Honey Smoked Trout with Dry Brine
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
5 hrs
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Brining Time
12 hrs
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Total Time
17 hrs 10 mins
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Servings
8
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Calories
238 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Honey Smoked Trout with Dry Brine
Description
This recipe involves cleaning and dry(brining) whole rainbow trout with a mixture of kosher salt and brown sugar, which helps to season the fish internally and firm its flesh. After an extended brining period in the refrigerator, the trout are rinsed, dried, and dried further uncovered to develop a pellicle that helps the smoke adhere during smoking.
The smoking process uses alder wood chips soaked beforehand and an electric smoker with controlled temperature starting around 140°F and gradually raised to about 175–180°F. This low and slow smoking imparts a delicate smoky flavor while cooking the trout evenly and minimizing albumin formation on the surface.
The optional honey glaze combines apple cider vinegar, honey, and cayenne pepper to provide a glossy, slightly sweet, and subtly spicy finish that complements the smoked fish’s natural flavors. The final dish showcases flaky, smoky fish balanced by sweet-tangy glaze notes and an undercurrent of mild heat.
Smoking can be achieved with various smokers or grills equipped with smoker boxes. Using a baking or cooling rack for the drying phase allows airflow around the fish to form the pellicle. The glaze is optional and can be skipped without losing the essential smoky flavor. Ensure fish is cleaned properly before brining to avoid off-flavors.
Ingredients
Trout:
- 2 Rainbow Trout medium, about 1 1/2 lb each
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 cups alder smoking chips
Honey Glaze:
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Brining Instructions:
- Remove guts and heads from trout. Rinse inside and outside of trout and pat dry with paper towels.
- Combine kosher salt and brown sugar in a small bowl. Place trout in a glass baking dish and coat the inside and outside with salt/sugar mixture.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- Rinse trout and pat dry with paper towels. Prop the body cavity open with some longer wood chips or toothpicks. Place trout on a cooling rack on top of a sheet pan. Refrigerate uncovered for 3-24 hours. The longer the drying time, the more the smoke will adhere to the fish.
Electric Smoker Instructions:
- Soak wood chips for at least 15 minutes before using.
- Preheat smoker to 200°F to get the chips smoking. Reduce heat to 140°F and place fish on smoker racks.
- Increase the temperature of the smoker by about 10-15 degrees every hour to a maximum of 175-180°F. Gradually increasing the temperature reduces the possibility of white albumin accumulating on the surface of the flesh.
- Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. After the trout has been in the smoker for an hour, brush them all over with the glaze and continue brushing with glaze once every hour.
- Continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 145°F, about 4-5 hours.
Pellet Grill Instructions:
- Preheat the grill to the smoke setting or 180°F.
- Place the baking rack with the trout directly on the grill, on the side of the grill with the least direct heat. Avoid using the portion directly over the heat source, if possible.
- Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. After the trout has been in the smoker for an hour, brush them all over with the glaze and continue brushing with glaze once every hour.
- Continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 145°F, about 2 more hours.
Processing and Storage Instructions:
- Let fish cool until warm to the touch. Remove skin and bones while trout is still warm. Remove the skin first, then remove the flesh from the bones by gently pulling the meat away from the backbone. Carefully check for pin bones and remove them as well.
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 1 week or in a vacuum bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- You can smoke the trout on electric, charcoal, pellet grills, or gas grills with smoker tubes; cook times may vary slightly.
- Using a glass dish for brining is recommended for its non-reactive qualities and ease of cleaning.
- A baking or cooling rack during drying allows good airflow around the fish for a better smoke surface.
- The honey glaze is optional; the smoked trout is flavorful even without it.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 238 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 238kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 9g | 3% |
| Protein | 35g | 70% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 100mg | 33% |
| Sodium | 344mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 830mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 118IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 116mg | 12% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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