Two Brines for Smoking Fish
Submitted by patn46383
Two easy fish brine recipes for smoking: a basic salt-and-sugar brine and a stronger brown sugar cure. Customize with garlic, dill, or tarragon for smoked fish that keeps up to a year frozen.
YIELD
4 cups brinePREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minBefore your fish hits the smoker, it needs a good brine, and here you get two options to choose from.
Brine #1 is a straightforward mix of water, salt, and sugar that works for a lighter cure. Brine #2 goes heavier with regular salt, rock salt, and brown sugar for a deeper, more intense flavor.
Both are a blank canvas for whatever herbs and aromatics you love. Think garlic, shallots, fresh dill, tarragon, or thyme rubbed in just before smoking.
The beauty of properly brined and smoked fish is that it freezes beautifully for up to a year in airtight bags.
Pro Tips
- Dissolve the salt and sugar completely in the water before submerging the fish
- Always rinse and thoroughly dry brined fish before putting it in the smoker
- Pat the fish dry and let it sit uncovered in the fridge until a tacky film (pellicle) forms on the surface. This helps smoke adhere
- Freeze smoked fish in vacuum-sealed or airtight bags with the air pressed out for maximum shelf life
- Brine #1 is ideal for delicate fish like trout, while Brine #2 suits fattier fish like salmon
Ingredients
Directions
It is recommended that you rub in flavorings just before putting the fish into the smoker, although you can also put flavorings into either of the above brines; in other words you can prepare a brine marinade flavored with garlic, shallots, tarragon, dill, thyme, or whatever you fancy. After brining in the flavored brine, fish should washed off and dried before smoking.
Smoked fish will keep for a solid year, at least if they are frozen in airtight plastic bags from which the air has been exhaled.
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