# Smoked Black Fish



## tropics (Dec 1, 2014)

Smoked Black Fish

Black Fish Fillets and Ribs 8 to 10lbs.

                Brine

1/2 C sea salt

3 Heaping Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

4 Bay Leaves

Mix with a pint or so of hot tap water, add ice after every thing seems dissolved. When cool enough add more ice and water to make a gallon of brine.I used a 2 gal zip bag to do it.
Brine fish for 11-1/2 to 12 hrs.Rinse with cold water air dry to form a pellicle.

Smoke at 160*F for 2 to 3 hrs get a nice color.Turn up the heat 185*f finish the fish with an IT of 145*

Ribs Drying

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Filets drying

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1 row Apple pellets

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Finished

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Thanks for looking

edited brine time was off 1-1/2 should be 11-1/2 hrs


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## themule69 (Dec 1, 2014)

Looks very tasty!








Happy smoken.

David


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## tropics (Dec 2, 2014)

Thanks David Best thing about this, is a new customer gave them to me. I brought him some today simply Loved it


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## geerock (Dec 2, 2014)

Wow..... every now and then someone posts a great new idea to smoke.  Blackfish or tautog or just plain tog is a delicious fish.  Known as poor mans lobster due to its wonderful flavor from a diet of mainly crabs.  That really looks great tropics.  Here in Connecticut we used to love going out to fish for Tog.  They are not an easy catch.  Can remember having a Rhode Island clam bake right in a pit on the beach where we did some blacks about 30 years ago.  Last time I had grilled / smoked blackfish.  Delicious!  Tomorrow its a ride to the shoreline fish markets to grab some fillets and trying your recipe.  Thanks for taking me down memory lane.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Dec 2, 2014)

Tasty looking fish! The fillets are very similar looking to our rockfish fillets. 


Smoke away!!!


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## venture (Dec 3, 2014)

Those look great!

Not familiar with black fish?  Guessing in your part of the world that might be a black sea bass?

As Case said, looks similar to what we call rockfish or "pacific snapper" in this area.

Whatever called, very good fish.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## tropics (Dec 4, 2014)

Tautog is the name of them

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## venture (Dec 4, 2014)

New one on me.

Appears to be a rockfish unrelated to other species.

Kind of an odd looking fish? Apparently can be found in more shallow water than most of our rockfish.

The meat sure does look good!

Good luck and good smoking.


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## leah elisheva (Dec 5, 2014)

Hey neighbor! This looks superb!!! Cheers! - Leah


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## naclh2o (Feb 5, 2015)

For the west coast folks...they are sheepshead....very different than rockfish and different than east coast sheepshead...

I'm new to your forums and just recently started smoking...I keep laughing when I say or type that cause it took so many years to stop smoking...

Anyway, I love smoked tog and will try this recipe...

Hooked on beef jerky at the moment...and pork butts...


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