2. Fish for smoking must be brined. 

 Use either of the following methods. 

 One gallon of brine is enough for 4 

 pounds of fish. 



A. As the fish are dressed, place 

 them in a glass or heavy 

 plastic container in a brine 

 consisting of IV2 cups of salt 

 to 1 gallon cold water. Keep 

 the fish in the brine for at 

 least 12 hours at refrigerator 

 temperatures (40°F). 



B. For a short brine method, use 

 a brine of 4 cups salt to 1 

 gallon cold water. Soak for 15 

 minutes. 



3. Remove the fish from brine and 

 drain. Rinse to remove salting mix- 

 ture. Place fish skin side down on a wire 

 mesh screen or suspend on hooks or 

 wooden dowels. A method which holds 

 the fish flat provides for more uniform 

 smoking. 



4. A short stem metal meat ther- 



mometer should be inserted centrally 

 in the thickest portion of the flesh of the 

 largest fish to measure flesh tem- 

 perature. It may be necessary to tie 

 the thermometer so it will register 

 correctly. 



5. An old iron skillet on an electric 

 hot plate can be used as a heat source 

 for the smoker. Place sawdust or wood 

 chips in the skillet and allow them to 

 smolder. An alternate heat source is 

 charcoal briquets which have been 

 burned to a light gray color. Sprinkle 

 wet wood chips or wet sawdust on the 

 briquets to produce smoke. 



6. Oak, hickory, maple, alder, beech, 

 apple, white birch or ash wood chips or 

 sawdust produce a good smoke. Do not 

 use wood containing pitch, such as 

 pine. Wood can be chipped or cut in 

 pieces about 8 inches long and 1 inch in 

 diameter. Sawdust burns slowly and 

 produces good smoke. Too heavy 

 smoke overemphasizes the smoke 

 flavor. 



7. Kindle fire and get a good bed of 

 coals going before placing barrel over 

 fire. Have a smoldering fire with no 

 flames. Stoke the fire every half-hour 

 or as needed. 



8. Place the fish in the smoker when 

 the air temperature is about 100°F. A 

 regular meat thermometer can be hung 

 on a rack in the center of the smoker or 

 inserted through a hole in the smoker 

 cover to guide you on temperature. 

 During smoking, the internal tem- 

 perature in the smoker should rise to 

 225°F. At this air temperature, the 

 fish flesh will be approximately 

 180°F. Holding the fish at this tem- 

 perature for 30 minutes is essential to 

 cook the fish and inhibit bacterial ac- 

 tion. Total smoking time will be about 

 4 hours. 



9. As soon as the smoking is com- 

 pleted, wrap the fish in waxed paper 

 and place in the refrigerator. The fish 

 must be stored at temperatures not 

 over 45 °F and used within a month. 



Dillicious Dip* 



1 cup smoked fish, flaked 

 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 

 1/4 cup half and half cream 



1 tablespoon finely chopped 

 onion 



2 teaspoons lemon juice 



Recipes 



Vl teaspoon dried dill weed 

 V2 teaspoon Worcestershire 

 sauce 



V<\ teaspoon garlic salt 

 V4 teaspoon salt 

 Vi teaspoon pepper 



Combine fish, cream cheese, onion, lemon juice, dill 

 weed, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, salt and pepper. 

 Mix well. Chill. Serve with favorite snack crackers. 

 Makes about 2 cups. 



Smoked Bluefish and Gruyere Quiche** 



2 8" baked pie crusts (frozen) 

 1 13 oz. can evaporated milk 

 8 oz. gruyere (or Swiss) cheese 

 8 oz. smoked bluefish pieces 

 4 eggs 



Vi teaspoon salt 

 V4 teaspoon paprika 

 dash cayenne 



3 tablespoons grated onion 



To heated milk, add cheese and spices. Remove from 

 heat slowly and add fish and gently fold in beaten eggs. 

 Fill crusts and bake at 325° for about 45 minutes. Serve 

 hot or cold. Serves 12. 



Smoked Fish Salad* 



Smoked Bluefish Omelet** 



1 lb. smoked fish, flaked 



2 cups diced cooked potatoes 



1 cup celery, thinly sliced 



Vi cup sliced peeled cucumber 

 Vi cup ripe sliced olives 

 '/4 cup grated carrot 

 '/4 cup minced onion 



2 tablespoons chopped parsley 



Vi cup mayonnaise 

 1 tablespoon prepared 



mustard 

 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice 

 1 teaspoon vinegar 

 Salt to taste 

 '/4 teaspoon celery seeds 

 Dash of black pepper 



Combine vegetables and fish in large bowl. Mix 

 mayonnaise, mustard, lemon or lime juice, vinegar and 

 seasonings, blending thoroughly. Add to fish and potato 

 mixture and toss lightly. Chill well. Serve on a bed of 

 greens. Serves 6. 



2 oz. smoked bluefish, flaked 

 2 eggs 



Wi oz. cream cheese 



scallions 



butter 



Over medium heat melt butter. Pour in eggs and wait 

 30 seconds. Then add cream cheese cut thinly, bluefish 

 and scallions. Cook over very low flame. When eggs are 

 almost done, fold omelet in half. Then flip and cook 30 

 seconds more. 



* NCSU Seafood Laboratory 

 ** Chapel Hill Smoked Fish Company 



