Smoking Bluefish

[bigblueh20]

Caught a bunch of 3 lb bluefish today....Would love to smoke them tomorrow. Could someone please provide me with some guidance as to which wood, smoke time, cook time, temperature...Anything else I need to know...I have them in a Kosher Salt, Brown Sugar, Teriyaki brine....

Thanks In Advance for all of the help. Jim

[Smoking Duck]

Can't help ya much, blue.  I don't know much about bluefish.  What type of meat is it?  Is it a white meat or is it darker, say like a salmon or tuna?  I just about always use alder when I smoke fish.  As far as time or temp, I couldn't tell you.  If it's a darker type meat, I guess I would try doing it like Kummok does his salmon.  You can find the link as a sticky on the top of the fish page.  Hopefully, someone with some experience with bluefish will be along to help soon.

[westexasmoker]

Hey Jim
Not sure if I'll be much help not familar with bluefish, we have bluegill, cherry perch maybe same thing with a different name.  But so far most of the fish I've done quick smoke about 20 min. just enough to infuse a little flavor and then onto the grill to finish or you could go to the frying pan to finish.  As far as which wood I don't think you'd go wrong with any of them...I like a heavy smoke on everything mesquite, hickory and pecan are my aresenal of choice.  Good luck and let us know how it turns out!!

C

[La Quinta]

SD...blues are a white flesh fish...not "delicate" but not firm either...kinda middle of the road (to me) in texture...boy...when the blues were running in Florida...did we have fun!!! :) You could drop a line in the water for a minute and pull up a nice bluefish...and smoked...they are awesome...

[Wildcat]

They are fun to catch.  We simply trolled around them when they were feeding.  Never had them smoked, just deep fried.  Pretty good taste.

[Smoking Duck]

Thanks LQ and Wildcat.....I kinda feel like I'm in the midst of the greatest freshwater fishery system in the US, but when it comes to saltwater, I'm like a fish out of water (pun intended)  ;D

[La Quinta]

We'd just stand on the beach and surf cast...good news is...gotta tan too!! Opthimologist wasn't thrilled tho!!

[Smoking Duck]

Sounds like fun, LQ.  I'd love to be doing that right now. 

[La Quinta]

Yeah SD...me too...been hotter then hell out here the last few days...was only 101 today...and hopefully going down...hell I may have to wear a sweatshirt to the Giz party!! 66 degrees...Holy crap...:)

[Smoking Duck]

101?  Sweet fancy moses.....I'm built more for the cold.  If I was in 101 heat, I'd have sweat on me like stink on a monkey!

[La Quinta]

Yeah well ya get used to it...ya get dehydrated...get to drink more beer...that's how I look at it!! :) Then the power bill comes...and ya get to drink more beer when ya open it!!! :)

[Mr Walleye]

Yeah well ya get used to it...ya get dehydrated...get to drink more beer...that's how I look at it!! :) Then the power bill comes...and ya get to drink more beer when ya open it!!! :)

Ha ha ha.....

That's like me opening the natural gas bill after a month of -40 with a windchill of -50.  ::)

Our summers do get up to 80 to 90 degrees and the odd day at 100 but I'm with SD... I'm built for the cold!  :D

Mike

[iceman]

Mr. Walleye I'm right with you on utility shock last winter. Glad we did the averaging thing with the utility company. I couldn't even imagine being in 100 plus temps for very long. Last trip to Houston dang near killed me. The last day or two of 60 felt just right.  :)

[westexasmoker]

Ya'll need to send some of that cool air down to LQ, and while your at it send some my way.  We've been running between 95-100 all week, with a steady wind about 30 mph gusting to 50...jeessh I hate summer time, thank god for A/C, and yep then the bill rolls in  :o

C

[La Quinta]

I think somebody sent the cold air down...only 81 today...feels chilly!! :) I can crab about all of it can't I??!! :) Oh well...I'm a girl...it's my perrogative!!:)