05-25-2005, 04:46 AM
[size 1]Originally posted by chefwhofishes[/size]
[size 1][/size]
[size 1]This recipe came up today over on the float tubing forum. It is Tubedudes personal recipe for smoked catfish. It is a great method and recipe from an obviously talented chef and fisherman. I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here!
I hate to take all the fun out of smoking for ya, but I don't do marinades anymore. Many long years ago in California, while working as a semi-guide for a steelhead/salmon outfitter, I picked up on the QUIK-N-EZ smoking system. Some of the clients would come in with fish they wanted to take back smoked, but did not have time to wait for the brining, slow smoking etc. Old Al Kutskey...a legend in Northern California (long since gone to the "happy fishing grounds"...had a system for turning out great smoked fish overnight. I have adapted it to other species, and it works especially well for catfish.
1. Cut large fillets into chunks no more than an inch thick...or wide.
2. Spread them on paper towels and pat the upper surface dry with another paper towel.
3. Sprinkle a fair amount of kosher salt (not iodized table salt) all over the surface of the fillets.
4. Follow with a similar layer of sugar. Regular white sugar will do, but brown sugar adds flavor.
5. I like spicy. I have a mix of 3 parts black pepper, 1 part cayenne pepper, 1 part garlic powder, 1 part cumin and 1 part Mexican oregano. Increase the cayenne pepper if you like fire. (Goes great on meats and other foods too). Season to taste.
6. Allow to set for an hour or so at room temperature. The sugar and salt will draw moisture out of the fish and form a glaze on the fillets.
7. Slow smoke 4 to 6 hours, to infuse the fish with the smoke and cook the flesh. It will still be soft if your smoker is not set too high. I use a little chief and I like to "hot smoke" them for a shorter period.
8. When there is a good smoky glaze on the almost done fillets, remove them to an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet in the oven. Slow bake at 175 degrees until they dry to a semi-jerky consistency.
NOTE: Proper "brining" should be done whenever you want to effectively "cure" the fish, as well as smoking it. The salt helps preserve it longer. I smoke batches that do not last too long anyway. If I don't eat it, I usually have plenty of help. My "buds" are used to sniffing as they walk in. If they smell smoked fish, my supply gets reduced before they leave. It will hold up a couple of weeks in the refrigerator...if it lasts that long.
ALSO: The type of wood you use makes a big difference in the end product. I have experimented with just about everything you can imagine. As long as you don't use wood with too much resin (bitter), you can at least eat the fish. I have come to prefer hickory for most smoked fish...especially trout, salmon and whitefish. I also like hickory for cats, but have turned out a couple of outstanding batches using the mesquite chips I usually use on beef and pork. Apple and cherry are popular with many smokers, and they do put out a good product. Aspen is also used, but not to my liking. Don't even think about pine, unless you like the taste of turpentine.
The one distinguishing characteristic of catfish...especially the big ones...are that they take a lot of cooking to finish them off. In the fryer, you have to leave them until the moisture content is reduced and the pieces give a final little shrink. In the smoker, same thing. Don't serve underdone catfish, or you will notice a distinct catfish flavor. Fully cooked, it is good. Underdone, it is objectionable to some, and the reason why a lot of people who have tried catfish do not like it. [/size]
[size 1][/size]
[size 1]This recipe came up today over on the float tubing forum. It is Tubedudes personal recipe for smoked catfish. It is a great method and recipe from an obviously talented chef and fisherman. I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here!
I hate to take all the fun out of smoking for ya, but I don't do marinades anymore. Many long years ago in California, while working as a semi-guide for a steelhead/salmon outfitter, I picked up on the QUIK-N-EZ smoking system. Some of the clients would come in with fish they wanted to take back smoked, but did not have time to wait for the brining, slow smoking etc. Old Al Kutskey...a legend in Northern California (long since gone to the "happy fishing grounds"...had a system for turning out great smoked fish overnight. I have adapted it to other species, and it works especially well for catfish.
1. Cut large fillets into chunks no more than an inch thick...or wide.
2. Spread them on paper towels and pat the upper surface dry with another paper towel.
3. Sprinkle a fair amount of kosher salt (not iodized table salt) all over the surface of the fillets.
4. Follow with a similar layer of sugar. Regular white sugar will do, but brown sugar adds flavor.
5. I like spicy. I have a mix of 3 parts black pepper, 1 part cayenne pepper, 1 part garlic powder, 1 part cumin and 1 part Mexican oregano. Increase the cayenne pepper if you like fire. (Goes great on meats and other foods too). Season to taste.
6. Allow to set for an hour or so at room temperature. The sugar and salt will draw moisture out of the fish and form a glaze on the fillets.
7. Slow smoke 4 to 6 hours, to infuse the fish with the smoke and cook the flesh. It will still be soft if your smoker is not set too high. I use a little chief and I like to "hot smoke" them for a shorter period.
8. When there is a good smoky glaze on the almost done fillets, remove them to an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet in the oven. Slow bake at 175 degrees until they dry to a semi-jerky consistency.
NOTE: Proper "brining" should be done whenever you want to effectively "cure" the fish, as well as smoking it. The salt helps preserve it longer. I smoke batches that do not last too long anyway. If I don't eat it, I usually have plenty of help. My "buds" are used to sniffing as they walk in. If they smell smoked fish, my supply gets reduced before they leave. It will hold up a couple of weeks in the refrigerator...if it lasts that long.
ALSO: The type of wood you use makes a big difference in the end product. I have experimented with just about everything you can imagine. As long as you don't use wood with too much resin (bitter), you can at least eat the fish. I have come to prefer hickory for most smoked fish...especially trout, salmon and whitefish. I also like hickory for cats, but have turned out a couple of outstanding batches using the mesquite chips I usually use on beef and pork. Apple and cherry are popular with many smokers, and they do put out a good product. Aspen is also used, but not to my liking. Don't even think about pine, unless you like the taste of turpentine.
The one distinguishing characteristic of catfish...especially the big ones...are that they take a lot of cooking to finish them off. In the fryer, you have to leave them until the moisture content is reduced and the pieces give a final little shrink. In the smoker, same thing. Don't serve underdone catfish, or you will notice a distinct catfish flavor. Fully cooked, it is good. Underdone, it is objectionable to some, and the reason why a lot of people who have tried catfish do not like it. [/size]