# Hot Smoking Mackerel...I'm not getting enough smoke coloring.  What am I doing wrong?



## darthtrader (Dec 31, 2010)

I've been hot smoking mackerel at 170ºF for two hours on a Masterbuilt Vertical Gas Smoker, replenishing the wood halfway through.  I get a nice smoke flavor, but sometimes I don't get any smoke coloring at all like I would when smoking on a WSM.  What could I possibly be doing wrong?  

Thanks in advance, guys.


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## mballi3011 (Dec 31, 2010)

Well fish is like red meat sometimes. If it getting the smokey flavor then I wouldn't worry about it. Each piece of meat takes the smoke the way it wants not the way you want it to.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 31, 2010)

It has been my experience that it takes longer than two hours to get good color on fish & other things.

Bear


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## tjohnson (Dec 31, 2010)

What Bear said.

TJ


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## baboy (Dec 31, 2010)

It is also important to let the fish dry in cool air until a tacky film (pellicle) form on it, this allows for better smoke adhesion.


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## raptor700 (Jan 2, 2011)

I would do the (above advice) let the fish dry and lower the temp for a longer smoke time.


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