The Best Smoked Fish Recipes

Smoked fish is sweet and aromatic. A slow cooking process gives salmon a silky texture and makes other hearty fish perfectly flaky. Earlier this year, we shared tips for How to Smoke Fish. Now that you have perfected the technique try out a new smoked fish recipe!

Classic Smoked Fish

Ingredients

For the Brine

• 1 qt. water
• ½ c. salt
• ½ c. white granulated sugar

Fish of Choice

• 4-5 lbs. hearty skin-on filets (salmon, mackerel, or sea bass)

Dry Rub

• paprika

Directions 

1. Pour the water, sugar, and salt into a saucepan. Heat over medium-low until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Then allow the bine to cool to room temperature.
2. Place the fish in a large zip lock bag or glass dish. Pour the brine solution over the fish.
3. Ensure the fillets are completely covered in the brine. Then zip the bag or cover with saran wrap.
4. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
5. Remove the fish fillets from the brine. Rinse under cold, slow running water, and then pat dry.
6. Sprinkle both sides of each fillet with paprika.
7. Preheat smoker and add wood chips. Smoke fish for about three hours at 175-200°F or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Smoked Fish Dip

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. softened cream cheese
• 3 Tbsp. sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. celery, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp. hot sauce of choice
• 4 oz. smoked fish

Directions

1. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, jalapeno, celery, onion, Worcestershire, and hot sauce in a food processor and mix until smooth.
2. Add the smoked fish to the food processor. Gently mix until the fish is broken up but not mushy.
3. Chill for 1 hour. Then serve with crackers or fresh raw vegetables like carrots or bell peppers.

Ingredients

For the Brine

• 1 qt. water
• 1/2 c. dark brown sugar
• 1/2 c. salt

Fish of Choice

•  5 lbs. skin-on fillets, boned of a hearty fish like salmon, trout, sturgeon, flounder, shark, or grouper.

Dry Rub

• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 1/2 Tbsp. Cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. yellow mustard powder

Directions 

1. In a large microwavable bowl, pour in water, sugar, and salt. Heat 1 minute, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then allow the bine to cool to room temperature.
2. Place the fish in a large zip lock bag or glass dish. Pour the brine over the fish.
3. When the fillets are covered in the brine. Then zip the bag or cover with saran wrap.
4. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
5. Remove the fish fillets from the brine. Rinse under cold, slow running water, and pat dry.
6. Mix the dry ingredients together in a small dish. Then sprinkle over each side of the fish.
7. Preheat smoker and add wood chips. Smoke fish for about three hours at 175-200°F or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

 

We hope that you love these smoked fish recipes as much as we do! Stop by the seafood counter at City Fish Market to pick up Norwegian Salmon, Red Sockeye Salmon, farm-raised Arctic Char, Trout, and more fish ideal for your smoker.