fish smoker

J

John Stewart

New member
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
hi there i was given a ron thompson fish smoker for my christmas but there was no instructions with it.i was out fishing on sunday for the first time this year and bagged a few trout.i would like to try out this smoker.could somebody tell me how to use it please.
thanks bjs
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay

Guest
If it is a hot smoker, which I think it will be, carry on as follows.

There should be some wood dust with it. Lay a thin covering of this on the bottom of the container. Now put in the grid.

Put the fish with head and tails removed on the bottom after rubbing in a lttle sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

If the smoker has a spirit heater, put this under the smoker after filling it with meths, and light it. Or you can put the whole thing on a barbie fire. Keep the lid slightly open.

It will only take about 10 minutes to cook the average 1 1/2 lb fish. Never over- cook trout otherwise it goes dry.

I have used these smokers for many years. The first one I had was made by ABU and that goes back to 1974.
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay

Guest
It looks a bit more sophisticated than the old ABUs I used to use Ed.

I might get one myself.
 
A

Alan Tyler

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
4,282
Reaction score
51
Location
Barnet, S.Herts/N. London
Would an old copper hot-water tank (which I just happen to have saved for the purpose) be any good for making a smoker, either hot or (preferably) cold?
 
J

John Stewart

New member
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
0
Reaction score
0
hi thanks all for the advice,i have just cooked my first trout in this smoker and it was delicious.
thanks again
bjs
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay

Guest
Glad you enjoyed it John.

The name of the game with trout is to cook it yourself. I used to sell the trout I caught from Draycote Water to a restuarant in Leamington.

One evening I called in the same restuarant and they offered me a trout on the house. The chef was supposed to be qualified in some school in France.

To be honest the trout was horrible!!

The vast majority of chefs in my opinion do NOT know how to cook a fresh trout - period. (Are you listening Lee Swords)

One day I will visit all the top restuarants and show them how to do it myself.
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay

Guest
Oh and by the way on the menu it said: "River Trout".

Bullshit!!

Why did they not call it was it was?

Fresh overwintered rainbow trout from Draycote Water.
 
C

Colin North, the one and only

Guest
I have a spot in my garden where I could build a cold smoker, if only I knew how. Does anyone have any "plans" for such an assignment that I could borrow? Alternatively, perhaps someone could explain in sufficient detail what is required?

Any takers?

Thanks

Col
 
C

Chris Bishop

Guest
Isn't this where you have a chimney..? There's a really famous fish smokery place @ Cley down the road from me I'll ask next time I'm passing through.
 
C

Colin North, the one and only

Guest
Nah, Cakey, that's where you clean them!
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay

Guest
It didn't take long for a Philistine to get on this thread...... :eek:[
 
S

swordsy

Guest
well for what its worth this is MY favourite way with trout.

Being brought up fishing Dam flask and the adjacent waterboard pond Ughill brook we always had over 90-100 trout in the freezer by the end of the summer holidays.

Your dad will know some of the Ughill old timers Ron, happy days!! may they all rest in peace!!!

Right here goes,

1 trout 1-2lb
rosemary
thyme
sage
mint
lemon
salt
black pepper
butter NOT, I REPEAT NOT margerine

clean the fish under plenty of cold running water, remove all the bloody tissue along the spine.

rub salt and black pepper all over the fish, inside and out

fill the cavity with the aromatics, wrap with foil and cook in a hot oven for around fifteen to twenty minutes.

remove parcel from oven place the fish on a plate and pour over the liquor, serve with new potatoes, bread and butter

Thats how I like it!
 
S

swordsy

Guest
Nigel pan fried is sooo 2004!!

try, pan seared or the old favourite pan roast!!

Menues have more crap written on them, than the London sewer system has running through it on a on a rainy day.
 
R

Ron 'The Hat' Clay

Guest
Now that's very similar to some of the recipes I have used.

For what it is worth, here is my why of pan frying a trout.

Catch one nice rainbow with silver flanks and nice pink flesh of 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. Clean it as soon as possible after capture, and remove head, tail and all vestiges of gills and blood line from the backbone.

Cut the trout down the backbone until it is almost flat. Rub some sea salt and freshly chopped black pepper into the fish.

Fry the fish in melted butter NOT MARG and a little oil. Turn about twice. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

The fish is cooked when you can pull the flesh away easily from the backbone.

Put on a serving dish and pull out the backbone. This will leave you with two boneless fillets which can be served with mash and fresh garden peas.

Serve with a good Cape Reisling.

The secret is to eat the trout you have caught that day!
 
C

Clive Evans 1

Guest
Swordsy, My way.
First. Clean fish gut only leaving head on.
Stuff with sage, thyme, chopped shallot and lemon flesh, not rind, salt/pepper.
Wrap in page of newspaper as you would a parcel. Soak parcel under cold water 2min, shake off excess water and place at top of hottest oven. Gas 9 for eight mins, turn over for another ten mins.
Cut parcel along top and peel back. skin will stick to paper leaving two fillets exposed. Plate them and serve with Hollandaise sauce. Throw away parcel.

Ron, for pan-fried. Cut off two fillets and rub in salt and pepper. Gently fry in butter and oil for three minutes skin side down, one minute flesh side down. Plate them.
turn up heat and quickly fry a few prawns, capers, juice of whole lemon and dash of Anise or Pernod. Add cream by choice. Pour over fish.

Serve with a good Piesporter Michelsburg.
 
S

swordsy

Guest
en pappillotte....its a classic, all ido is swap the paper for foil sometimes the paper can give a bit of a wet dog taste to the thing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top