Smoked Fish

By far the most exciting new part of the smoker has been my experiments with fish. Each has been instructive, and mostly delicious. And as good as the mackerel was the other week, this past weekend bluefish provided new highs. Not to be overlooked, however, a nice brine for the tuna delivered superior results – fuller description below.

Bluefish

Background: Bluefish was the cheapest but also tasty-looking at the fishmongers so I decided to give it a go. Good choice.


Preparation:

1. Prepare brine:
• 4 c. water
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1/4 c. kosher salt
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 4 bay leaves, crushed
• 1 tbs. whole peppercorns
2. Dissolve all elements and combine
3. Put fish in pan and cover with brine; refrigerate for 4 hours
4. Remove, rinse, and put on rack to let drain and dry for 2 hours 
5. Smoke for 3 hrs. on aluminum foil (less for smaller filets)
6. Enjoy!

Verdict: Just great. Best fish so far, and not even expensive – already becoming a household standard.

Albacore Tuna

Background: In addition to the huge filet of bluefish, there was a lonely little hunk of albacore tuna that was the last the fishmongers had today, so I decided to give it another go and am glad I did.

Preparation: The brine I found was a lovely little ginger brine (I went pretty heavy on it):

1. Prepare brine:
• 2/3 c. water
• 2" inch piece of ginger, sliced
• 1 tbs. honey
• 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
2. Dissolve all elements and combine
3. Put fish in plastic bag with brine; chill in fridge for 1 hour
4. Remove, rinse, and place on rack to dry and drain for 2 hours
5. Smoke for 2 hrs. on aluminum foil
6. Enjoy!

Verdict: The result is not overly dry, very flavorful and meaty. Looking forward to having some sandwiches this week.