Smoked Steelhead trout done in a Bradley electric smoker using a dry brown sugar and salt brine and apple or alder wood.
Ingredients
2 pounds of steelhead trout fillets
6 cups of brown sugar
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
Mix the brown sugar, salt and seasonings together. Rub the dry brine all over the fish. Place the fish in a bowl making sure the fish is totally surrounded and covered in the dry brine. Place in the fridge overnight (8-12 hours).
Rinse the fish thoroughly and place in a cool dry place of 2-3 hours to allow a pellicle to form on the outside of the fish. A fan can be used to speed up the process.
Smoke for 5 hours at a gradually increasing temperature, starting at 100F and increasing it 20F every hour. The fish needs to have a minimum internal temperature of 145F.
Enjoy!
