While many associate smoking with just meats, seafood can also be smoked! Smoking enhances the taste of fish and shellfish by adding rich, smoky flavors that are irresistible to friends and family.
How do you smoke seafood?
Step 1: Select a fresh fish or shellfish, such as shrimp, salmon, or scallops.
Step 2: Brine or marinate the seafood like you would meat for added flavor and moisture.
Step 3: Preheat your smoker to a low temperature and use mild wood chips like alder or apple for a delicate flavor. The temperature of your smoker should be between 200-225°F.
Step 4: Place the seafood on the smoker racks and smoke until cooked.
Step 5: After cooking, let the seafood rest briefly before serving to enhance its smoky flavor.
What seafood can be smoked?
Fish that are firm or shellfish are good options for smoking.
Our favorites include:
Seafood with a high moisture content, such as oysters or clams, may not withstand smoking. Instead, we recommend steaming oysters or clams.
Tools Needed to Smoke Seafood
To effectively smoke seafood, you'll need a few essential tools:
- A smoker: It can be electric, charcoal, or a stovetop.
- Mild wood chips: Wood chips are used to smoke seafood, infusing it with rich, smoky flavors while enhancing its overall taste and aroma. Popular flavors consist of apple or cherry wood chips.
- Meat thermometer: this is crucial for ensuring your seafood reaches the safe internal temperature of 145°F.
- Meat rack: A meat rack is used for smoking seafood. It elevates the food above the heat source, allowing for even smoke circulation and preventing direct contact with the flames, which helps achieve optimal flavor and texture.
- Long-handled tongs: Long-handed tongs are used in smoking seafood to safely handle and maneuver food items in and out of the smoker without getting too close to the heat, ensuring safety and ease of use.
- Heat-resistant gloves will help you manage the process safely and efficiently by protecting your hands from the intense heat.
Although you can do the smoking yourself... shop our smoked seafood here.
Shop Smoked Seafood:
Smoked Steelhead Trout: This fish is farm-raised in Rocky Mountain spring water with sustainable practices in Idaho. It is smoked in a small batch and is a skin-on, boneless filet. Customers rave about our smoked steelhead trout, calling it their “favorite of the smoked fish.”
Smoked Sockeye Salmon Candy Strips: Wild-caught skin on boneless strips from Alaska. Each strip has been soaked in a brown sugar brine and small-batched smoked.
Smoked Coho Salmon with Cracked Pepper: Wild-caught and from Alaska, this fish has been processed by hand with added spices.
Smoked Weathervane Scallops: These scallops were straight from Alaska and were wild-caught and sustainably harvested. Each scallop is seasoned with salt, cane sugar, spices, and natural wood smoke.
Smoked Black Cod/ Sablefish: Sourced from Alaska, this fish is wild-caught and then processed by hand. Its ingredients include honey, tamari, olive oil, onions, garlic, ginger, and lemon zest.
Incorporating smoked seafood into your cooking not only elevates your dishes with deep, flavorful profiles but also offers a delightful way to impress your guests with the unique and delicious taste of homemade smoked delicacies.