# Mahi mahi- Please Help!



## bendog15 (Feb 6, 2014)

About to try my hand in smoking some fresh Mahi Mahi. Got a little chief smoker with mesquite chips.

This is my first attempt at smoking fish- Can anyone give me some advice on a brine recipe? Ive also heard you can wrap mahi in Ti leaves with lemon and soy. What do you recommend?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 6, 2014)

If you have access to the Ti leafs I'd give that a shot. Since I do not have access to Ti leafs I'd do a simple salt and sugar brine.


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## bendog15 (Feb 6, 2014)

Thanks dirtsailor2003. I got an excess of mahi (live on an island) so I'm gonna try both a brine on some and ti leaf wrap on the rest. I'll letcha know how it turns out.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 6, 2014)

Looking forward to your report and hopefully some pictures! Only a few more years and I'll be in the same position you are, stuck on an island with too any fish to smoke!


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## foamheart (Feb 6, 2014)

Case with his mesquite wouldn't think a light smoke? I don't smoke a bunch of fish but mesquite is a pretty heavy smoke. Course it might be best to use a hard smoke if fish take a short smoke. <shrugs>

I don't know, me.


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## moikel (Feb 7, 2014)

Fruit wood my tip. Light brine.Great fish. Wrapped in banana leaf with your choice of bits,tied into a parcel. Then on the grill or over coals. But thats just me


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 7, 2014)

I didn't see mesquite!!! I wouldn't use mesquite. That'd be quite unpleasant. Peach, apple, or alder for Mahi Mahi.


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## leah elisheva (Feb 7, 2014)

Hi! I've grilled and smoked mahi mahi that's simply mopped through grapeseed oil, and smoked with apple chips, on high heat, and for just 20 minutes.

The result is wonderful - no brine even needed therefore - but here's to you choosing whatever way is best for you, as no matter what you choose, I'm sure it will be so very delicious!

Enjoy!!!!!

Cheers! - Leah


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## guruatbol (Feb 8, 2014)

I haven't tried it myself, but when I was in Mexico fishing they used a huge rock of salt and chipped it onto the fish with a cleaver and then put it in the smokehouse which was quite large and 24 hours later we picked it up and it was very, very good.

They said the salt was in place of the brine.  They said due to the flight times there was not enough time to brine it.

We brought some home frozen and some smoked.  h, I have no idea what wood they used.  I presume mesquite since it grows like a weed in Baja.

As soon as I can get my hands on some reasonably fresh saltwater fish I am going to smoke me up some.  When the weather gets nicer, I am going to take the fresh trout I catch locally and smoke it with apple or cherry.  I may use some cedar too.

Mel


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## theshrimppimp (Feb 8, 2014)

We cook that a lot in the summer.  Easy cook and very good. Don't over cook. We use banana leaves down here. They really do help to keep from over cooking as you will want to cook at a higher heat. Stay away from the Mesquite and use Apple or Alder for sure.

We just use a little butter, lime and a very light dust of salt and pepper. The fish is so light and full of flavor it does not take much on the seasoning. The soy could be overkill if you are not careful with it.


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## reelboat (Feb 9, 2014)

I haven't smoked Dolphin but I do a lot of Kingfish.  I always brine foe 12 hrs and use Alder or Apple.  Don't use mesquite, too strong.  The brine I used is premixed from Lem, just add water.

Lem.com.  I also use their sausage spice mix for deer and wild hog sausage.


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## guinjames (Feb 9, 2014)

Mahi-mahi? Last I heard Oregon isn't Hawaii.


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## foamheart (Feb 9, 2014)

guinjames said:


> Mahi-mahi? Last I heard Oregon isn't Hawaii.


They are both on the same little pond.


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## sa-steve (Feb 9, 2014)

The amino acids give saltwater fish their taste.  A brine will alter them.  Light oil  spices and good wood...


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## reelboat (Feb 9, 2014)

guinjames said:


> Mahi-mahi? Last I heard Oregon isn't Hawaii.


What does that mean?  By Kingfish I was referring to King Mackerel, not king Salmon.


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## guinjames (Feb 9, 2014)

Mahi-mahi is a Hawaiian word. It is called dolphin fish on the continent. Dorado in Mexico and South America.


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## jack jenkins (Feb 9, 2014)

reelboat said:


> What does that mean?  By Kingfish I was referring to King Mackerel, not king Salmon.


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## bajafish (Feb 9, 2014)

Put some file ts in a Ziploc bag with "Italian Dressing" let soak overnight. Next day, remove the file ts "do not rinse" then season with your favorite rub or seasoning. Smoke with a lite smoke, apple, alder etc.  Used to camp out on a beach about 135 miles south of San Felipe, Baja. Had allot of fish down there too!! :-)


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## jack jenkins (Feb 9, 2014)

We do mahi mahi on a regular basis. I usually smoke at 275 degrees with a light fruit wood. I use a ginger mango marinade overnight.....try to get the largest mahi mahi available.


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## moikel (Feb 9, 2014)

Summer fish down here,great flavour.

I mostly stick with lime,ginger,garlic,chilli,lemongrass vibe. I sometimes wrap fillets in banana leaf & just put them on BBQ grill. 

I am with Jack Jenkins on size the bigger fish give you a thicker fillet & more margin to avoid drying out.


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## ghostred7 (Feb 10, 2014)

guinjames said:


> Mahi-mahi? Last I heard Oregon isn't Hawaii.





guinjames said:


> Mahi-mahi is a Hawaiian word. It is called dolphin fish on the continent. Dorado in Mexico and South America.


Was this really necessary?  It's marketed all over the continent as Mahi-Mahi and you'd be hard pressed to go into a restaurant or grocer to see it actually marketed as anything other.  Even there in Stephenville @ Agave their menu says Mahi Mahi.  Pretty sure Texas isn't Hawaii either.

@ OP - For Mahi, i like lighter stuff like peach, apple, or cherry.  I do agree about the hotter/faster for fish as well as the no-brining.  Now if it's a larger/thicker/older fish...alder seems to mesh well with fish oils taste-wise.  I usually season with something similar to Paul Prudhomme Seafood Magic.


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## redwood carlos (Feb 10, 2014)

I actually like Mesquite for grilling mahi, never done them in a smoker though. Please let us know how it turns out.


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## last cast (Feb 10, 2014)

As many of the others have said, don't use mesquite it's too heavy. My first choice is Alder then apple wood. The banana leaves are fine, however smoking tends to dry this type of fish out so keep an eye on it.

My preference is to grill it with this marinade:

Mahi Filet 2 ozs EVO 2 ozs Bacardi Rum Juice of two limes 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground mustard 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground pasilla pepper 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon granulated onion 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.  leave in marinade for an hour

grill on the first side for about 3 minutes then flip for another minute then check for doneness. If you want an island theme chop up some pineapple that's been grilled along with a green pepper, jalapeno pepper, garlic, red onion, scallion, ginger and garlic. If it's too dry add a little evo and champagne vinegar

My preference for smoked fish would be one that has a higher oil content like kingfish, mackerel or amberjack in the meat.


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