Striper

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drheerdt

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 22, 2010
15
10
My buddy just called me on his vacation from Maine and said he's bringing me 3-5 striper to smoke.  Suggestions?
 
Sorry, I'v never smoked any kind of fish. I'm sure it won't take long for some good ideas to pop up.
 
Cold smoke them. Try using apple, cherry or maple or all three. 
PDT_Armataz_01_34.gif
 
 Never done stripers but can't be much different than redfish.

 Filet the fish , Rinse and pat dry brush down w/ some evoo and season both sides of the filet

smoke w/ apple or pecan or a mix of both at 200 till meat flakes.

 You need a fish grill or a pan as the fish will fall thru the regular grates.

 Go easy on the smioke the first time you smoke fish as it takes on smoke flavor real quick.
 
My son brought me some not long ago.

I made "Poor Man's Lobster" with them---It was great!

Cut out the dark reddish parts----Not good to eat!

Other than that, I guess you can do just about anything with Striper.

Bearcarver
 
I smoke a lot of fish, mostly stripers, they are my favorite. I take the skin off and cut out all the dark meat (personal preference) some people leave the skin on.  I cut large fillets into chunks, makes them easier to take off the grate without breaking apart. Someone mentioned them falling through, I don't have a problem with striper, the meat is pretty firm. My grates are coated, I spray them with Pam. When the fish is done I can remove it with a little nudge with a spatula.

For the brine I use about 1 cup sea salt or kosher salt and 1 cup brown sugar to a gallon of water,. I soak it in the brine overnight.

Whatever you do, if you are using a water pan DON'T USE THE LEFTOVER BRINE FOR THE WATER!!! Don't ask me how I know this.

Rinse the fillets after you take them out of the brine and let them dry, this is important, they will get sticky, that is what you want. Now is the time to season them, you can use whatever rub you like, I sprinkle the fillets with garlic powder, lemon pepper and blackening seasoning.

For the wood you can use hickory or mesquite but that will give it a stronger taste, a little bite. Lately I have been using apple which makes it a little milder and sweeter. Depending on what type of smoker you have (mine is propane) I prefer chunks to chips less flare ups and last longer.

I try to adjust the heat to around 150 degrees  for the first 1-1/2 to 2 hours then about 200 for an hour or 2 depending on the thickness.

Here is a batch I did a few weeks ago.

586d1344_Smoked%20striper.jpg
 
Campfire Fish
 This is something you can do anytime of year, But for the diehard outdoorsman it's not only wonderful but fun. Buy some pretty large fish filets. Salmon ,Monkfish even Catfish if you can get them pretty large. Oh!! and but the way, alot of people love FISH , But really don't like the harsh fish taste.This will fix that. Put the filets in a large bowl, cover them with milk, put a top on the bowl and set in the fridge overnight. ( Don't drink the milk Yuck!! ) Pull them out , rinse them off and BINGO!!! Long Johns has nothing on this sweet fish. All the harsh fishy flavor is gone. (Sorry I'm easily excited.) Back to the Campfire fish.
Now go to the Hardware and tell the gentleman you want to buy a couple non-treated cedar shingles. Try and get them as big as you can. Get a 5 gallon bucket and soak them in it for several hours. After you get a good campfire going in a pit for awhile, rub the fish with olive oil , sprinkle with Garlic powder and lemon or Lime juice. Now nail the fish filets onto the cedar shingles ( 1 to each ) Place at an angle around the edge of the fire against the wall of the pit ,Dont let the planks catch on fire. Cedar is like Mesquite and gives the fish a suttle smoke flavor. Enjoy these they are delightful.  
 
[h3]I don't know much about this myself, but quite a few web sites tell you not to use just any kind of cedar.[/h3][h3]Here's one of many:[/h3][h3]What Kind of Cedar Planks Should You Use?[/h3]
Cedar plank cooking is always done on Western Red Cedar boards. Eastern cedar is not safe to cook on, it can contain toxic resins! The planks used are generally thin, only about a half a centimeter in thickness, and are usually about 12 by 6 inches in size. The exact size or thickness is not important as long as it fits the food you plan to cook completely on top of the plank. While you can theoretically use any Western cedar you find, you want to be completely sure that your source is pure without any type of treatment or added chemicals. Some cedar sold at hardware or lumber suppliers has been treated and is thus not suitable for cooking. Your best bet is to buy cedar planks which have been sold specifically for the purpose of cedar plank cooking. These can be found at most places that grilling supplies and equipment are sold and in many specialty grocery stores. You can even find other wood types that can be used in a similar way but impart different flavors like apple wood, pecan and others.

Bear
 
[h3]I don't know much about this myself, but quite a few web sites tell you not to use just any kind of cedar.[/h3][h3]Here's one of many:[/h3][h3]What Kind of Cedar Planks Should You Use?[/h3]
Cedar plank cooking is always done on Western Red Cedar boards. Eastern cedar is not safe to cook on, it can contain toxic resins! The planks used are generally thin, only about a half a centimeter in thickness, and are usually about 12 by 6 inches in size. The exact size or thickness is not important as long as it fits the food you plan to cook completely on top of the plank. While you can theoretically use any Western cedar you find, you want to be completely sure that your source is pure without any type of treatment or added chemicals. Some cedar sold at hardware or lumber suppliers has been treated and is thus not suitable for cooking. Your best bet is to buy cedar planks which have been sold specifically for the purpose of cedar plank cooking. These can be found at most places that grilling supplies and equipment are sold and in many specialty grocery stores. You can even find other wood types that can be used in a similar way but impart different flavors like apple wood, pecan and others.

Bear
I agree, there is no telling what chemicals are in wood from a lumber yard. I have a couple that are specifically for cooking. I forgot I even had them, got them as a gift.
 
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