Hi, looking for some advice. I recently cold smoked some rainbow trout but it’s not turned out like I hoped. Started with freezing the fish for 7 days, then dry brined with 1 part salt (pink Himalayan salt) and 2 parts dark brown sugar, covered and placed in the fridge for about 12 hours or so. Washed, dried and put back into the fridge to form the penicle. I just use an old bbq and a proq generator with Alder sawdust. Put it on last night, temp was around 4’C and found this morning the the fish has a really strong bitter smell and has gone cloudy? Almost seems unedable. This happened with some haddock recently aswell which had to be binned. Anyone seen this before?
Smoked trout gone wrong
- Thread starter neri1981
- Start date
Didn’t get above 8’C, outside temp dropped to freezing during the night and then back to about 4’C by the time it finished, just wondering if condensation had anything to do with it?
Could be the Pink Himalayan Salt? Never heard of using that in a brine. Maybe it's OK?
Seems the salt/ sugar ration is high. Most use 5-1ish. Sugar over salt.
I have not smoked trout in a long time but when I did I used same brine as salmon but less time in the brine and less time in the smoker.
Seems the salt/ sugar ration is high. Most use 5-1ish. Sugar over salt.
I have not smoked trout in a long time but when I did I used same brine as salmon but less time in the brine and less time in the smoker.
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tinboatrobb
Well-Known Member
I think that putting it under a fan will give much better pellicle than the fridge. Also agree on regular salt and higher smoking temps.
Rain City
Crew Member
Yes. Too much moisture and no pellicle turns the fish to mush
Rain City
Crew Member
The bitterness can also be a dirty smoker. I killed a whole batch of lightly smoked canned sockeye once because of a dirty smoker. Chasin Dreams (RIP) had the same experience
Alex_c
Well-Known Member
Good to know. I just use a smoke tube or smoker box on my gas grill, but I should look up how to clean it
jim morrow
Active Member
my brother in law says his dad smoked Chum salmon via the cold smoke method. 3 days and nights , pipe buried in the ground, 20' away. Alder.
Andrew Derocher
New Member
I used to smoke rainbow trout a lot. Buried pipe cold smoke fridge set up with alder. Critical aspect is zero bark on the alder as the bark puts a really strong bitter taste on trout.
spring fever
Well-Known Member
I feel 3 things are wrong-(possibly)-I always use non-iodized pickling salt or sea salt. - you have a very low sugar to salt ratio-4 or 5 to 1 is what I use- alder sawdust--does it contain bark or any other wood such as a bit of commercial 2x4-you have to be careful if you are using long smoke times-not so much if you are hot-smoking-you can get away with a bit. That's where I would look for your problem
