Fish is a versatile meat that can be cooked in a number of ways. It can be fried, boiled, smoked, baked, broiled, and grilled. Fish should typically be cured before cooking, unless you plan to eat it quickly after catching it. Curing preserves the flavor of the fish so you can eat it up to 14 days later if it is refrigerated. Freeze it as soon as it has been smoked and keep it for up to three months.
Instructions
1. Prepare a brine solution in which to soak the fish. It should contain 3 1/2 cups of table salt and one gallon of cold water. You can use wine instead of water, and you can add spices to taste. Stir the salt into the liquid until it is mixed thoroughly. Soak the fish in this brine for one to two hours, depending on the size of the fillets. Leave them in the refrigerator for the duration of the brining period. When you remove the fish from the brine, rinse under cold water.
2. Let the fish dry for 2 to 3 hours on racks. You can use a fan to speed drying.
3. Put the fish in a smoker after it is dry. The temperature of the smoker should remain between 80 and 90 degrees F. Leave it in the smoker until the fish begins to turn brown. This can take up to 24 hours for smaller fish, or up to four days for a large fish. You can turn the temperature up to 150 degrees F after the first two hours to speed up the smoking time.
Tags: cold water