Best way to smoke a trout

[scottjess]

Went fishing yesterday on Pyramid lake out here by Reno Nevada and between 3 of us caught 25 cutthroat trout 5 of which were in the right size bracket to keep.

What is the best way to hot smoke these bad boys? I was thinking of using the OTS with some hickory or mesquite after stuffing the belly with slices of lemon. The fish will be rubbed with a bit of kosher salt and pepper.

The fish in the pic below is unfortunatly not one of the keepers :-( this fish was about 1/4 of an inch above the 20" allowed size. Most of the fish caught were actually too big to keep :-(

[Bludawg]

Nice catch,cook it on a Cedar Shingle over live coals and hand over the Doritos

[scottjess]

Thank you for the cedar plank suggestion; I never thought about that.

Still stuffed with Lemons and rubbed with S&p?

[plakers]

S and P works as does fresh rosemary. the lemon definately works. Are you trying to cook it or smoke it?

Cooked I like to put fillets over coals and never flip, scrape off skin when done.

Smoked is more indirect, I dont have a OTS but salt pepper and sugar rubbed on today, allowed to airdried tomorrow and smoked indirect, maybe 225 or so, until desired texture works.

Of course the best trout I ever ate was cooked over a campfire coals, spread over a mesh of vinemaple sucker branches, next to the water where I caught them.

[Gore]

... as soon as possible. Best if cooked immediately. Best I had was with S&P and butter, wrapped in foil and then put right in the fire.

[Bluesman]

I used to stuff with onions butter s&p and wrap in foil. Cook over coals wrapped for about 45 minutes and then unwrapped on the grate for 15. I'ts been awhile so my times may be off. when the meat flaked it was done and pulled away from the skin.

[bo_gator]

The only trout I ever smoked was for use in smoked trout dip. When doing that I just tossed them on the WSM next to the pork butt and let them go for a couple of hours at 225* F or so. I'm not a fish eater, so I have to take my wife and SIL's word, and they loved it

[Neonnblack]

nice catch! Never really been fishing... so what times diner?

[Hankdad1]

Three of you caught 25 trout and your making sad faces? Up here in the tundra we're still drilling holes in the ice and pretend to be fishing!

Sounds like you had a great day, any of the suggestions above will taste great. Hickory and mesquite might be a bit strong, alder or apple would be good if you have some.

[cheapbeer]

I would soak them overnight in a simple brine made with kosher salt and brown sugar then dry them until tacky which allows the smoke to stick and give a nice color. Smoke over cherry or apple wood in your UDS @225-250 until a nice color golden color developes and the fish is obviously done and not dried out. This is how I do them and have had very good results

[Midnight Smoke]

It has been over 18 years since I cooked Trout on the grill fresh from the lake. If I remember correctly I had a medium (350º) hot fire. Layed the Trout on a piece of aluminum foil, placed two medium slabs of butter and placed a piece of Bacon inside the fish. Closed the Trout up and sealed the aluminum foil.

Cooked on the grill turning once for about 15-20 minutes. That is where it gets blurry, I cannot remember for sure how long I cooked them so take that with a grain of salt and some testing.

These were Rainbows, maybe 10" long, not very big.

[scottjess]

Almost finished; I had a tiny piece and it is a little bit moist for my liking so another 10-15 mins will do it I think.

[scottjess]

[Neonnblack]

Oh, that looks good. I need to do some fish on the smoker.

[gtr]

That looks fantastic!