Smoked Steelhead Trout Dip Food

ASHLEI'S SMOKED TROUT DIP

Steps:

• Combine trout, cream cheese, sour cream, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, paprika, lemon juice, horseradish, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a bowl; stir until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

HOT SMOKED TROUT

Steps:

• Combine the salt and water in a 4-quart container and stir until the salt has dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the trout filets, making sure they are submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Remove the trout from the brine, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Place the trout, skin side down onto a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan. Dry in the refrigerator 21 to 24 hours or until the skin becomes shiny and somewhat tacky to the touch.
• The next day, turn the smoker on so that it maintains a temperature of 150 to 160 degrees F. Place the trout onto smoking racks, skin side down, separating them by at least 1/4-inch and place into a smoker. Adjust heat as needed and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the fish is, cooked through, has darkened in color, and has the desired level of smoke flavor.
• Serve with a green salad, incorporate into a dip or eat as an appetizer. Refrigerate unused portions in an airtight container for up to a week or vacuum seal and refrigerate for up to a month.

SMOKED STEELHEAD TROUT (SALMON)

Steps:

• Rinse the fish fillets and place them in a shallow glass baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the fish and season with garlic and rosemary. Rub the seasonings into the fish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Dissolve the curing salt in the water and pour into the dish with the fish. Let it marinate for 15 minutes per half inch of thickness.
• Meanwhile, prepare your smoker for a four hour slow burn using charcoal. The temperature should be at 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) before you get started.
• Remove the fish from the brine and discard leftover liquid. Place each piece of fish onto a small piece of aluminum foil - just big enough to hold the fillet, and season with pepper to taste. Place them on the rack in the smoker. Sprinkle a handful of the soaked wood chips over the coals or place in a heat box. Cover and allow fish to smoke for 2 hours, adding more wood chips as needed.
• Increase the heat in the smoker (add more charcoal) to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) and let the fish smoke until the internal temperature of the fillets reaches 165 degrees F (72 degrees C). Remove from the smoker and let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

SMOKED TROUT DIP

Steps:

• Discard the head, and skin and flake the trout fillets. Puree the cream cheese, sour cream, and horseradish in a mini food processor. Add the fish and pulse to a make a smooth dip. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the onion and parsley, and the lemon juice, to taste. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Serve with celery or endive leaves.

SMOKED TROUT

Steps:

• In a shallow baking dish, mix together the kosher salt, sugar, cilantro, and lemon slices to make the cure. Rub the cure into the trout fillets, and cure in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Prepare a hot smoker.
• Smoke the trout with serrano peppers until the fish is cooked through, but not overcooked. Remove from the smoker and allow to cool.
• Peel the smoked peppers and remove seeds. Place the smoked pepper in a blender or food processor and puree. Add the vinegar, olive oil, mango, garlic, black pepper, salt, and tomato. Puree until smooth.
• Place the trout on a platter and sprinkle with peanuts. Drizzle a generous amount of the vinaigrette over the trout.