Smoked Trout with Lemon Verbena and Caper Brine
Whole trout are brined in an aromatic mixture of lemon verbena, caper brine, and white pepper before being hot-smoked to perfection. The result is a moist, delicately flavored smoked fish with a subtle saltiness and floral freshness. Perfect served as a starter or on dark bread with horseradish cream.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Prepare brine
15 minutesCombine salt, sugar, and water in a pot and heat briefly until dissolved. Stir in caper brine, lemon verbena, white pepper, and bay leaves. Cool the brine completely to below 4 °C before adding the trout.
Brining
4-6 hoursSubmerge the trout in the cold brine, weigh them down with a plate to keep fully covered, and refrigerate at 2-4 °C. Smaller trout (under 400 g) require only 4 hours, larger fish up to 6 hours.
Pellicle formation
1-2 hoursRemove trout from brine, rinse under cold water, and pat thoroughly dry. Place on a rack in a cool, well-ventilated area or use a fan to dry until the surface feels slightly tacky and glossy.
Smoking
1-2 hoursPreheat smoker with alder and lemon wood chips to 80 °C. Place trout on racks or hang on hooks and smoke at 80-100 °C until a stable core temperature of 62-65 °C is reached. In the last 15 minutes, briefly raise temperature to 100 °C for a golden-brown skin.
Pro Tip
Pellicle formation is crucial: without this tacky protective layer, smoke won't adhere evenly and the flesh can dry out. Placing a small fan on its lowest setting in front of the fish significantly speeds up this process.
Glossary Terms
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