How To Make Smoked Rainbow Trout

You may be wondering how to smoke your rainbow trout... well look no further this entry is for you!

Smoked Rainbow Trout is in my opinion the most delightful way to devour fresh caught rainbow trout.  So how do you get those slimy fish all prepared and ready to smoke?  Read on and check out the pictures to see how I do it.  

First of all you will need to clean your rainbow trout.
#1 Gut the Fish
#2 Cut the head off
#3 Cut the spine out of the fish and tail off
#4 Leave Skin on Fish and Rinse
#5 You can leave ribs on or cut them off
#6 Cut the fins off

When Done they should look like this.

Next you should make your Brine to soak the fish.  There are plenty of recipes online but here is one I use!
  #1 You will need a large pail that can fit in your fridge
  #2 1 Gallon of water
  #3 1 1/3 cups canning salt
  #4 2/3 cup of brown sugar
Mix all the ingredients until the sugar and salt are dissolved.  Then take your fish and layer them in the brine.  Place the pail into the refrigerator over night usually 12-18 hours will do the trick.  Rinse the fish off and lay out on counter to dry.  The flesh should get a night sticky shine to it.  This will be the best time to put it in the smoker.  If you can't wait then you can put it straight into the smoker.  I have a Charbroil Upright Propane smoker which I use.  There are many types that will work though.  This smoker gets very hot so it doesn't take as long.  Usually you will put some wood chips on the pan.  Hickory, Mesquite, Apple, Cherry... whatever you like or have available. 

Place the fish in the smoker on the racks.  Usually you can set the temperature on low with a propane smoker.  You don't want to heat the smoker to high or the fish will dry out.  As they cook the flesh will get shiny and the moisture with drip off.  With the temp set on low in my unit the fish will take 3-4 hours to cook.  They may take longer if the heat is lower in your unit, from 6-8 hours.    

The finished product should look something like this depending on how fast it was cooked.  The flesh should turn a nice golden brown and still have some moisture.  Now it is time to enjoy some fresh Smoked Rainbow Trout.  Keeps well in the refrigerator and great eating cold!