Zest'E Smoked Trout

Courtesy of Emeril (on-line cookware) a few years ago...I began the quest to smoke as much food as I could; then it went back into the cabinet like all familiar and used tools do eventually...feeling guilty, I brought it back out to heat up my cold...okay no long stories tonight...just pull out the trout from my boastful Northern NJ river adventure blog, and freezer...soak the alder (I just happen to have brought back a log from my PNW blog, and recommended for fish) with a splash of hickory chips...

Calm down you hard core outdoor smoker fans...I use this on and off...the real deal grill! I am from the meat grillin-smokin capital of the...or uh, one of them any ho...



ATTENTION ALL COOKS: You must moisten trout before you put them in the smoker, and add flavor with a brine. Combine about 1 tablespoon of plain or kosher salt to 1 cup of water. You will, of course need enough brine to completely cover the fish, mine look like their in a fish tank.





You want these fish to be cleaned and ready for the smoker before you brine them and have each laid open so the brine can get inside, see I used my lime and lemon ends for that...ah ha. Brining can be completely optional for smoked trout, but taught well, I am a 'Briner', and we do not want 'dry' cat food for dinner do we?





Add small amounts of seasonings to the brine, I am using garlic, limes, red onion and a pinch of something spicy! Smaller fish like trout, don't need to spend a lot of time in a brine, and about 1 hour will do.










I decided to use the last 'White Yam' that has been sitting on the counter; steamed it for a minute and half...stuffed the trout with mostly the same repeated ingredients...












I smoked it whole and no to plating it- just next a bed of salad, smoked yams, onions and with a shot of citrus cilantro oil for the dressing...BAM!