Catfish Brine For Smoking Recipes

STOVE TOP SMOKER BEER-BRINED SMOKED CATFISH

Steps:

• Dissolve salt and sugar in hot water.
• Add cold beer, pepper and bay leaves to make brine.
• Whisk well to remove carbonation.
• Add two medium-size bowls of ice cubes to cool brine and add more volume to the brine.
• Add more cold water if more liquid is necessary to cover all the fillets.
• Place fish in brine when the brine is cool to the touch.
• Brine fish 2-4 hours covered, in the refrigerator.
• Remove fish from brine, rinse in cold water and air dry for 10 minutes before smoking.
• When ready to smoke, set stovetop smoker up with 2 tablespoons of chips between the smoker and the drip pan.
• Replace cooking grate.
• Brush fish lightly with oil, place skin-side down on the cooking grate with about an inch between each fillet.
• Slide top of smoker into place.
• Place smoker on the stovetop and center it over the burner.
• Turn the burner on high.
• Smoke for 20-30 minutes.
• The fish will be a dark caramel color.
• (Alternatively you may smoke cook on an outdoor grill for 1 hour or until fish is cooked through, caramel colored and smoked.).
• Serve at warm or room temperature or make into a smoked catfish "pate" by adding cream cheese, sour cream, shallots, capers, garlic, Tabasco and a dash of pepper to taste.

SMOKED FISH ( BRINE RECIPE AND SMOKING DIRECTIONS)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients very well until sugar is disolved.
• Split the fish into halves and soak them for about 12 hours (more or less) in the refrigerator.
• Prepare your fire using charcoal and a mix of old birch (with bark removed) or apple wood or you can use just charcoal.
• Place fish in smoker and allow to smoke for about 6-8 hours for smoking, depending on the outside temperature and how hot your smoker gets of course.