Chippewa Trout

This is open-fire camp cooking the way the Great Lakes anglers have done it for generations. Whole trout get a quick salt rub inside the cavity, then bathe for an hour in a marinade of dry sherry, melted butter, and lemon juice. The acid firms the flesh just enough to hold its shape on the grill, while the butter and sherry add backbone to the smoke.

The bacon is doing two jobs at once. It bastes the lean fish from the outside as the fat renders, and it acts as armor against the live coals so the delicate flesh doesn’t dry out or stick. Skewers hold everything in place. Turn the fish only once, and pull it the moment the bacon goes crisp.

Kitchen Tips

• Pat the fish dry inside and out before salting; surface moisture keeps the bacon from crisping.
• Use thin-sliced bacon, not thick-cut. Thick bacon needs longer to crisp than the fish needs to cook.
• Baste with leftover marinade between turns to build a glossy lacquer.
• A fish basket makes turning easier and keeps the bacon from unwrapping over flame.

Variations

• Tuck a sprig of fresh dill, thyme, or a few lemon slices into the cavity before wrapping with bacon.
• Substitute small whole salmon trout or arctic char if regular trout isn’t available.
• Use a dry white wine in place of sherry for a lighter, less sweet marinade.