Ultimate Smoked Fish Recipe

After setting your hook into the largest of steelhead, there can be a tremendous bounty for the angler to harvest. B-run steelhead from the Clearwater River in Idaho are not typically known to be the best BBQ fare as the fish is typically on its way to spawn or have already spawned by the time anglers set hooks into them. Anglers can easily note the quality of the fish meat by the color and overall health of the fish. Beautiful chrome hatchery hens and bucks will make great BBQ fare, however if the fish is dark red in color or is showing signs of decay, simply release the fish to the water. If the steelhead is still of silver color and not too red, the meat quality may have declined but is still outstanding smoked and is great in pastas and dips.

In the latest episode of Pursue The Wild, The Wild Kitchen, Kristy Titus demonstrates smoking B-Run steelhead with an award winning recipe by Sean Literal who is a local Lewiston Idaho resident.

 3 cups H20

 2 cups brown sugar

 ½ cup salt plain

 ½ tsp pepper

 ½ tsp cloves

 ½ tsp cayenne pepper

 ½ tsp garlic

 1 cap liquid smoke (optional)

 ¼ tsp thyme

 1 lemon squeezed

 1 tbs tabassco

 1 tbs soy

 1 cup sugar

 2 tbsp maple extract

 1 tbsp vanilla

 1 tbsp red food color (optional it is for looks only)

Heat and stir but don’t boil, soak skinless fish fillets for 2 days then smoke to desired firmness the best smoked fish is usually very moist.