# Smoked catfish Skin On or Off



## outdoorsmen

I plan on smoking some catfish and was wondering if it matters if the skin is on or off? Thanks


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## bertman

I will be watching to see how this turns out. I've never smoked catfish but I would think leaving the skin on would keep it from getting too dry.


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## padronman

Id smoke skin on.  Mmmmmmm Catfish.


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## dirtsailor2003

What are you trying to do with it? Hot smoke and eat right away, or cold smoke?


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## bestbuttsbbq

I smoked a catfish yesterday. It was a Big Flathead that we caught in the creek. I smoked it skin off and it turned out perfect. I will be making a post later today with Q-View to show you guys how I did it. The fish turned out a perfect golden brown when it was done and the meat had a perfect smokey taste!


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## leah elisheva

SKIN, (other than marlin), on ANY and EVERY fish (other than marlin - though I even tried with my teeth to cut through it but to no avail) but SKIN?????????????

SKIN is the very best part of any fish, or so I believe and enjoy! (But for marlin which is wonderful fish but inedible skin). Otherwise, any skin is divine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers! - Leah


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## outdoorsmen

dirtsailor2003 said:


> What are you trying to do with it? Hot smoke and eat right away, or cold smoke?


I guess I never thought of that. I am kind of new to this smoking stuff. What I would like to do is be able to smoked some fish to store for the winter months during hunting season, to eat with crackers. I am actually working on a collection of fish to try. Right now I have some Trout, and now catfish also should be getting some salmon and bass to add to the collection. Any advice on brine or smoking process. I also will be using an electric smoker. Thanks all.


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## jeepdiver

Leah Elisheva said:


> SKIN, (other than marlin), on ANY and EVERY fish (other than marlin - though I even tried with my teeth to cut through it but to no avail) but SKIN?????????????
> 
> SKIN is the very best part of any fish, or so I believe and enjoy! (But for marlin which is wonderful fish but inedible skin). Otherwise, any skin is divine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Cheers! - Leah



I'm guessing you have never had catfish with skin on.  It makes good leather.   Smoke it skin off. I love catfish but the skin is just nasty.  If the fish has to be skinned like a mammal you probably don't want to eat it (the skin that is)


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## txfshrmn

Hello . It's all common sense when it comes smoking fish , ( my opinion ) . If you hot smoke for yourself , make it skinless . If you cold smoke it

for export , or selling , leave the skin on so the meat does not fall apart .


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## Bearcarver

Definitely skin off with Catfish. Their skin is very similar to a rubber wetsuit.

Bear


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## rickyldd

I filet my fish. It's the best way to remove the skin (esp catfish) . Under that skin there is fat and dark meat on the bigger fish, that needs to be removed. I haven't smoked any catfish yet, I grill mine mostly. I did smoke some white bass the other day (they were great) skin off.


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## txfshrmn

This is true , but if you buy salmon , the skin meat is still attach to the skin . Use a fork to remove , same thing .


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## woodsman1st

Catfish skin should only be smoked inside an old rubber tire; first though you must clean out the rubber tire with diesel oil and allow it to soak inside a refridgerator around 40 degrees or so. Then place the catfish in a circle inside the rubber tire with the tails pointing outwards.

Plan on about 2 hours for catfish filets of 2 to 3 pounds. When cooked throw away the catfish with the skin on and eat the rubber tires.

Man catfish skin is NASTY; it's amazing that something that is covered in such a nasty, slimy, skin can have such a wonderful tasting meat inside that skin.

I am new to smoking; but an old time catfishing man. About 40 years ago one of my customers, an older man to me back in those days, in his 60s, used to use a Little Chief Smoker to smoke all his salmon, trout, and catfish; and every week that kindly old man would bring me in about a pound of catfish that he had smoked on his little chief smoker. I have never forgotten that wonderful taste after all these years.

Well i just got my Little Chief Smoker and now waiting for it to cool down a tad so I can go after some catfish. These temperatures here in Arizona, the last week getting up to 114 degrees, is too much for this old man! I can take temps around 105, and I might think about fishing inbetween 105 and 109; more thinking than fishing actually. But when that temp gets so high that when I walk out the door and I can actually smell the hot air, I know its 109 or 110 and above, and thats way too hot for this old man; now is the time to sit inside and tie flies and swap lies about fishing.

I will BBQ catfish and other fish on my Brinkman El Cheapo Special that I modified many many years ago; back in 1968, That one finally wore out about 5 or 6 years ago; so I promptly bought another and modified my new one. Man those good old boys that dreamed up that mod for the Brinkman should be written about in history books; sheer genius was at work when they got together way back when. I dont know when they first came up with their idea for mods on the Brinkman; but I followed their directions way back in 1968 when I first bought mine; it was the same year I started to work for the company that I retired from is how I am so sure of when I bought mine and did the mods....SHEER GENIUS. And thats as close to smoking as I've ever come.

So I hope to learn a lot here in this Forum; I should cuz it seems like everybody in here knows more than I do; some of that has just got to rub off on me.

I believe I made my first of many to come mistakes two days ago; i failed to take into account that it got up to 114 degrees  that day here in Peoria, Arizona when I tried making my first Venison Jerkey. I failed to take that exceptionally high temperature into account when I was smoking the 5 pounds of jerky for 14 hours in my Little Chief Smoker. It didn't ruin it thankfully; but the results are a lot harder than I like my jerkey; I'm pretty sure that the 114 degrees should have told me to keep it in the smoker a few hours less time; but I wasn't listening.

Am I right? Should I have cut back on the time I had the jerky in my Little Chief by, I'm guessing now, 3 to 4 hours, to end up with a softer jerkey; one not so hard.

Please correct me if Im wrong and if you have some advice I would sure love to hear it.

Stay safe everyone;

Ken


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## Bearcarver

woodsman1st said:


> Catfish skin should only be smoked inside an old rubber tire; first though you must clean out the rubber tire with diesel oil and allow it to soak inside a refridgerator around 40 degrees or so. Then place the catfish in a circle inside the rubber tire with the tails pointing outwards.
> 
> Plan on about 2 hours for catfish filets of 2 to 3 pounds. When cooked throw away the catfish with the skin on and eat the rubber tires.
> 
> Man catfish skin is NASTY; it's amazing that something that is covered in such a nasty, slimy, skin can have such a wonderful tasting meat inside that skin.
> 
> I am new to smoking; but an old time catfishing man. About 40 years ago one of my customers, an older man to me back in those days, in his 60s, used to use a Little Chief Smoker to smoke all his salmon, trout, and catfish; and every week that kindly old man would bring me in about a pound of catfish that he had smoked on his little chief smoker. I have never forgotten that wonderful taste after all these years.
> 
> Well i just got my Little Chief Smoker and now waiting for it to cool down a tad so I can go after some catfish. These temperatures here in Arizona, the last week getting up to 114 degrees, is too much for this old man! I can take temps around 105, and I might think about fishing inbetween 105 and 109; more thinking than fishing actually. But when that temp gets so high that when I walk out the door and I can actually smell the hot air, I know its 109 or 110 and above, and thats way too hot for this old man; now is the time to sit inside and tie flies and swap lies about fishing.
> 
> I will BBQ catfish and other fish on my Brinkman El Cheapo Special that I modified many many years ago; back in 1968, That one finally wore out about 5 or 6 years ago; so I promptly bought another and modified my new one. Man those good old boys that dreamed up that mod for the Brinkman should be written about in history books; sheer genius was at work when they got together way back when. I dont know when they first came up with their idea for mods on the Brinkman; but I followed their directions way back in 1968 when I first bought mine; it was the same year I started to work for the company that I retired from is how I am so sure of when I bought mine and did the mods....SHEER GENIUS. And thats as close to smoking as I've ever come.
> 
> So I hope to learn a lot here in this Forum; I should cuz it seems like everybody in here knows more than I do; some of that has just got to rub off on me.
> 
> I believe I made my first of many to come mistakes two days ago; i failed to take into account that it got up to 114 degrees  that day here in Peoria, Arizona when I tried making my first Venison Jerkey. I failed to take that exceptionally high temperature into account when I was smoking the 5 pounds of jerky for 14 hours in my Little Chief Smoker. It didn't ruin it thankfully; but the results are a lot harder than I like my jerkey; I'm pretty sure that the 114 degrees should have told me to keep it in the smoker a few hours less time; but I wasn't listening.
> 
> Am I right? Should I have cut back on the time I had the jerky in my Little Chief by, I'm guessing now, 3 to 4 hours, to end up with a softer jerkey; one not so hard.
> 
> Please correct me if Im wrong and if you have some advice I would sure love to hear it.
> 
> Stay safe everyone;
> 
> Ken


Welcome Ken!!

I wish I could help you Ken, but I'm not a big Jerky maker, and the last time I saw temps of 105* to 114* was back in 1969.

What you really should do is go to "Roll Call", and tell us about yourself & ask your Jerky question either there or start a new thread in the Beef Jerky forum. The Title of "Beef Jerky Question" will draw the top Jerky makers to your question.

Bear


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## woodsman1st

Great idea Bearcarver; thanks. I do it right away.

Ken


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