Brined and Smoked Smelts
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 75
- Total Fat
- 0
- Saturated Fat
- 0
- Carbohydrates
- 18
- Dietary Fiber
- 0
- Sugar
- 17
- Protein
- 0
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Sodium
- 310
- Total: 15 hr 30 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Inactive: 12 hr
- Cook: 3 hr
Ingredients
24 smelts, cleaned with head and tails left on and other fins removed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 garlic clove, halved
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1 teaspoon allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 to 3 sprigs fresh dill
1 pound ice
Directions
- Rinse the smelts in cool running water. Set aside.
- Place all of the remaining ingredients, except the ice, into the electric kettle. Bring to a boil. Add the ice and stir until the mixture is cooled. Transfer the liquid to a 1-gallon resealable bag along with the smelts. Seal and place in a container so that all of the fish are in the brine. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove the smelts from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Place the smelts onto a paper towel-lined sheet pan, layering with paper towels in between if they won't fit in 1 layer. Allow to dry in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, place the smelts onto racks, belly side down, separating them by at least 1/4-inch and place into a smoker. Turn the smoker on so that it maintains a temperature of 150 to 160 degrees F. Adjust heat, as needed, and cook for approximately 3 hours or until desired level of doneness.