Smoked Trout

Total Time: 74 hrs Preparation Time: 72 hrs Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 2 onions, unpeeled and quartered
• 2 bunches dill (or 2 tablespoons dried dill)
• 2 bunches parsley (about 1 cup)
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 3 shallots, unpeeled
• 1 (4 inch) ginger, unpeeled
• 1 1/4 cups soy sauce
• 1 cup wine (red or )
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or other coarse salt)
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 4 cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon mace
• 1 samon trout, 10-12 pounds (or 10 (8-10 ounce)
• 5 lbs hickory chips (or other wood chips)
• charcoal, briquets
• cooking spray or vegetable oil
• 2 heads lettuce
• 2 onions
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• 3 lemons
• 3 tablespoons dill (or 1 tablespoon dried dill)
• 1 tablespoon green peppercorn, drained and crushed
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 dash ground red pepper
• 1 dash mace
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 cup grated fresh horseradish
• paprika, garnish

Recipe

• 1 to make the brine: combine first 6 ingredients (onions - ginger) in a food processor and puree. pour into a dish or pan that is large enough to hold the fish. add remaining brine ingredients (soy sauce - mace) and stir to combine. stir in cold water (about 2 cups). add fish to mixture and enough water to cover fish. if using large salmon fish refrigerate for 2-3 days, if using small fish refrigerate for 1 day.
• 2 soak hickory chips overnight in water.
• 3 to prepare smoker/barbecue: prepare barbecue by heaping briquets on one side of the grill (about 30 for a large grill). ignite and burn until coals glow and gray ash forms.
• 4 set drip pans opposite briquets.
• 5 remove fish from brine and wipe dry.
• 6 pile hickory chips over briquets. set top grill in place and coals side over drip pan with vegetable oil or spray with pam.
• 7 set fish over drip pan and cover barbecue, leaving 1-2 vents open to allow smoke to escape.
• 8 smoke fish until fish flakes with a fork about 8 minutes per pound. for the large salmon trout it can take up to 2 hours but if using small fish about 45-60 minutes. you will most likely need to add coals if briquets begin to burn down.
• 9 transfer fish to a large platter and let cool. cover and refrigerate until 1 hour before serving.
• 10 to make garnish: separate lettuce carefully using only those that form a cup. chop onions and place in paper towel lined sieve to dry slightly. place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water and then bring to a boil and let them boil 1 minute. turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes. cool under cold running water, and then peel, chop and set aside.
• 11 to serve: surround fish with lettuce cups alternately filled with onion, egg, caper and lemon wedges. pass the horseradish sauce separately.
• 12 to make the horseradish sauce: combine first five ingredients (dill - mace) and mix well. stir in the sour cream and horseradish. transfer to a gravy sauce boat and cover and refrigerate. sprinkle with paprika before serving.