Smoking foods

lechatchic

New member
My husband lately has been smoking foods. My favorite is smoked catfish. I was wondering if anyone had recipes , marinades, or hints to share.

The brine for the catfish is out of the smoker instruction book.

Thanks!
 

Deadly Sushi

Formerly The Giant Mojito
Great question! I can at least share a few things that I know. :fishing:
Firstly the size of fish matters. If its to big youll have a muddy taste and to small with too many bones and its not really worth smoking. A 10 to 12 inch sized fish is an ideal size but 15-20 inch fish is getting to the limit.

What type of smoker do you folks have? God I LOVE smoked fish!
Do you use a rub?

I would rub it with some red pepper and garlic..... douse the filets in olive oil, white wine and lemon and keep it wet while youre smoking it. The thought of eating that is a beautiful one. :chef:

ANNNNNND..... make sure to try out this Herb Butter on the smoked fish!!!!! I posted it just for you :) http://netcookingtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2124#post2124
 
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joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I like to take 2 lbs of unsalted butter and turn it into Ghee for sea foods and steaks. Ghee is simply clarified butter and I get a quart out of 2 lbs. I use a Ball wide mouth jar to store it and it keeps up to a year. It is easy to do and takes about 30 minutes or so on the stove on medium to low heat.

I have used rubs but have never smoked fish as good fresh fish is hard to find in my area. I do smoke during the spring and summer months as well as grille. Picture below of my current smoker which really works good. Uses Propane for heat source, wood box above the burner, liquid bowl above that in its own slot (show on a rack in picture but not. I have 4 adjustable racks over 8 rails for the food. Easy to set the heat and puts out a lot of smoke with chips lasting about 2 to 3 hours.
 

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lechatchic

New member
Mojito and Joec,
Thanks for the help! We catch catfish when we camp in the summer and freeze it.
I'll pass your suggestions on to my husband. :)

We have a very basic charcoal smoker, but everything he's done has been wonderful. I can't wait to try the smoked bean recipe~ maybe next weekend.
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
It sure does sound good. I've never tried smoked fish. Fresh fish is hard to come by here also.
Nice smoker ya got there Joe!!!! That sure would smoke a lot at one time. :thumb:
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Yes it works pretty good and cost me a whole $85 minus the tank which I got at Wal Mart and just turn in an empty getting a new tank. This picture by the way is a bit different than my exact one but not much other than the water bowl fits into a slots just above the wood box. I also got 4 racks with mine and 8 slots to space them. I've had it now about 5 years and it has held up.
 

Deadly Sushi

Formerly The Giant Mojito
Yes it works pretty good and cost me a whole $85 minus the tank which I got at Wal Mart and just turn in an empty getting a new tank. This picture by the way is a bit different than my exact one but not much other than the water bowl fits into a slots just above the wood box. I also got 4 racks with mine and 8 slots to space them. I've had it now about 5 years and it has held up.

Awwww MAN! Great deal!!! i saw saw that model today at WalMart for $99.95. I dont have any room on my balcony though.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Yes WalMart sell another brand that is pretty close to the one I have. They also have a wide body versions of it also. I also seen them at Lowe's and I got mine a Meijer's something like a super market on steroids here in Lexington. I got mine on one of those 1 hour sales they announce in the store. We just happened to be in the store buying fresh vegetables. Mine is laid out exactly like the wide body version with the racks, wood box and water bowl just the shape and size of the one I posted first. :smile:
 

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joec

New member
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Awwww MAN! Great deal!!! i saw saw that model today at WalMart for $99.95. I dont have any room on my balcony though.

Here are a couple that work pretty well in your oven or on the stove. I have the Camron stainless steel one on the left myself but they don't offer it any more with the smoker panel. It is easy enough to put the pellets into a tin foil bag. The right one is the new Emeril Ware which also is multi use but cast iron. They both are designed to use the pellets instead of the chips and blocks of wood but I've never noticed much of a difference at all in taste. Both sell for about $100 bucks mine is big enough to roast a 15 lb turkey with no problem or a full ham etc.
 

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Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Okay, I'm curious ..and thinking of getting a smoker.
How long do you have to smoke stuff? Beef, turkey etc. I've no clue on this stuff.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I find with the smokers I have about the first hour is about the max of smoke taste you will get. When I started out I went through a bag of chips thinking I had to have smoke all the time and mine will smoke about 3 hours on one fill. However once the meat gets done to a point it can't absorb any more smoke and now I fill my box once and let it finish and I don't refill it after that. I get a pretty consistent 1/4" smoke ring on briskets, pork shoulder and even ribs. I've only smoke on 12 lb turkey (I don't eat fowl regardless) however the guests that did eat it left nothing but bones on the serving platter in one sitting and loved it. It also had a pretty even smoke ring.

I also sometimes add a good quality apple juice in a 50/50 mixture with water to the bowl. That is another way to impart some flavor at least in my opinion. I have used all kinds of different woods and even blends. I tend to pick the wood for the food being done.

Here is another thing I often do in my smoker in the oven. I grow Jalapeño pepper every year. I let one plant ripen until the turn red then pick them put a slice down on side and smoke them with Mesquite wood. I then dry them with a dehydrator which now know as a Chipotle pepper. At this point I can grind them into a powder or just bag and save as needed.
 
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