An except from
Smokehouse Handbook
by Jake Levin, published by Storey Publishing, 2019
Smoking doesn’t always have to be a long, laborious process. There are many great, quick and simple ways of producing smoked food. Sometimes I’ll come home after a long day of work, grab a beer, get my Weber kettle grill going, put a handful of woodchips on the charcoal, and throw on some pork chops (or a steak) and 15 minutes later I have delicious smoked meat for dinner. Seafood is another great option when you’re looking for a quick smoked meal. Here is one of my favorite smoked recipes for weeknight dinners.
Smoked Mackerel
Mackerel is one of my favorite fish; when fresh, it tastes like the ocean breeze. My first time eating smoked mackerel is one of those Proustian memories: it was Father’s Day and we were in Cornwall, England, for a family trip. The village we were staying in had one of those classic, large, white plastered buildings with a big smokestack, right on the water’s edge. My brother and I decided that buying my dad some smoked mackerel would be the perfect Father’s Day present — one that we would benefit from. I can remember that first bite so vividly. The mackerel was still warm from the smoker, the oak-smoke balanced so perfectly with the briney oil of the fish, the delicate flesh flaking apart and melting in my mouth. When people ask me about my love of smoked food, this memory looms large. I will never be able to replicate that fish from Cornwall, but that doesn’t stop me from trying. This recipe works equally well with bluefish, trout, or salmon. It’s perfect for stove-top smoking but also works beautifully on a kettle grill, on an asado/table grill, or in a hot-smoke drum smoker.
Ingredients
2 large mackerel, weighing about 2 pounds each, scaled, filleted, pin bones removed
8 tablespoons kosher or fine sea salt
4 tablespoons ground black pepper
all images © Keller + Keller Photography
Directions
Lay the fish fillets out on your cutting board and sprinkle them with salt, about 2 tablespoons per fillet.
Let rest for 15 to 25 minutes. Then, wash salt off the fillets under cold water and pat fillets dry.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ground pepper over each fillet, evenly coating them.
Place in a smoker at 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
Smoke for about 10 minutes, until fish is just cooked through but still moist.
For more about recipes and info about smoking, check out Jake’s book Smokehouse Handbook: Comprehensive Techniques & Specialty Recipes for Smoking Meat, Fish & Vegetables, available at the Bookloft.