Smoked Trout with Horseradish-Dill Brine
Whole trout are brined in an aromatic mix of horseradish, dill and lemon, then hot-smoked to juicy perfection. The fish takes on a delicate smoky flavor from alder wood. Perfect as an elegant starter or a light main course.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Prepare the brine
15 min.Dissolve salt and sugar completely in cold water. Add dill, grated horseradish, lemon slices and coarse pepper and stir briefly. Chill the brine to 4 °C before adding the fish.
Brining
8-10 hoursSubmerge the cleaned and gutted trout completely in the cold brine. Weigh down with a plate or weight to keep the fish fully covered. Rest in the refrigerator at 2-4 °C.
Drying (Pellicle)
1-2 hoursRemove trout from brine, rinse under cold water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Place on a rack at room temperature or in front of a fan until the surface feels slightly tacky and glossy.
Smoking
1.5-2 hoursSet smoker to 80-100 °C and add alder wood chips along with a small amount of lemon wood. Place trout on oiled grates with the back facing up. Smoke until an internal core temperature of 62-65 °C is reached. The fish should flake easily when pressed.
Pro Tip
Always wait for the pellicle to form – without this dry surface layer, the fish absorbs smoke less effectively and the skin is more likely to tear during smoking.
Glossary Terms
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