Smoking Fish
Smoking fish is a great way to enjoy several types of saltwater fish common in the waters of Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The natural fats help prevent drying during the smoking process. Smoked fish can be served as an appetizer or flaked and incorporated in a salad or a variety of other recipes. Smoking fish is simple and a good way to increase the storage life of fish. Whole or portions of fish can be smoked. Fillets with their skin intact are best for smoking; however whole and portions are also good smoked.The smoking process includes 4 stages; cleaning, brining, drying and smoking.
To clean whole fish before smoking, rinse the body and remove any blood from the belly cavity.
A simple brine solution can be made using this recipe:
1/2 gallon water
6 ounces brown sugar
1 ounce salt or substitute
2 ounces of soy sauce
2 tablespoons black pepper
Rinse and drain fish thoroughly dry then marinate in the brine solution following recommended times in the chart below.
To dry, place fish on a rack and let dry in the refrigerator until the surface starts to glaze over.
To smoke, slowly heat fish over coals and wood. Try to maintain a smoking temperature of 175-250 degrees. If using a charcoal grill, use fewer briquettes than normally required for grilling. Smoke fish 1-3 hours depending on the size and moisture of the fish. The finished product should be firm and not soggy.
Wood for smoking fish
Wood chips from apple, oak, hickory and cherry provide excellent smoke flavor. Never use any types of lumber or other processed or timbers of any kind because they may contain toxins. Soak hardwood chips in water for at least an hour before using.
Choosing local fish for smoking
Bluefish
Large ocean bluefish are common off the coast of Chincoteague and in the surf along Assateague Island. Their oily flesh makes bluefish and excellent candidate for smoking.
Tuna
Bluefin tuna, , yellowfin tuna, longfin albacore, blackfin tuna, skipjack tuna, bonito, false albacore and other pelagic fish are suitable for smoking. The meat is firm, flaky, high in omega-3 fatty acids and have a flavor that is complimented by the smoking process.
Mackerel
Members of the mackerel family, including Atlantic mackerel, Spanish mackerel , king mackerel smoke well.