Smoker recipes

[Jennie@ifish]

To keep them all in one place, please post your smoked fish or "hunt" recipes, here.
Thanks!

[Gooseman]

There was enough interest in the smoked goodies that I shared on the goose hunt that I'll share the recipe with all of I-fish. I figure what the heck, if I help someone enjoy the game they've harvested more, GREAT !!

For ducks: cut each 1/2 breast in half lengthwise.
For goose: cut each 1/2 breast into 3/4" thick strips cross grain.

Brine:
3 quarts cold water
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup salt (or less)*
3 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic crushed (or more)
1/4 cup whole black peppercorns

Soak up to 34 pieces of meat for 8 hours.

Wrap low salt bacon* around the piece of meat on a diagonal. Use round toothpicks on each end to hold bacon in place.

Cook on a charcoal smoker for 2 to 4 hours, depending on temperature. The bacon should appear to be done on the outside. Cut a piece to ensure that it's done in the middle. I've used chunks of hickory or alder for smoke. Make sure to use a drip pan between the fire and the meat. The bacon grease catches fire very easily.

Remove toothpicks, slice & serve with cheese & crackers along with your favorite beverage.

*If you use bacon that is not low salt, use less salt in the brine and/or brine for a shorter period of time.

It takes quite a bit of time to do all of this. Don't try to cheat on the steps too much as it will show up in the end product.

[Chetco]

Here's my favorite smoked salmon recipe. It tastes great, and it's really fast.

Place the salmon chunks in a bag with Morton Sugar Cure (found right next to rock salt at the grocery store). Like using shake and bake, completely cover the fish with a light layer and then set aside in a bowl for no more than 45 minutes. The dry cure works fast. then rinse the fish off and pat dry. If you don't like it too salty, rinse again.

Place the salmon in the smoker for about four hours (five or so trays of chips). Then put it in the over at 350 degrees for no more than 1/2 hour, and there it is, some great tasting smoked salmon before you go to bed.

I also like to skip the oven part and go right to the canner. 1/2 pint jars at 240 degrees (or how ever many pounds) for 90 minutes. Nothing's better than breaking out a jar of smoked salmon in early March while you're waiting for the springer season to kick in.

[12pulls]

My favorite smoke cure works great for fish or deer.
2 cups of brown sugar
1 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup non-iondized salt
mix in a quart jar filled with water

cut salmon into 2 inch strips ( game meat the same) leave the skin on. place in ceramic or plastic container (nothing metal)and pour liquid on to cover. Place in fridge for 6-24 hours depending on taste ( I like longer), pull out and let dry on racks skin down. Smoke until it is finished to liking, eat and enjoy. Vacuum pack warm to retain moisture, let dry prior to vacuum packing if you like dryer.

[SteelieSlammer]

Dry Brine Mix

1 cup rock salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tlsp onion powder
1 tbsp black pepper

Layer salmon, mix, salmon, etc. let brine for 24hours. Remove from brine and rinse of brine. Let stand on racks or in refigerator for 24hours so a glaze forms. Put on smoker and use 3 to 4 pans of smoke.

Tips
-wipe racks down with vegetable oil so salmon is easly removed after smoking
-Remove all scales before filleting the fish. I think the scales and fish slim changes the flavor of the smoked salmon. It doesn't seem to get a gammie taste.

[Hooker]

Any other favorite deer jerky recipes?

[zig]

Smoked Oysters
I've been smoking oysters for the past 5 years. It's a Christmas tradition and they only last till shortly after the new year. These little jewels are even loved by people who don't like em fixed any other way.
Now mind you, this is a super secret recipe and only a few have ever pulled it out of me. I thought it would be time for more people to enjoy this delicacy. So here goes...

1. I buy 4 - 1/2 gal containers of extra smalls from Olympia Oyster Co out of Shelton. Be prepared, this runs me about $25 per half gal. that's why I only smoke these once a year.

2. I bring them home, rinse them off and drain.

3. The brine consists of the following

OYSTER BRINE
1/2 GAL OYSTERS
6 C WATER
1 C KOSHER SALT
1 C BROWN SUGAR
1/3 C SOY SAUCE
1 HANDFUL DRY ONION
1 TEAS LIQUID GARLIC
OPTIONAL 1/4 C DARK RUM

Boil slowly for 10 to 30 minutes depending on the amount of flavor you want.

4. Remove and drain in colander (you know, one of those bowels with holes) dry with paper towels and then coat with olive oil.

5. Smoke for about 4 to 10 hours depending on smoker and preference. I use apple and alder pucks in a Bradly smoker. Just watch them. The bottom racks will have faster smoked oysters than the uppers. I rotate them around about every two hours.

6. Finally, I keep about a half gallon in the fridge and vacuum seal and freeze the rest. I've never had to worry about how long they last in the freezer, like I said they are all gone shortly after the new years. The best way to eat them is fresh out of the smoker, still warm with a cold six pack of beer!! Waa hoo!

Note: I bought chrome plated racks that have smaller gaps than the smoker racks do. The oysters shrink when you brine them and again when they are smoked. Don't let them fall through the racks.

--------------------
There's only one thing in life better than fishing...catching fish, of course!

Post Extras:

[jaysea]

Just tried out a new mesquite jerky last night. Pretty good and awfully simple.

Brine
1/2 gal water
1 cup Worsty
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup Mrs. Dash's Mesquite grilling blend


Smoke as usual with Mesquite chunks.


Kids are gobbling it up. :cheers: Gotta go back to the freezer and start over.

[kevray]

I know a lot of people who will swear by this dry brine for salmon:

2 lbs brown sugar
1/3 cup salt
2 tbs garlic powder
2 caps liquid smoke
add freshly ground pepper to each piece before placing in smoker

enjoy!

[Stratocaster]

Its easy, quick and very good.(have had people say best they have ever had)

2lbs of C&H brown sugar
to 1 cup of plain salt(ratio), mix well.
Brine in fridge until carmalized (app. 6 hours or so)i cover with saran wrap
Rinse off sludge, leave in fridge overnight.

Smoke 3 or 4 pans of apple chips until done.
For me its about 4 to 6 hours depending on the weather and how many racks

[lilnorthfork]

Had a bumber crop of garlic last summer... what to do with the extra?! Well, I got a wild hair and threw a bunch in the smoker. Half a day or so and three pans of apple chips... yummmm! Crushed some up yesterday and put it on a freshly caught (thanks to Riverkeeper) and bbq'd Springer, with a little lemon pepper. lnf

[fishisabonus]

I didn't see mine. I had a lot of request for this one....

1/3 cup kosher salt
2 cups brown sugar
2 tbl black pepper
1 tbl garlic salt
1 tbl onion salt
1 tbl celery salt
1 tbl dry mustard (Colemans, yellow can, my favorite)

Roll fish dry brine. Refrigerate 24 hrs (less if fish chunks are thin). Put chunks on smoker racks and let stand for about an hour... the chunks glaze over slightly. Smoke using alder chips. Time depends on your smoker. This brine has worked on fish caught everywhere from Cabo to Alaska.

[wilbur1]

I'm a new member, and I can't express how happy I was to see all of these recipes for smoking. I copied them ( with your permission of course) and will have fun in trying them out. As of now I had only used those in the Jensen Smooker booklet.

[Troutcarver]

I have a bunch of sea bass. I was wondering how it would be if I smoked some of it?

[DrMorris]

Smoked Sturgeon

This is the best sturgeon recipe that I have ever used.

2 parts water
1 part soy sauce
½ cup of chopped fresh garlic
½ cup chopped green onion
2 tbls sesame oil
3 cups brown sugar
2 tbls salt

I let this sit in the refrigerator for about 3 days and smoke it with apple and alder wood mixed together. It is a great brine and you will enjoy it with any type of fish as well.

[PaintedEagle]

Thought I'd lost this recipe for ever. Wife was going through the linen closet and found it in one of her old wallets of all places. I found that if I'm smoking a bird much over 12lbs I double the recipe allowing more liquid to surround a bigger bird.

Smoked Turkey
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups apple cider
1/2 lemon juice
1/2 oz maple
1 1/2 cup curing salt
1/2 tsp ginger
4 tbs pepper

Mix well. Place rinsed turkey in heavy duty garbage bag. Add brine mix. Draw bag down to remove as much air as possible. Place in a roasting pan if possible so the liquid level is forced up as much as possible around the bird. Allow to soak for 24 hours. I try my best to turn the bird 4 times during the soak time. I use either hickory or apple chunks and run 3 batches. Use more or less depending on how smokey you like things. Smoke 1 hour per pound at 200 to 225 degrees. If in question, stick it with a meat thermometer. If smoker has cooled a little temp may vary. Done temp for poultry at deepest portion of breast is 180 degrees. Enjoy!

[BobberAnn]

I have been using this recipe for some time.

Mix Brown Sugar, White Sugar, 1/4 cup Teryaki sauce, 1 oz wrights liquid smoke, with fish. Adjust amounts of each depending on the amount of fish. Sprinkle fish with
"cracked" pepper. Let set in frig for 1 to 3 days, mix occasionally and smoke. I use a Big Chief and smoke for 10 to 14 hours.
Salt goes a long ways in the mix. I usually don't add salt but I brine the fish in salt water before mixing. 1 cup of "rock" salt to a gallon of water. Rinse fish off if left for more that 2 hours. This salt brining will " leach" out any excell blood or fatty oils. Good luck

[roughwater]

Lotsa good smoker recipes..........Ever tried putting honey or maple syrup on your fish before you stick it in the smoker? I've found some people absolutely go nuts over it, some think its so-so. Just another twist for smoking......

[Gary Miller]

My mouth is watering....

All I need now is to catch some fish...

[retiredgal]

Once we smoke our salmon, vac pack it, do we freeze it or just refrigerate? Which way keeps it longer?:shrug:

Fresh salmon? Best way to preserve for future broiling?:help:

[fishloader]

"code of the west " for me for any cooking of the fowl is to always brine any chicken or turkey over night in a mixture of 2 to 1 -brown sugar to salt plus 1 tsp. of your favorite salts (garlic, celery, onion, etc. and I like to add alittle ginger too). If you are smoking I add more of the salts but usually always finish things off in the oven after about 2-3 hrs. rinse well and that thin cover of olive oil is perfect for keeping the juices in.
For salmon I always dry brine. still use the 2 to 1 and just use your imagination with tsp of whatever you think ( dillweed,mace,allspice ginger,different peppers (white is good) Maple, lemon ,tabasco. I like the dry brine cause you can make different batches and pick what you like. I always throw in a bay leaf and just before putting in the smoker a good dust of fresh ground lemon pepper. you can always use 5 cents brine ( which is excellent!!) but its Fun to try your own----- oh yea--throw in some light boiled eggs for an hr great!!!:smash: :smash:

[Horn Hunter]

Smoked Salmon or Steel Head

2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup Johny Season Salt
1 gal of water

Mix together and add fish(3-5 inch chunks), let brine for 12-24 hours. Aftre brine rinse fish and pad dry, ground peper to taste. Cover fish with a coating of brown sugar, place on smoker racks and let air dry for 4-6 hours(I place the rack in front of a fan) this will put a crust on the fish and seal in the juice. 2-3 pans of smoke (alder chips is my favorite) let finish in the smoker or oven. You won't believe how good it taste. Invite me over to sample, this way you won't have to freeze any.:food: :food:

HH

[lineman117]

I need some fish to go with all of those great recipes!!!!!!!!!!:)

[MattPark]

Here's a simple one. I've tried all of them. This is my favorite:)

1 part sugar
1 part salt
Mix the sugar and salt

Roll fish in the mixture, and place in a pan or bowl. Cover with brown sugar. It's fine to stack layers, if you do, add the brown sugar between layers.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours. It will become a wet brine in no time.

Smoke as usual.

Enjoy.

[wapiteaser]

1 gallon of water
1 cup Mortons Sugar Cure ( 1 cup salt/2 brown sugar can be used)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbs pickling spice
1 tbs paprika
1 tsp all spice

Let brine overnight (8 hours) at room temp or longer in fridge.

Rinse, pat dry with paper towel, and smoke.

[Tulley]

My spicey brine

equal parts brown sugar and salt

1/2 cup crushed red pepper

cover with Coca-Cola

soak for over night

dust salmon pieces with black pepper before smoking

smoke 3 pans of apple ships.

Open Budweiser and eat.

[elklaker]

I call this one Hawaiian Jerky. This is a family favorite.
1lb Venison or Elk meat thinly sliced
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 crushhed garlic clove
1/4 cup Pineapple juice
1/4 cup Soy sauce

[Hapeeedaze]

does anyone have a good brine mix for tuna.
i have a bunch i would like to smoke up:help:
thanks Hapeeedaze(dwayne).

[Okie]

I would use the same brine mix for tuna that I use for salmon. Take your pick, there are quiet a few variations for the mix.

Good Luck;

[Hapeeedaze]

Thanks for the info OKIE.
Try my usual for salmon this morning , hope by noon be snakin':food:

[Ripdline]

TTT,

I am after a smoked mussel receipt. Anybody tried this? It seems like it would be simular to smoked oysters except oysters are more moist and softer.

Any suggestions would be helpful!!! Thanks! Ripd'

[TroutBass]

Anyone smoken trout? I been looking for a new brine to try.

[Slmn-Trt-Stlhdr]

anyone have a smoked halibut recipie? we have tons of 'butt from AK and want to try to smoke some.

[jerry10e]

Thanks for all the good smoking suggestions.

[JRC Fly Guy]

Thanks for the recipes I am gonna try some of these out.

[rew]

smoked clam recipes anyone?

[GSNW]

Great recipes. Does anyone have a suggestion for a Good smoker.
I have tried propane smokers and several of the nice stainless smokers but don't like them as well as the old standby Big Chief.

[esoj]

gnsw, buy a traeger!!!!!!

[Beaglehunter]

I love my smokey mountain propane smoker, just set it and forget it. I have been using the traeger wood pellets lately and love the smoke you get out of them. I can get away with one pan of pellets and not have to keep opening the door to restock

[bikertrash]

anyone have a smoked halibut recipie? we have tons of 'butt from AK and want to try to smoke some.

I'm new here so I'll start out by saying Hi ya'll. I figured this is as good of place to put my first post cuz cook'in,grill'in and smok'in are a great joy for mine.:meme:
Well STS this brine has worked well for me. It's the best I've ever had. The rest of my co-workers and family will agree.
My last batch of steehead I had going I thought what the heck so I thru 4 or 5 Butt filets in it.
It was assume!!
This recipe is a bit more work but well worth the time.
You will need the following

3 cups of water
1/4 cup of mortan sugar cure (can be found next to the pickling salt and rock salt in the spice,sugar,flour aisle of your local grocery)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbls of orange extract
crushed red pepper to taste.

Put all of ingrediant's in a large blender and mix untill all the cure and suger is completly dissolved. Usually takes 10-15 min for me. Cure will look kinda cloudy for a bit but this will go away and leave a clear dark coffee colored brine. If you still see granual's of cure or sugar give it some more mix time.

remove skin from fillets( trust me, this should be done)

Slice fillets into fairly thin slices(I usually do mine 1-3 in. depending on the thickness of fish)

Cure for 3 days,, completely covered in brine(I usually double the recipe because I dont know how to smoke a small batch:cool: )

then place the fish and brine in a large stainless bowl,place a glass pie plate just smaller than bowl diameter and press gently allowing some of the brine to flow into the pie plate. This should be enough wieght to keep fish submerged. remove from brine. Do NOT rinse! just pat dry with paper towels and place on racks to air dry a bit.

Fire up the smoker to about 160 deg.-180 deg. I use a char-gril BBQ with an inderect fire box and alder logs and wet chunks for 3-4 hours. I like my fish med rare. It should be very moist and tender.

You can adjust recipe for sweeter,saltier,spicer,cut back on the orange extrct if you like a little less,add honey on top of fillets.The choices are endless.

Sorry this was such a long post. Kurt:passout:

[bikertrash]

Great recipes. Does anyone have a suggestion for a Good smoker.
I have tried propane smokers and several of the nice stainless smokers but don't like them as well as the old standby Big Chief.
If you want a smoker that is also a awsume grill for steaks,ribs,brisket,google char-grller grills. They have an indirect fire box for logs of wood of your choice for smoking or low and slow BBQ. Or right under the main grill for steaks and burgers. great temp adjustment with vents. LARGE grilling surface.
I think I found mine at Lowes. I love mine. :applause:
Hope that helped.
B.T.

[HuntnCoug]

I had 3 packages of deer steaks left over from last year that I decided I needed to use up, I cut them into about 3/8 inch pieces and I brined them overnight in a storebought brine. I then placed them on my Traeger and smoked them with mesquite for five hours. They turned out awsome, next time I might use a little more pepper.

[beaverheart]

Here is mine:

Beaverheart Brine

½ cup:
Soy sauce
Salt

1 cup:
Molasses
Wine (any light fruity wine)
Water
Sugar
Pineapple – blend chunks ½ can until smooth

Warm liquid ingredients and dissolve salt first and then sugar.

Place in container and make sure all meat or fish has some brine on it. Once in a while turn the meat over in the brine. The meat doesn’t have to be immersed in the brine to work. Leave in brine a minimum of 12hrs for fish, more for meat.
If you want a sweeter taste do not rinse brine. Cook in oven for 18 minutes for 1" tuna steaks at 350 degrees, a little less if the meat is thinner.
Leave brine on and pepper with black, white, and red pepper generously (it will take more pepper than you think) then place on smoking racks.

Smoke with alder, mesquite and hickory chips until brown about 3 to 6 hours depending on the thickness of the fish. Pre-cooked tuna will take @ 3 1/2 hrs.

This recipe will make enough brine to fill a Big Chief with meat or fish.

[Beanpot]

Some great ideas

[Tightspin]

I have never tried the dry cures but they all sound great!:meme:

[Mrs. R & B]

I have never tried the dry cures but they all sound great!:meme:
With my fish, I only use a dry cure. It is the best I have ever tasted. I have had people try it and they agree. I can never get the wet cure right for it to have an intense flavor like a dry cure!

[SalmonSkinSuit]

~10 quarts of water
3.5-4 cups brown sugar
1.5 cups salt
1 cup of Maple Syrup
1/2 cup of honey
1 cup worcestershire sauce

2-4 days in Brine then:

Use a hot plate and some tin foil on a regular gas bbq and stick the hot plate in the corner, tin foil the grill. Add pan of apple wood chips and let them smoke for about 6-8 hours. After that they are only about half done because this is basically cold smoking, stick them in food dehydrator for 4-6 hours at 150-160 degrees F.

[Mrs. R & B]

Just got some fresh tuna and I want to smoke some of it up. I have read to use the same brine I would for salmon. I use a dry brine, so one question is, does tuna brine the same way as salmon, produce liquid and such?

Are there any good brines that people can share with me too? I would really appreciate it.

Thanks

[Dr Strangelove]

Just got some fresh tuna and I want to smoke some of it up. I have read to use the same brine I would for salmon. I use a dry brine, so one question is, does tuna brine the same way as salmon, produce liquid and such?

Are there any good brines that people can share with me too? I would really appreciate it.

Thanks


I brought home near 100lbs of Tuna filet on my trip last month. Gave a third, canned a third, and for the first time, used my Traeger instead of Otto's. This is what I did:
2 large cans Dole pineapple juice
Two bags brown sugar
2 bottles Lowry's teriyaki marinade
2/3 box of Kosher rock salt
A whole head of garlic, minced
30lbs Tuna loins cut into thirds
36hr soak
9-10 hrs on the Traeger (stuffed to the gills) with your choice of pellets - I like Hickory, but Alder with a hint of mesquite is good too.
I gave away some at the office and the girls absolutely raved. Even got thank-you notes. :whistle:
Have Fun!