laker that I have ever cooked in any way. 

My all time favorite smoked fish is smoked mackeral that I have had a few different ways.  I buy it, it is not cheap, and it is very full flavored. 

[pikeman_95]

We have a Mack-days tournament that they try to catch as many out of Flathead Lake. This year the took over 29,000. I found a friend that fishes the tournament that will give us all the fish we want. You still might try one chunk in the Soy Vey it is very simple and good.
KC

[scales]

You still might try one chunk in the Soy Vey it is very simple and good.
KC

29,000?  Wow!

Do you have a link to the "Soy Vey"?  I am always up for experimenting and trying new things. 

[devo]

http://soyvay.elsstore.com/