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    You are here: Home » Food » Seafood

    Smoked Trout With Savory Seafood Seasoning

    February 24, 2020 By Sean Martin Leave a Comment

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    Smoked Trout on the smoker and plated on a baking sheet - pinterest text overlay
    Smoked Trout Recipe Pin Image

    Trout can come in many styles, and one of our favorites is smoked trout. It is so easy to simply season, and then put on the smoker for a tender, smoky, and juicy smoked trout dinner.

    Smoked Trout with Seafood Seasoning

    There are many species of trout and this delicate fish can be prepared in many different styles. In our cookbook Fire and Wine, we dress and grill a whole trout. But when you want an easy and elegant way to serve trout, try smoking the fish for a touch of sweet smoke flavor.

    Types Of Trout

    Trout is in the same family as salmon. And like salmon you may see a number of species for sale at your grocery store, or those you may have caught yourself in lakes and streams across North America. This recipe can work for any variety.

    The key is the time it takes to smoke. The smaller the fish, the shorter the time it takes to smoke the trout. Trout will mostly come from fresh water, although there are some exceptions, so the flavor will tend to be very fresh, tender, and delicate. The following are commonly seen in the stores and can come in all sizes from small individual fish, to large fillets for a crowd and are great options when buying in the store.

    Difference between Steelhead Trout and Rainbow Trout
    • Rainbow Trout – Originally from the Pacific Northwest and introduced in fresh water streams and lakes around North America, this rich fish has a colorful outward appearance and has flesh that can range from white to pink depending on where you get it. A great option for grilling or smoking and will come in many sizes from small to large.
    • Steelhead – This large trout is is similar to rainbow trout (same species), and also spends time in the ocean as well as fresh water. This is a great option if seen in the stores. The steelhead filets are larger, like salmon, with a similar color and flavor profile.
    • Brown Trout – These can vary in size, and often come from streams and freshwater areas around the country.
    • Lake Trout – These are often big, some say the largest of trout, great for smoking or grilling and very flavorful.

    We strongly encourage line caught trout when you can find it. It’s sustainable and the wild caught trout has a very rich flavor.

    How to Prepare Trout

    When smoking ask your fish monger for filets, so they can do the hard work. If doing filet’s the best way to prepare the trout is to:

    • Descale – Using a large chef knife, hold the filet down with scales facing up. Scrape from the tail side toward the head to scrape off any excess scales. Often this has been done by the fish monger.
    • Debone – Remove the pin bones with culinary tweezers as seen in our smoked salmon recipe. You don’t have to, but makes for better eating texture.

    Then, using a paper towel, pat dry the trout to remove excess scales or pin bones that stick to the meat.

    This is a great kit from Mercer for a Plating Set including great tweezers.

    Trout does not need a brine. If you do want to brine, consider a simple brine of water, kosher salt, and brown sugar. Dissolve the salt and sugar in a dish over a low heat. Let that cool and then place the trout into the brining liquid. The brine will add some moisture to the fish while cooking and a touch of flavor, but we love smoked trout without a brine.

    How to Smoke Trout

    Trout will smoke quickly. All it needs is a touch of seasoning.

    1. Prepare the smoker for a low heat cook, targeting 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Fruit wood is best for the sweeter flavor it imparts. Cherry or Apple are great. Nut woods are also a good option.
    3. Season with olive oil and your favorite seafood seasoning.
    4. Place on the smoker for 30 minutes and then begin checking the temperature, especially for smaller filets.
    5. Remove the trout when an instant read thermometer like the Thermoworks Thermapen MK4 reads 140 degrees F.
    Steelhead Trout and Rainbow Trout on the smoker

    The temperature is the most important measure of when the fish is done. If you go longer it will dry out and take on a texture more like jerky.

    Variations

    Using this smoked trout recipe you can add variations including:

    • Using for a smoked trout salad swapping the flank steak for trout.
    • Making into a dip, swapping salmon for the trout like this smoked salmon dip.
    • Making into trout sandwiches with some arugula and mayo.

    Wine Pairing for Smoked Trout

    Smoked Trout with Seafood Seasoning

    The seafood seasoning on this trout lends itself to a light bodied red, like Pinot Noir or Beaujolais (or Gamay Noir). Something fresh and fruity.

    But if white is your thing, I also enjoy this recipe with a nice mildly oaked Chardonnay for the fruitiness and mild oak tones it provides to the dish. Rhone-style white wines also work quite well.

    This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click on the link, we may receive a small commission if you purchase through the link. We partner with brands we know and love and use and it helps keep the blog going!

    Smoked Trout Recipe

    Smoked Trout

    Smoked Trout with Savory Seafood Seasoning

    Simple and easy method for how to smoke trout filets.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Resting Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
    Cost: $25.00

    Equipment

    • Culinary Tweezers

    Ingredients

    • 4 fillets fresh trout, pin bones removed about 1 pound
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 4 teaspoons seafood seasoning
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    Instructions

    • Preheat smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit using fruit wood, like apple or cherry.
    • Prepare the fillets by removing the pin bones from the trout using culinary tweezers. Consider asking the fish monger to do this for you.
    • Oil the fillets and then apply the dry rub to the flesh side of the trout (approx 1 tablespoon of dry rub per fillet).
    • Place trout on the smoker and smoke for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the trout reaches 140 degrees F at the thickest portion of the trout.
    • Remove and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes and serve with your favorite side.

    Notes

    If you buy a larger trout filet, target 12 ounce portions per person and extend cooking time an additional 15 minutes. But the same rule applies to cook until an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Carry over cooking will bring it closer to 145.
     
    This Culinary Plating Set is great for a solid trio of tweezers and plating spoons.
    Find the perfect wine pairing at the Vindulge Wine Shop
    Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge
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    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

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