Smoking Fish
Complete Smoker Cookbook for Real Pitmasters
The Ultimate Guide for Smoking Fish, and Seafood
DANIEL MURRAY
Table of Contents
An Introduction to Smoked Food
Through history, smoking been a preferred way of preserving food, but it so much more than just a way to keep food from going bad! Smoking also introduces complex and delicious flavors into dishes that are otherwise often bland or uninteresting. In modern cooking, its a great way to mix up staples in your home cooking, and it can be a really fantastic way to wow people at a potluck, or to host an incredible dinner party. Smoking is not only inventive and delicious, it also makes it really easy to make large quantities of food at the same time without too much fuss.
Traditionally, smoking is done by burning wood chips in a small enclosed area with the food, allowing the food to be cooked very slowly, while absorbing the rich smoky flavor. Today, smoking is often associated with sports tail-gaiting parties and small family get-togethers. This guide is designed to both embraces that culture, and also offer up some techniques and recipes that will let you take your smoking to the next level: full-blown gourmet food full of layered and nuanced deliciousness.
Tuna Recipes
LEMON SMOKED TUNA
total cooking time 2 hour
Ingredients for 4 servings
The Meat
The Mixture
- Olive oil 2 tbsp.
- Lemon pepper seasoning 2 tbsp.
- Lemon juice 2 tbsp.
- Salt and Black pepper.
- Minced Garlic 2 tbsp.
- Lemon 1.
- 1 bag of charcoal.
- Lighter fluid.
- 1 bag of wood chips of the flavor you prefer.
The Fire
- Charcoal smoker and gas grill.
Method
- Start prepping your fish with seasoning approx. an hour before you start cooking. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, pepper and minced together. Rub it on both sides of your steaks. Slice your lemon and place it under your tuna. Keep them in a cold environment for some time.
- If you are using a charcoal grill then start 30 minutes beforehand or if you use a gas grill then start 10 minutes before cooking.
- Get an aluminum foil and wrap your wood chips inside it. Make holes in the aluminum foil so smoke rises up from it. You can also place your wood chips in a metal smoker box of your grill.
- Set the tuna pieces on the grate of your smoker.
- After tuna steaks have been in the smoker for about half an hour, you have to flip them so the other side also gets cooked. This process requires care and appropriate spatula so that tuna doesnt flake and fall of the grates
- After another half an hour, the tuna should be thoroughly cooked and ready to be served.
EASY SMOKED TUNA
total cooking time 7 hours
Ingredients for 4 servings
The Meat
- 4 Tuna steaks (0.6 lbs. 0r 1 ounce)
The Rub
- Water 2 quarts
- Kosher Salt 2/3 cup
- Packed brown sugar cup
- Bay leaves (crumbled) - 5
- Fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp.
- Vegetable oil
- Black peppercorns (freshly and coarsely cracked) 2 tbsp.
- Dry white wine 4 cups
The Fire
- Charcoal Smoker.
- Cherry wood chunks.
Method
- Soak the wood chunks in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Take a large heavy-duty zip lock bag and place tuna steaks inside it.
- Combine the 2 quarts of water with kosher salt, sugar, bay leaves and fresh lemon juice. Pour it over the tuna steaks. Seal the bag and leave it to chill for approximately 3 hours. Turn the bag over occasionally.
- Next, remove the steak from the brine solution. Wash and dry the tuna steaks.
- Put the steaks on a drying rack in an airy place for about 30 minutes.
- After that brush vegetable oil on the steaks and pat pepper on both sides of it.
- Prepare the charcoal in the smoker. It should be fired up for 15 to 20 minutes. On the coals, place the wood chunks that should be dried out. In the smoker, place the water pan and add the white wine in it. The rack should be coated with oil before putting it in the smoker. Place the steaks on the upper racks of the smoker and be sure to cover them with smoker lid.
- After 3-4 hours test the fish if it flakes easily then your fish is ready to be served.
MANADONESE STYLE SMOKED TUNA
total cooking time 2 hours
Ingredients for 2 servings
The Meat
- Yellowfin tuna (500 gram or approx. 1 lb.)
The Ingredients
- Kafir lemon leaves 2 pieces
- Large Shallot(finely diced) 1
- Coconut Milk 1 cup
- White Basil leaves
- Lemon turf(white part squashed) 2
- Green onion(finely diced) 2
- Garlic Cloves 5-8
- Ginger roots 2 cm
- White chili 5-10
- Salt and pepper
- Candlelight nuts 5-7
The Brine
- Kosher salt 1 cup
- Brown sugar - 2 cups
- Water 1 gallon
The Fire
- Outdoor wood pit.
- Coconut husks and tangan tangan wood chunks.
Method
- We will smoke approximately 5 lbs. of tuna but for the recipe only use 1 lb. Slice the lions of tuna into half-inch steaks.
- Mix all ingredients for brine and add tuna in it. Make sure to submerge it fully. Leave for a day.
- Next day, rinse off the brine solution and smoke tuna over a wood pit smoker enclosed on only three sides. In 5 hours, the fish will be ready.
- Cut the tuna into pieces. Fry the shallot till it gives off scent and then start to add all the spices. Stir all of them and add kafir lemon leaves and lemon turf.
- Next, add the smoked fish and blend it with everything. Pour in the coconut milk and continue cooking until the liquid subsides. Before the liquid disappears, add in green onion and basil leaves.
- The dish is ready. It is best served with rice.
TUNA WITH BABY BOK CHOY AND CARROTS
total cooking time 45 minutes
Ingredients for 2-4 servings
The Meat
The Ingredients
- Baby bok choy stalk - 1.
- Bell peppers 2.
- As needed Olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Carrots (peeled and trimmed) 6.
- Roasted sesame seed -
The Sauce
- Lime juice 1 tbsp.
- Ginger (grated) 1 tsp.
- Jalapeno (thin slices) 1/2
- Honey 1 tbsp.
- Garlic (minced) 1 clove.
- Soy sauce 2 tbsp.
- Cilantro (chopped) cup.
The Glaze
- Honey 2 tbsp.
- Balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp.
The Fire
Method
- Cut the carrot into quarters. Place them in a reseal able bag but leave the seal open on the top just by an inch. First, place the carrots in the microwave for 2 minutes.